We’re delighted to welcome back the world renowned Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth and their vocal soloists for our Proms concerts 2024.
Bring your flags, horns and whistles to celebrate the end of summer at this ever-popular event and enjoy a selection of classical and contemporary music, the ever-popular Corps of Drums and of course, the traditional Last Night of the Proms favourites.
The Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines are widely regarded as one of the finest military musical ensembles in the world. With their distinctive white pith helmets, world renowned Corps of Drums and a long history of performing world class music, Royal Marines Musicians and Buglers are the dedicated ceremonial asset of the Royal Navy. Delivering a broad range of music, they perform in various ensembles from small, intimate brass, woodwind and string groups, jazz groups, function band, and military marching bands, through to full symphonic wind band. The Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines deliver versatility, agility, and excellence; blending the traditional with the contemporary as a national asset that represents Britain in the UK, at sea and overseas.
About the Royal Marines Band Service
The Royal Marines were formed in 1664, and without doubt, drummers existed from the very beginning. In 1767 Royal Marines Divisional Bands were formed at Chatham, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Deal, with the modern Royal Marines Band Service (RMBS) being founded in 1903 to provide Bands for the Royal Navy.
Today all Royal Marines Bands are required to provide various musical ensembles, from small brass, woodwind and string ensembles, through to marching bands and full symphonic wind bands; therefore, most musicians are required to be competent on more than one instrument. As a result of this, Royal Marines musicians are regarded as some of the most versatile in the world of military music. Our world-famous Corps of Drums receive equally thorough training and pride themselves on maintaining the highest standards of drill, bugling and drumming. Their glittering presence at the front of all Royal Marines Bands on the march gives the bands a visual impact that is second to none.
Through a collaborative link with the University of Lincoln, Royal Marines Musicians and Buglers can now work towards a fully funded Degree; linked to each stage of their training and professional promotion courses.
In addition to music making, Musicians and Buglers are trained in their military Operational roles. Royal Marines Bands have been involved in every major conflict since and including the Falklands War, usually as casualty handlers and medical orderlies in field hospitals or on hospital ships. More recently, ranks deployed to Afghanistan on Op. Herrick and on RFA Argus for the Ebola crisis.
Personnel have also been called upon for support to UK civil authorities, having been involved during the Firefighter's strikes in 2003, the floods of 2014, and most recently on Op. Rescript in support of HM Government response to COVID, both in frontline hospitals and delivering the vaccine programme.