Concert: Royal Marines mesmerise at Mountbatten Festival

Royal Marines mesmerise at Mountbatten Festival
Massed bands of HM Royal Marines
Director of Music: Lieut. Col. Nick Grace OBE
Director of Music of the Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland, Captain Matt Weites
Director of Music of the Band of HM Royal Marines Commando Training Centre, Captain Steve Green
Drum Corps of the Royal Marines
Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland
Royal Albert Hall, London; 23 - 25 March 2017

As many readers will know, I love brass bands and sing their praises from the highest, but on 23 March I was transported to another world of music-making that completely blew my mind. I was in London’s Royal Albert Hall soaking up everything the massed bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines had to offer. It was the first time that I had witnessed The Mountbatten Festival of Music, but it certainly won’t be the last!

The Festival was originally conceived to honour the connection between the Royal Marines Band Service and Sir Malcolm Sergeant, the Honorary Music Advisor to the Royal Marines for more than 20 years. In 1980, it was renamed in honour of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who was Life Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines until his untimely death in 1979.

From the first piece of the first night of the three-night Festival, Opening Fanfare - film music from Wing Commander by Arnold and Kinder superbly arranged by Ivan Hutchinson, to the finale - A Life on the Ocean Wave by Kappey, I was mesmerised along with the packed RAH audience.

The evening was particularly poignant as The Royal Marines said “goodbye” to retiring Director of Music, Lieut. Col. Nick Grace OBE, who conducted with great command and panache.

However, one of the evening’s many highlights was a specially commissioned march by Michael McDermott entitled Women of the Waves, written to commemorate the centenary of the formation of the Wrens in 1917, again conducted by Lieut. Col. Grace.

Two other conductors shared the stage: Captain Matt Weites (Director of Music of the Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland) and Captain Steve Green (Director of Music of the Band of HM Royal Marines Commando Training Centre). Captain Green is currently studying a Masters Degree at the Royal Welsh College of Music, Cardiff.

Soloists were also featured in abundance, and the quality and presentation was outstanding. The evening’s stars included Joe Sharp (oboe), Jon Rushton (trumpet), Hannah Trudgeon (piano), Andy Platt (guitar), Joshua Tones (trumpet), Mark Upton (flugel horn), Samantha McIndoe (singer), Mike Smith (xylophone), Matt Bowditch (trombone), Joe Kemp, George Gissing (singer), Andy Spain and Gordon Carter (saxophone).

Charles Collingwood (Brian Aldridge from The Archers) slickly compèred the evening and special International guests, Switzerland’s The Top Secret Drum Corps, did not disappoint, especially when the Corps joined forces with the Drum Corps of the Royal Marines.

This was a superb concert and for a tremendous cause - all proceeds from the Festival went to the Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent, directly supporting serving the personnel of the Royal Marines and their families. The music was played at such a high level, the presentation was full of imagination and the programming was refreshingly innovative. Congratulations to all involved.

ROBERT CHILDS

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