Director of Music

Captain Darren Wolfendale joined the Junior Band of The Royal Green Jackets as a clarinetist in 1981. After 18 months at the Rifle Depot in Winchester, he was posted to the 1st Battalion Band in Aldergrove, Northern Ireland.

In 1987, he attended the Instrumentalists Course at Kneller Hall, where he was placed third in the Cousins Memorial competition for Instrumental Performance. In 1991 he saw service in the Gulf on Op Granby with 28 GTR Ambulance Unit as a Medic.

 

From 1994-1996 he was a member of the Army Triathlon Team and competed in the World Triathlon Championships in Wellington, New Zealand in 1995.

After touring all over the world with various bands he was accepted in 1996 onto the Student Bandmaster's Course at Kneller Hall where in 1999 he graduated as the top British Student of the course after gaining a first in his degree with Kingston University. After completing a 25 week Equitation course with the Household Cavalry, he took up position as Bandmaster of The Life Guards in March 2000.

In September 2004 he was promoted to Captain and posted to Headquarters Directorate the Corps of Army Music in Twickenham as Officer Commanding Corps Recruiting Team where he set up and ran the new Corps of Army Music Recruiting Team.

In March 2007 he was posted to the this band in Arborfield as Director of Music. 

Bandmaster

Warrant Officer Class One Neil Skipper started his musical career in 1991 at the Army Junior School of Music, Pirbright. In 1992 he attended the pupils course at The Royal Military school of music, Kneller Hall. Upon completion of the course he was appointed as principle euphonium and violinist of The Band of Adjutant General's Corps (AGC). Prior to joining the army, Neil performed in brass and wind ensembles across the north east of England.

During his time with the AGC Band, Neil was involved in many prestigious events such as Buckingham Palace garden parties and the Royal Tournament. He also undertook tours of Cyprus, America, Italy, Germany, Northern Ireland and Finland. Between August 1999 and February 2000 Neil was deployed with the band to Kosovo. He was employed as an in transit medical assistant with 24 Armoured Field Ambulance and 34 Field Hospital.

In May 2000 Neil was awarded the Advanced Certificate in performance by the Associated Board, Royal School of Music and in 2001 he gained an Associateship of the London College of Music, ALCM. Neil was selected for the Bandmasters course at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall in 2002. He graduated in 2005 with a BMus (Hons) degree and was appointed as Bandmaster of The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals.

In July 2008 he had the pleasure of becoming the bandmaster of this band, the Band of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.