Young musicians perform with HM Royal Marines Band Scotland
DOZENS of young Inverclyde musicians grasped a rare opportunity to perform alongside the world-famous HM Royal Marines Band Scotland on home soil.
Members of the Inverclyde Schools’ Senior Wind Orchestra took to the stage with the renowned military ensemble at Clydeview Academy in Gourock.
Earlier in the day, the Royal Marines Band led a workshop for the talented young musicians as they learned directly from world-class musicians and heard about their experiences from performing all over the globe.
Each of Inverclyde’s six high schools were represented at the workshop and live performance.
In the audience for the finale mini-concert were Clydeview first year pupils and distinguished guests including Deputy Lieutenant Alan Dunnet, Provost of Inverclyde Drew McKenzie, Inverclyde Council’s armed forces champion Councillor Graeme Brooks, the council’s director of education and communities Ruth Binks, and local authority cultural services manager Sarah Christie.
Provost McKenzie said: “The Royal Marines Band Scotland play all over the world and they are in huge demand, so it was a real honour to welcome them to Inverclyde.
“It was a joy to watch them perform alongside our own talented band of musicians who were flying the flag for each of our six Inverclyde secondary schools and they all did themselves, their schools, and Inverclyde proud.”
Approximately 30 pupils from the Inverclyde Schools’ Senior Wind Orchestra took part in the masterclass and live performance.
Cllr Brooks said: “It was a privilege to see and hear the Royal Marines Band Scotland play live right on our doorstep but, more importantly, for our young musicians to be able to learn from experts who have performed around the world.
“What an experience for the pupils, Clydeview Academy, and Inverclyde as a whole and our thanks to the Royal Marines Band for their time and sharing their pearls of wisdom with the next generation of talented musicians here in Inverclyde.”
As one of the five bands that make up the musical wing of the Royal Navy, RM Band Scotland plays a crucial role in boosting troop morale, supporting international diplomacy and paying tribute to their fallen comrades.
Based at HMS Caledonia, Rosyth, the master musicians are highly skilled in at least two instruments and undertake a wide variety of ceremonial commitments across Scotland and the North of England.
Some of the band’s recent engagements include the launch of the new Daring-class destroyers and the commissioning of the submarine HMS Astute.
As with all Royal Marines Bands, the men and women of RM Band Scotland also perform a vital secondary role supporting the fleet during active operations, with a number of personnel having seen service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
More information about HM Royal Marines Band can be found via the link in the Other Websites section of this page.
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