Royal Marines School of Music Higher Training
Course Officer Maj MP Dowrick RM
Academic Professor Dr EA LeGrove BMus(Hons) MPhil EdD FRCO (CHM) PGCE
Chief Instructor WO2 Bdmr DW Lloyd BMus(Hons) ATCL CT ABRSM LRSM RM
Academic Instructor BdCSgt A CoxLRSM RM
Higher Training RMSoM has been a hive of activity this past 12 weeks. The M1 1/07 course began in earnest early September, and the Bandmasters’ course began the concert phase of their course, no rest for anyone!
There have been concerts to attend at the Anvil Theatre Basingstoke, and the Royal Festival Hall; along with the opportunity to see the fantastic new production of Aida at the home of the English National Opera, the Coliseum. The M1 course have absorbed all that they can and have showed off their new found knowledge during the examination phase of their course, which was completed at the end of November; by now they will have returned to their bands eager to impart their knowledge gained in such a short time.
A particular highlight this term was the visit by Professor Peter Graham, Dr Robin Dewhurst and Professor David King. Portsmouth Band performed the British premiere of Harrison's Dream during Concert III at St Mary’s Church. Whilst the band were rehearsing we were not only able to witness the rehearsals for this exiting work, but also have tuition from the composer, Dr Peter Graham. This has proved invaluable for the Higher Training; whist the Bandmasters’ course were discussing further projects with the composer, Dr Robin Dewhurst took a look at the M1 projects, giving valuable feedback at a crucial time in their development.
Thanks go to all the staff and students at RMSoM, not only for their work for the concert at Denmead, where the M1 students are able to conduct a Royal Marines Band in public; but also for their continued support and patience for all the various combinations requested from Higher Training this term.
To conclude, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us all at Higher Training,
Having spent a large part of this year on courses, it has been difficult to know where to begin this article, so I thought I would use my new found educational skills and produce a literary version of John Cage's 4 minutes and 33 seconds; but apparently two blank pages of A4 is pretentious!
Therefore our story begins at the beginning with the famous five: we are BdCpls Steve ‘Ace’ Green, Andy ‘Red light on, recording’ Deacon, Mark ‘the tail’ Flintoft, Mike ‘smooth Stravinsky jazz’ Robinson and Ben ‘absolutely no mannerisms to take make fun of’ Janiec.
The summer months, now far behind us, were spent on the Senior Command Course. It was a world away from music and gave us the opportunity to become geographically embarrassed on Woodbury Common. All things ‘green’ were completed after six weeks and after a quick re-acquaint with the pith helmet, we joined Higher Training on Monday 3rd September to embark on twelve weeks of Conducting, History, Viva (Las Vegas!), Harmony, Elements, Aural and Scoring, but mostly, formation biscuit eating! The thing to remember about a course such as this, is that you may need to brush up on a few parts of the course that have suffered from skills fade. However, there is bad - then there is SIGHT SINGING! There is no video evidence I can assure you, but our first few weeks of sight singing were so bad that it made the contestants on X Factor look like they really had talent. I believe that the Oxford Dictionary has now coined the phrase, “the patience of an Academic Professor” in recognition of the ability of Dr Le Grove to remain composed despite our catawauling! Things did improve rapidly and we soon began producing rather fine four-part harmony (there were still only two parts written, but you can’t stop raw talent!).
The first couple of weeks of the Course passed at a respectable pace with outings in front of RMSoM on parade, and Portsmouth Band in the concert hall. The pressure was then turned up a gear towards Aural Paper 1, and the Grade 6 Theory Examination. The best thing about the elements part of the Grade 6 paper was the slow unraveling of BdCSgt Cox, as this subject soon became slightly argumentative, which developed a little as the Course progressed. Peace was restored until we tackled appoggiaturas, still we’re all friends now – I think!
It has been some years since I sat exams at school, so returning to an actual school to sit the Grade 6 Theory Examination made us chuckle, particularly when the south’s largest fireworks display began two miles away.
The pressure rose once again as conducting came to the fore in the form of sessions with Malcolm Binney and Portsmouth Band, RMSoM Band and finally a trip to BRNC Band. Many thanks to all those involved in playing for us; the experience was invaluable and until you conduct a live band, you don’t realise just how involved it is, and what fun. Looking up from my score, (I did once or twice) I suddenly realised that the final exams were just around the corner. This meant a great deal of revising, head scratching and the making of interesting mnemonics! David Prentice and ice cream, I thank you!
Exam week arrived as did the final concert at Denmead with RMSoM Band. The exams came and went which is quite possibly the best way to view them; if you want to know more, do the Course. The concert however was fantastic. The nerves gave way to some excellent emotional moments on the microphone, and enjoyment was the buzz word for all of the embryonic conductors.
The end of Course Hop Appreciation Society meeting went exceedingly well - despite having spent a lifetime with my fellow Course members. We were astonished to see Flinty (all of him!) rocking the Old Vic; some performers you just can’t stop.
The final word however must go, as always, to the unsung heroes behind the scenes. As always there are people who put up with us at home during this frenetic period, from wives and girlfriends to children whose raw expression of ‘you’re always working’ strikes a chord, (IIb Ic V7 I) and it’s their support for which we as a Course are eternally grateful for. Also to Dr Liz Le Grove, WO2 Lloyd and CSgt Cox, who have taught, coached and believed in us over the passed twelve weeks, despite our best efforts to prove otherwise!
It is in no small part due to them, that we are all now clinically insane, except me I’m normal,
MOO!
Last updated May 2008
