Director of Music

MAJOR P D SHANNON MBE

 

Major Philip Shannon began his army career in 1971 when he joined the Junior Musicians' Troop Royal Artillery as a violin and trumpet player.  He attended the Pupils' Course at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall in 1974 winning the string and jazz prizes before being posted to the Royal Artillery (Woolwich) Band.  On completing three years' service with the band, he was appointed as violin teacher on the instructional staff of the Junior Musicians' Troop.

In 1982 he was selected to attend the Student Bandmaster Course held at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, graduating in December 1984 with three major prizes, and was appointed Bandmaster of 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) then stationed in Germany.  From here he toured extensively throughout France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Turkey and Canada.  He also broadcast regularly with the band on Radio WDR and the British Forces Broadcasting Service.  In 1990 he was posted to the Far East where the band undertook a high profile musical role.  He was also responsible for initiating a cross-cultural programme of music in education with the Hong Kong government.

In 1994 Major Shannon was appointed the first Director of Music to The Band of the Prince of Wales's Division (Clive) based at Market Drayton, Shropshire.  After four years he was posted to the Band of the Welsh Guards, where he served until 2005.  He then became the Chief Instructor at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, where he was responsible for the training of all musicians and Bandmasters in the Army, followed by a short period as Director of Music of the Band of the Army Air Corps.

In November 2008 Major Shannon returned to the Household Division to become the tenth Director of Music of the Irish Guards.

 

 

Bandmaster

Warrant Officer Class One Michael Walters has been a professional British Army musician for nineteen years and is currently serving as Bandmaster of The Band of The Irish Guards based in Wellington Barracks, London, England.

Prior to various Bandmaster appointments, Michael served as Principal Euphonium with The Band of The Life Guards travelling extensively throughout The United States, Canada, Bosnia, Egypt, Switzerland and Belgium. He was also extensively employed as a State Trumpeter to the British Royal Family, performing regularly at State Banquets, Diplomatic Receptions and many other significant Royal and National occasions at home and abroad.

Michael has a BMus(Hons) degree from The Royal Military School of Music and is the recipient of The Cassels Bronze Medal and The Silver Medal of The Worshipful Company of Musicians. Michael also holds Fellowships of the Victoria, London and Trinity Colleges of Music and is currently a doctoral student in composition at The University of Leeds.

His numerous compositions and arrangements have been performed, recorded and broadcasted internationally on radio and television. Michael is also published in the UK by Safemusic Ltd and Storm Force Winds, and in Germany by Ulrich Köbl of Munich.