| Biography | The Royal Marines School of Music (RMSoM) was originally 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 and returned to Portsmouth.
Today all Royal Marines Bands are required to provide every imaginable musical ensemble including 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 the 15 weeks of initial military training and passing the audition, musicians proceed to train at the RMSoM. Musicians train for 2 years and 8 months and buglers train for 2 years. RMSoM has an agreement with the local University of Portsmouth and now Plymouth University through which new 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 place on the Bandmasters' Course that is widely recognized as one of the most demanding courses of its type, lasting approximately 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. |