Bandmaster - British Armed Forces

British Armed Forces

In the British Armed Forces, a Bandmaster is always a warrant officer. A commissioned officer who leads a band is known as the Director of Music. Directors of Music are all former Bandmasters who have been commissioned. All Bandmasters initially joined the Armed Forces as musicians and were selected for Bandmaster training from non-commissioned rank (usually having reached the rank of at least corporal). However, unlike most NCOs, Bandmasters are promoted directly to warrant rank on completion of their bandmaster training and have not necessarily worked their way through all the available ranks.

British Army line infantry and cavalry regimental bands were led by Bandmasters until the reorganisation of bands and the creation of the Corps of Army Music in 1994. The larger corps bands, as well as those of the Foot Guards and Household Cavalry, were known as Staff Bands, and were led by a commissioned Director of Music with a Bandmaster as his deputy. In 1994 the number of bands was reduced and all bands became Staff Bands, effectively putting an end to the appointment of 'Bandsman' used in regimental line bands (the appointment in staff bands being known as 'Musician'). Bandmaster is an appointment held by a Warrant Officer Class 1, who has the designation WO1(BM) and wears a unique appointment badge of a crowned lyre in a wreath underneath the WO1's badge (the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom). The senior playing musician of the band is normally the Band Sergeant Major (or Band Corporal Major in the Household Cavalry), a Warrant Officer Class 2, although WO1 bandmasters (who are also appointed as training instructors) are expected to play within sections as and when required.

Royal Marines Bands have been led by commissioned Directors of Music for many years. Bandmaster is an appointment which may be held by a Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1 BDMR), who is equivalent to an Army Bandmaster, or a Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2 BDMR), who is equivalent to an Army Band Sergeant Major. The Corps Bandmaster is the senior Bandmaster of the Royal Marines and the chief non-commissioned adviser to the Principal Director of Music, Royal Marines. Until the introduction of warrant officers in 1973, the appointment of Bandmaster was held by Colour Sergeants and that of Staff Bandmaster by Quartermaster Sergeants (equivalent to WO2). There were no WO1 equivalents in the Band Service.

Royal Air Force bands have also traditionally been led by commissioned Directors of Music. The Bandmaster is a Warrant Officer and fills the same position as the Army equivalent (RAF WOs do not hold appointments as do those in the other services and the RAF only has a single WO rank, equivalent to WO1 in the other services). The senior playing musician, the Band Sergeant, is a Flight Sergeant.