Director of Music

Captain Kevin Davies enlisted into the Army in September 1983.  He joined the Staff Band of the Royal Corps of Transport, Aldershot as a clarinettist in January 1984.  His nine years service with this band saw him tour widely where as principal clarinettist he visited countries such as Cyprus, Hong Kong, Germany, France, Italy and the Queen's official State Visit to Jordan in 1984.

He was selected to attend the Student Bandmaster's course in 1992 where upon graduating won the Principal Director's Music Prize for conducting in 1994.  He was appointed as Bandmaster of the Royal Corps of Signals Band in January 1996 where he spent three years touring countries such as United States of America, Cyprus, Sweden, Germany and Northern Ireland.

He was then appointed as Bandmaster Irish Guards in January 1999.  As well as performing at the many high profile and prestigious events undertaken by this band he was deployed on operational duties in Kosovo in July 1999.

He was commissioned in January 2005 and was appointed Director of Music, The Band of The Brigade of Gurkhas for three years until being posted to The Band of The Life Guards. He completed the equitation course and assumed the appointment of Director of Music in July 2008.

 

Bandmaster

The Bandmaster is Warrant Officer Class One Paul Collis-Smith. He joined the Army in September 1990 and attended one year's training at the Army Junior School of Music.  He became Junior Sergeant and won the 'Best Brass Player' and 'Best Overall Musician' prizes.

In 1991 to 1993 he attended the pupil's course at the Royal Military School of Music and won a parchment for 'exceptional proficiency on the cornet'.

In 1994 he was posted to the newly formed Clive Band of the Prince of Wales's Division and became principal cornet.  During this time he gained a Licentiate teacher's diploma (trumpet) from the Trinity College of Music.

In 2001 he was promoted to Sergeant and selected for the three-year Bandmasters course at Kneller Hall.  On completion he gained an honours degree in music and won a prize for the 'British student gaining highest marks in the MoD examinations'.  During the Bandmaster's course he ran the Kneller Hall Fanfare Team for two years, performing for Her Majesty the Queen on several occasions and appearing on the Royal Variety Performance.

He was appointed Bandmaster in 2004 and posted to The Band of The Royal Gibraltar Regiment.  In addition to public duties in Gibraltar, the Band took part in public duties in London and training exercises in Morocco and The Gambia.

In 2006, he returned to The Royal Military School of Music for a short time as Museum Warrant Officer, tasked with a curator role within the School Museum. 

In January 2007, he was posted to the Band of The Life Guards and after completion of Riding School in May 2007, continues to take part in routine high profile events within the Household Cavalry.