Warrant Officer 1  Bandmaster Graham Holman LRSM CT ABRSM RM

Warrant Officer Bandmaster Graham Holman joined the Royal Marines Band Service in September 1977.  He spent the first 3 years of his career studying Clarinet and Viola at the Royal Marines School of Music prior to his first draft to the Staff Band at Deal.  After taking part in the Centenary Royal Tournament at Earls Court he was drafted to the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Commander in Chief Naval Home Command in Portsmouth where he was to spend the next 7 years. Most of this time he was based onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia where he travelled extensively throughout the world including the west coast of America, Australasia, China and the Caribbean.

In 1987 Graham returned to the Staff Band at Deal where he spent the next 5 years.  Orchestral playing was a major part of the draft, supporting the Bandmasters courses but there were several trips abroad, notably to the USSR in 1991 just as the Iron curtain was about to fall.  During this period he attended the Junior Command Course and was promoted to Band Corporal.

A draft to the West Country beckoned in 1992 to the Band at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. This involved major changes from Staff Band, not only in the scenery of Devon, but also the nature of the job.  Divisions and Colours, the ‘Bread and Butter’ of the Naval Parade, were constant throughout the year with only occasional trips out of the town for concerts in places such as Scarborough and Buxton.  While at Dartmouth Graham successfully completed the Senior Command and M1 Courses and was then selected to attend the Bandmasters Course which involved another return to Deal. 

This was to be the final Bandmasters course held at Deal prior to the School of Music’s move to Portsmouth.  Graham completed the course in March 1996 and was awarded the silver medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians.

A draft to HMS Dryad as the Volunteer Band Instructor was the next challenge and one which was to bring great satisfaction, not only in being in charge of the Band, but also to work with a so many dedicated and talented musicians from the local community or based at HMS Dryad.

After two years at HMS Dryad, and promotion to Colour Sergeant, Graham was drafted to the Band at Plymouth, based in HMS Raleigh.  During a three year draft, there were a number of highlights; a trip to the USA representing NATO at the celebrations in Virginia which included performing Beethoven’s 9th symphony with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and taking part in the Edinburgh Tattoo in Wellington, New Zealand.  A short temporary draft to the Band at Dartmouth gave Graham the opportunity not only to rekindle his affection with the beautiful scenery of South Devon but also meet and later marry his wife Jo.

In 2001 Graham was drafted to the Royal Marines School of Music (RMSoM) in Portsmouth to take up the position of Clarinet and Viola Instructor.  He was selected for promotion to WO2 Bandmaster in June 2003 and assumed the position of Finance Manager within RMSoM.  This became a relatively short appointment as he was chosen to become the Chief Instructor Higher Training in March 2004.  This involved managing the Bandmasters, Musician 1 and Bugler 1 courses.

In March 2007 Graham was selected to attend the WO1 Selection Board and on successfully passing the Board was selected as WO1 Bandmaster of HM Royal Marines Band Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, his current appointment.  Graham currently resides in Exeter with his wife Jo and their children, Jessica, William and Alexandra.

Last updated: December 2007