Warrant Officer Class One (Bandmaster) Oliver Jeans BMus (Hons) LRSM  

WO1(BM) Oliver Jeans was born in Hythe in 1977, but soon moved to numerous locations such as West Sussex, Ireland, and, Hong Kong.  It was in Hong Kong that Oliver began flute lessons at the age of nine, which continued when his family moved again to settle in Canada.  In 1998 Oliver decided to move back to the United Kingdom and pursue a career within the Corps of Army Music and began his basic training at Army Training Regiment Winchester.  

Following basic training, and successful completion of Phase 2 training at the Royal Military School of Music, Oliver was posted to the Band of the Army Air Corps in 1999 as their principal flautist and immediately expressed an interest in becoming a Student Bandmaster.  During his seven years at the band Oliver performed in Vienna, Bratislava, Germany, Cyprus and other locations, on both the flute as well as his second instrument the tenor-saxophone.  

During a joint concert between The Band of the Army Air Corps and The Kentwood Choir, Oliver met his future wife Julie who was singing with the choir.  They were married and 2002 and today have two children named Louisa and Harrison.  His most enjoyable engagement with The Band of the Army Air Corps was performing the national anthems for the Six Nations Rugby tournament at the Twickenham Rugby Stadium.  

After attending the Student Bandmaster Selection Cadre in 2005, Oliver was one of three candidates chosen to commence the Bandmasters’ Course the following year.  Upon successful completion of the course in 2009 Oliver was awarded a BMus (Hons) degree as well as the prizes for best fanfare and overall band management.  Oliver took up his post as Bandmaster of The Band of The Parachute Regiment on 24 August 2009 from Warrant Officer Class One Esther Freeborn, a colleague who coincidentally was in the same intake as Oliver in basic training.  

Oliver thoroughly enjoys his appointment as Bandmaster of The Band of The Parachute Regiment especially his first engagement with the band in Arnhem at the 65th commemorative service of Operation Market Garden.