Royal Marines School of Music Higher Training
Course Officer Maj AP Thornhill RM
Academic Professor Dr EA LeGrove BMus(Hons) MPhil EdD FRCO (CHM) PGCE
Chief Instructor WO2 Bdmr AC Cox BMus(Hons) AMusTCL LRSM RM
Academic Instructor BdCSgt D Powell BMus(Hons) GBSM LRSMABSM AMusTCL RM
As we approach the end of our time in Higher Training, this year’s Bandmasters’ course has only just realised that we forgot to take our heads out of scores/books/manuscript/computers etc. to put together an article for the previous issue; somewhat remiss I think you’ll agree and we sincerely apologise.
A lot has happened in this short time, including an M1’s course arriving and leaving (obviously they are to blame for not submitting said article) consisting of seven Royal Marines and Sgt Tim Mondesir of the St Lucian Police Force Band. All went well with the course and it kept Dr Le Grove busy and things did ease off in the BM’s classroom for a little while. The highest ever result for an M1’s project was given during the course with 100% to Bd Cpl David ‘Grandad’ Johnson for his arrangement of Christmas tunes, which considering he didn’t pay any attention during harmony, is quite amazing. All have since been promoted and we would like to say congratulations to all and we’ll keep the chairs warm for those returning next year.
The 2010 M1s Course: Standing (L-R)- BdCpls K Harvey, D Johnson, J Cook, D Newman, Sgt T Mondesir,
BdCpls T Crane, P Woofenden, S Nicholls
Seated (L-R)- WO2 A Cox, Maj A Thornhill, Lt Col N Grace, Dr E Le Grove, BdCSgt H Williams
As things progress we have only a few exams and final assignments looming, but also the LRSM asessment in conducting. We have, however, all been successful in achieving an Associate Diploma in Musical Theory, Criticism and Literature (AMusTCL); a gruelling 3 hour exam covering everything from Bach to Lloyd Webber. We have all thoroughly enjoyed the concert series and had great support from all the musicians within the Portsmouth area and we would like to say a big thanks to both Portsmouth and Collingwood Bands for their patience during the year.
Being a social bunch, as we are, the year has given us chance to attend a couple of Mess functions, obviously depending on the workload on the desk! Most of the department attended the Burns supper, a great evening of Scottish traditions as well as the traditional heavy head the following morning. I don’t, however, remember the traditional morning after sight-singing and melody dictation being something I’ve ever done before and not something I shall be following through next year! The Valentine's Ladies' night was of course the evening for us to treat our better halves to an evening in the Mess and a fantastic night was had by all, except poor Dave Prentice who had injured himself playing rugby earlier the same day and had to refrain from tripping the light fantastic on the dance floor, a relief to the rest of us and especially his wife Sarah.
As well as all the classroom work, we have also been lucky enough to have a fair amount of time in front of the Band on parade with Training Company. This has covered a wide variety of parade tasks from a simple quick-slow-quick to complicated manoeuvres trying not to collide with either the Drum Major or the Corps of Drums! Needless to say, the young musicians in the wing have played Sunset at least six times some mornings. We also had the pleasure of WO1 (Bug) J Whitwham MBE RM come along on one occasion to advise, and lucky for us we were in No1s with swords. A very proud moment in all our careers, that was until the Corps Drum Major’s debrief, when I was told that I slow march like a bass player!
As I begin to bring this article to a close I would like to say some hellos and goodbyes. First of all, a big farewell to our academic instructor, Bd CSgt (now Lieutenant) Huw Williams and congratulations on his promotion to the Officer Corps, his viva voce sessions were always very informative and he had a talent for picking all the questions for our Friday quiz that no-one ever knew the answers to! In Huw’s place we would like to say welcome to Bd CSgt Daryl Powell for a brief stint in the department before he moves to RMSoM as the Training Officer, a new position working with the military training team, which again gives reason to say congratulations as this post sees his promotion to WO2 (B) in May. We have all had a fantastic year and we would like to say a big thanks to all who have helped out, including the staff and our families for supporting us. A special mention must go to Bd CSgt Dave Bromley RVM RM in the Central Music Library for helping out with photocopying all our endless compositions, normally at short notice, briefly before going to the stand to rehearse the very same piece. We would all like to wish Dave well in his retirement upon leaving the Band Service in the near future.
From all of the BMs 2009 class we look forward to seeing you all when we escape to the far reaches of the Band Service when we are released after our results.
May 4th be with you!
Bass
Last updated August 2010
