The Corps Bandmaster Warrant Officer 1 Bandmaster Dean Farrar BMus(Hons) LRSM ARCM(Hons) LGSM LLCM Royal Marines

Dean was accepted into the Royal Marines Band Service (RMBS) in 1985, and shortly after began his studies on the Euphonium and Cello at the Royal Marines School of Music (RMSM) in Deal, Kent. Upon early completion, his first draft was to Portsmouth and the band of Commander in Chief Naval Home Command. With promotion to Band Corporal in 1992, Dean returned to his roots at the school but this time as the Instructor of Euphonium and Cello. In 1995 in a bid to encourage his students, he became a Licentiate of the London College of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and an Associate of the Royal College of Music for Euphonium Performance.

The following year brought promotion to Band Sergeant and with it selection to attend the Warrant Officer Bandmasters Course. Throughout the 52-weeks involved, tuition and assessments took place in a wide variety of subjects under the guidance and scrutiny of Dr Le Grove, Malcolm Binney and Gordon Langford. Upon completion, Dean gained a Licentiateship from the Royal Schools of Music in Band Musicianship, and subsequently appointed as Bandmaster to the Royal Naval Volunteer Band, HMS Dryad.

In 2004, Dean gained a Bachelor of Music honours degree from Portsmouth University and was appointed as the Corps Bandmaster in June 2007.

Throughout his career to date, Dean has served in several capacities at the RMSM and no less than five RM Bands including a brief spell onboard Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia. He considers himself fortunate to have been able to travel the world extensively representing the RMBS in both Ceremonial and Military roles in support of the wider Naval Service. He has also grasped every opportunity for further periods of study, and in September 2006, he enrolled on a Master of Arts (Performance) Programme at Salford University under the mentorship of Professor David King.

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