PHOTOS FROM LAST YEAR’S WATERLOOVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL
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10am at St George’s Church:
MUMBABA
workshop for Toddlers (in the hall)
LUNCHES SERVED from 12noon
12.30pm at St George’s Church:
LINDA KETTLE
playing your musical requests on the piano
Note for disabled ticket holders: Space will be at a premium for this performance, and so if you are attending in a wheelchair, we request that for your comfort and safety you let us know in advance, so that we can reserve space for you. You can email us at wmf@stgeorgesnews.org quoting your booking reference number. Thank you for your understanding.
St George’s Church, Waterlooville, 7.30pm - licensed bar opens 7pm
TICKETS £6 IN ADVANCE, £7 ON THE DOOR
THE BAND OF HER MAJESTY’S ROYAL MARINES SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Musical director: Major Pete Curtis MBE BMus(Hons) PGDip LRSM AMusTCL RM
The Royal Marines School of Music (RMSoM) was founded as the Royal Naval School of Music in 1903 at Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth, where the Royal Marines Museum is now located. In 1930 it moved to Deal, Kent, a historic Royal Navy base and shipyard. Between 1940 and 1950, it moved to various locations around the country before returning to Deal. Eleven band members at the school were killed during the Deal barracks bombing of 1989. The school relocated for the last time in 1996 and returned to Portsmouth, making its home in the former detention quarters within HMS Nelson.
Today all Royal Marines Bands are required to provide every imaginable musical ensemble including wind bands, orchestras, quartets and dance bands, as well as traditional Military (parade) Bands. To achieve this, all RM musicians, except solo specialists, are required to attain an above-average standard on both a string and a wind instrument. As a result of this special versatility, Royal Marines musicians are recognised around the world as being both thoroughly professional and highly talented within the military musical world, and the music world generally. The "Solo Specialists" have to become exceptionally highly talented on their chosen single instrument. The Corps of Drums receive an equally thorough training and pride themselves on maintaining the highest standards of drill, bugling and drumming. Their glittering presence at the front of all Royal Marines Bands on the march gives the bands a visual impact that is second to none. The Drum Majors are selected from the Corps of Drums.
After completing 15 weeks of initial military training, now mostly held at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, and passing the audition, musicians proceed to train at the RMSoM. Musicians train for a maximum of 3 years and buglers train for 2 years. RMSoM has a collabrotive agreement with Plymouth University through which musicians may obtain a BMus degree. More experienced musicians have an opportunity to obtain a master's degree and other civilian certifications through external providers.
As their careers progress, Musicians and Buglers may return to the Royal Marines School of Music to undergo further musical training to qualify them for higher rank, after passing the Junior Command Course (to become Band Corporal) and Senior Command Course (to become Band Sergeant). This culminates in a possible place on the Bandmasters' Course that is widely recognized as one of the most demanding courses of its type, lasting 12 months.
Bandmaster Students study all the main music disciplines; the orchestral and contemporary wind band repertoire and they work with renowned figures from the world of music.
This select group of highly talented musicians are required to achieve the highest standard of excellence and this will be a thrilling evening of stunning and varied band music performed by the training wing of the most famous and highly respected military band in the world.
Royal Marines School of Music performing in concert at St Mary’s Church, Portsmouth
Director of Music - Major P.J Curtis MBE BMus(Hons) PGDip LRSM AMusTCL RM
Major Pete Curtis joined the Royal Marines Band Service in January 1986 as a young Solo Cornet player and now, some 25 years (and 17 houses!) later, having travelled the World with numerous Royal Marines Bands, including a spell as the Director of Music of The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines CTCRM and Portsmouth (Royal Band), he is the Director of Music of the Royal Marines School of Music.
Throughout his quarter of a century's Service, he has also maintained various links with the civilian music world, including the Salvation Army where he first learned to play, having played for or conducted numerous Brass Bands such as Woodfalls, Camborne Town, Leyland, Besses O' The Barn, Ocean Brass, Tullis Russell and Totnes Bands, and joined us at the Waterlooville Music Festival last year conducting the Band of the Hampshire Constabulary.
This concert will be a very special occasion for Major Pete Curtis, as it will be his final performance conducting the Band prior to his retirement and a new posting.
dance floor
licensed real ale, wine & Pimm’s bar
Royal Marines School of Music: Armed Forces Day 2017 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
