Major A J Smallwood MA(Dist) PGDip(Adv) BMus(Hons) LRSM Royal Marines

Tony was encouraged from an early age by his father Barry, a music teacher, to learn the piano, and soon after he began lessons on the horn and played with the County Youth Orchestra. He joined the Royal Marines Band Service as a cornet and piano player in 1983 and on completion of training was drafted to the Plymouth Band.  It was during this time that he performed Gershwin’s piano concerto 'Rhapsody in Blue'. His hard work came to fruition when he was offered the position of pianist on the Royal Yacht Britannia, traveling extensively throughout the world.

Tony passed the Royal Marines Bandmasters' Course in 1995 where he gained an LRSM in Conducting. On promotion to Warrant Officer Bandmaster in April 2000, he went on an exchange to the Defence Force School of Music in Australia for four months and on returning to the UK, Tony held the position as the Bandmaster at the Royal Marines School of Music for the next two years, during which time he attained his BMus(Hons) Degree.

He was promoted to Captain in 2002 after completing officer training at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon. Prior to taking up his appointment in June 2004 as Director of Music, Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland, Tony studied conducting at post-graduate advanced level under Peter Stark and Simon Young at Trinity College of Music in London; on completion of his studies, Tony was awarded with the Ricordi Conducting Prize.a

During his tenure as Director of Music of the Scotland Band, Tony took the Band abroad on several occasions including playing a major role in the Edinburgh Tattoo both in Edinburgh and Sydney, Australia.  He recorded a CD entitled ‘Victory in Europe’ to mark the 60th Anniversary of the end of the Second World war which sold thousands of copies, and at the same time raised money for the Royal British Legion.  Tony’s second recording featured one of his favourite genres, the Big Band. The ‘Live! At the Carnegie Hall’ recording was an instant success selling out almost as soon as it went on sale. His three years in Scotland saw many high profile engagements with musicians and celebrities including Katherine Jenkins and Jane McDonald, and culminated in Tony being awarded a distinction as Master of Music (Conducting).

Tony moved back to Portsmouth to the RM Band Service Headquarters in 2007.  After being selected for promotion to Major in February 2008, he was invited to return to Sydney for four months as the Musical Director of the Royal Australian Navy Band, which was a huge privilege and a great experience.  Tony is also recognised as an experienced arranger and has arranged many pieces for the annual Massed Bands Concerts in the Royal Albert Hall.

His current position as Director of Music of the Portsmouth Band sees him fulfill a long-held ambition.  In August 2011 Tony led a 15 piece ‘Show Band’ from the Portsmouth Band, entertaining our troops in Helmand Province, Kandahar and Kabul. 

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Last updated: 27 September 2011