Director of Music

Major Barry Wassell enlisted into the Army as a euphonium player with the regimental band of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in 1982. He served as principal euphonium with the band until 1986 when he attended the year-long instrumental course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, which culminated in him winning the Director's Prize, awarded to the best all-round musician of the year.

In 1989 he was selected to return to Kneller Hall to commence the three years Bandmaster Course. On graduation in 1991 he won a total of eight first prize awards including the prestigious Worshipful Company of Musicians Medal for the best student of his course.

His first appointment took him to Winchester as Bandmaster of the Normandy Band of the Royal Green Jackets where he served for two and a half years until a major reorganisation of Army Music in 1994, which saw him posted to Bovington as Bandmaster of the newly formed Band of the Royal Lancers. Following a relatively short posting to the Household Division as Bandmaster of the Band of the Irish Guards, he was appointed Director of Music to the Germany-based Band of the Dragoon Guards on commissioning in October 1997. He was appointed Deputy Chief Instructor and Director of Phase 2 training at the Royal Military School of Music in September 2001, where he was responsible for the delivery and development of training to young musicians undergoing initial training.

Major Wassell assumed the prestigious position of Director of Music to the Band of the Grenadier Guards in July 2006.

Bandmaster

Warrant Officer Class One Chris King began his military career at the Guards' Depot, Pirbright in 1987 where he did his basic training. He later moved up the road to the Army Junior School of Music at Pirbright for 15 months of musical and military tuition. He was presented the Musician of the Year award at the end of this course in Dec1988.

In Jan 1989, he attended the year long Pupils' Course at RMSM Kneller Hall. At the end of this course, he won the Cassels Bronze Medal, a Cousins parchment (they were worth more then!) and the Frank Wright Cornet Silver Medal.

In Jan 1990, he was posted to the Royal Artillery Band in Woolwich, London where he served on the trumpet and viola.

After the completion of the BSC and Drum Majors' Course, was posted to RMSM as a Foundation Course Supervisor in Oct 1998. He served in this position for a year before beginning the BM Course in Sep 1999.

After graduating from the BM Course with a1st Class BMus (Hons), he was posted into the appointment of Bandmaster of the Queen's Division Minden Band.

After a successful tour with the Minden Band, he was posted in February in 2006 to Headquarters DCAMUS as the Training & Development Warrant Officer.

In 2008 he took up his present post as Bandmaster of the Grenadier Guards Band.  Chris is a very keen Brass Band Conductor and cornet player and was a key player in the creation the British Army Brass Band.  He also conducts a number of civilian Brass Bands in national competitions across the UK.