Central Band of the Royal Air Force
Music has been a part of the Royal Air Force since 1912, when the Service existed as the Royal Flying Corps. In 1918 The Royal Air Force was formed from the latter and Dr Walford Davies was appointed as the first Organising Director of Music. By 1920 the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and the Band of the Royal Air Force College had been formed.
"East Meets West" - Fairfield Halls, Croydon 2002...The Central Band has several notable achievements of interest in its history. On 22nd April 1922 the Central Band was chosen to be the first ever military band to broadcast on BBC radio from Marconi House. This early lead has never been surrendered, and to date no other band has performed on BBC radio more frequently. The Central Band was also the first military band to make a long-playing gramophone record. In April 1955 HMV released a recording by the Central Band of what is to this day the most requested piece in their repertoire - Eric Coates' music for the film 'The Dambusters'. This recording rapidly climbed to number one in the hit parade of the time. More recently the Central Band received the distinction of being the first band outside the U.S.A. to be awarded the 'John Philip Sousa Citation for Musical excellence'.
All RAF musicians are trained to provide medical support in times of war. During the Gulf conflict four out of the five bands established at that time were deployed to various locations in the Middle East, where the musicians were given a variety of tasks, from medical orderlies and stretcher bearers to the everyday running and guarding of war hospital sites. While all of this was taking place history was again being made when the Central Band became the first British service band to employ professionally trained female musicians on the same terms as the men. Just over a year later, on 12th September 1992, these same women broke a 155-year tradition by becoming the first women ever to take part in the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham palace.
Over the years the Central Band has recorded many albums but one in particular had become more popular than all the others. 'Salute to Heroes', released in 1990 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, sold over 60,000 copies in just two years and was awarded a silver disc. Two complimentary recordings, 'Heroes of the Air' and the 75th anniversary recording 'Salute to the RAF' have proved to be just as popular.
The Central Band's 1995 programme was particularly busy. Apart from the normal domestic schedule of music support to RAF Stations throughout Britain they were also heavily involved in the VE and VJ celebrations and featured at the Royal Tournament. In addition, the band visited Cyprus to take part in the Queen's Birthday Parade and undertook an extensive coast-to-coast tour of the U.S.A., performing thirty-six concerts in forty-three days.
On their return the band had only a week to catch their breath before departing for Hong Kong to take part in the Colony's Remembrance Day ceremonies. The year ended with a fund raising concert tour of England on behalf of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.
In 1996 the Central Band performed in Holland, Belgium, Germany and Hong Kong and, in the UK, undertook the normal run of concert, parade and recording engagements. 1997 was yet another busy year, the main overseas tour being to Cyprus. As one of this country's leading ensembles for the promotion of new wind band repertoire, the Central Band gave highly acclaimed concerts in Canterbury, at the annual conference of the British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles (BASBWE) and in London's Barbican concert hall (in conjunction with the Royal Northern College of Music and Guildhall School of Music).
The 1997 RAF Benevolent Fund concert tour featured the Central Band and the Band of the United States Air Force Europe, playing together in some of Britain's most prestigious concert venues. 1998 saw the Central Band travelling to Germany and Hungary, establishing a link with the London College of Music and making no less than five compact discs of both light and serious wind band music. Concerts were given once again in some of the country's premiere concert halls and ceremonial duties included the London Remembrance events and the Lord Mayor's Show.
Changing times have necessitated new recruitment and training policies and links have been formed with Conservatoires and composers such as Joseph Horowitz, Edward Gregson and Martin Ellerby. Despite reductions in numbers, standards will remain high, and get even higher. Our aim remains to reflect the excellence for which the Royal Air Force has become renowned over its eighty-year history.
Visit the band's site at www.rafmusic.co.uk/central_band.htm.