My name is Musn Lawson and before joining the Royal Marines Band Service I lived in Gosport. I joined the School of Music to study the flute and saxophone. Here is the account describing my weekly routine starting on the 26th of October.
After a nice, relaxing long weekend, our first day back at work was quiet.
Tuesday
As long weekend finished at 0715 this morning, Training Company didn't have
to start their Tuesday as usual; rounds did not have to be done. So Tuesday
started with personnel practise.
I had a flute professorial lesson later on in the day with my flute professor
Karen Evans. Karen has not been teaching us long, but within weeks of her arrival
at the school all of Sgt Miller's flute class saw a vast improvement in their
personal performances. At the moment Karen is working with me in my studies
towards my Grade 8 and end of Term3 exams. The pieces I will be playing for
my Grade 8 exams are: 'Sonata No 2 Op 94' by Serge Prokofieff (1st movement
only), 'Konzort No 2 d-moll Op 31' by Danzi (3rd movement), and a piece I hope
to start working on soon is an unaccompanied piece by Piazzota, called 'Tongo
- Etudes: No 3'.
Wednesday
Wednesday morning saw Iceland's Parade Band practising on the parade ground.
Most of Training Company are going to Iceland for a week to assist the United
States Marine Corps in their Corps Birthday celebrations unfortunately, I am
one of the few that have to stay behind, but hopefully my chance will come next
year.
Wednesday afternoon Training Company went orienteering round Portsmouth during
RT (recreational training). Some of us, including myself, have started taking
part in other sports representing the Royal Navy on Wednesday afternoons during
RT. I have started playing hockey, but there are lots of other sports including
football, rugby, rowing and swimming. It's nice to say that nearly all of our
teams always win!
Thursday
"NO PHYS!!" Due to our monthly sponsored prayers we didn't have PT
this morning, which is always a bonus. For me Thursday was mainly a day of personal
practise. After evening rehearsal we saw a different side to everyone, when
most of Training Company dressed up for our Halloween night in the school bar.
It was a very good night and enjoyed by everyone.
Friday
The day set off with an icy parade band with most of the band's fingers turning
blue in the cold. Parade band was followed by an aural lesson, taken by CSgt
Hodge, and gave our cold hands a chance to warm up.
At the end of the day, the sax group got together and annoyed everyone as the
dulcet tones of the inexperienced sax players echoed with marches that could
be heard round the school.
Musn Lawson