Headquarters Music Services (HQMS) is the entity that oversees all three

military bands A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the tit ...

in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) a ...

(RAF). The Central Band with the RAF Salon Orchestra, the Band of the RAF Regiment and the Band of the RAF College. Acting as the RAF's version of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

Royal Corps of Army Music The Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM, widely known by its former acronym CAMUS) is a Corps of the British Army dedicated to the provision and promotion of military music. History The formation of the Corps of Army Music was triggered by a defen ...

, it is part of

Royal Air Force Music Services Royal Air Force Music Services is the organization which provides military musical support to the Royal Air Force. Based at RAF Northolt (previously at RAF Uxbridge) and RAF Cranwell, it forms the central administration of one hundred and sevent ...

, which is the larger organizational body for RAF bands. The HQMS also provides training courses to all musical personnel and overseers the introduction of new personnel into RAF bands. The HQMS is based out of

RAF Northolt RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station in South Ruislip, from Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, western Greater London, England, approximately north of Heathrow Airport. The station handles many private civil flights in addition ...

Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality * ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record * "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014 *Greater Bank, an Australian ...

. The Principal Director of Music, currently

Wing Commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

Piers Morrell, is the officer in charge of RAF Music Services. Wg Cdr Morrell is accompanied by Squadron Leader Richard Murray as Director of Music for HQMS, as well as an exec team of 1 Warrant Officer, 5 Flight Sergeants, 1 Sergeant & 1 Corporal who are all musicians and two civilians. Since 1951, bronze and silver medals have been awarded to music students by the HQMS.

Sources

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External links

RAF Music Services
Royal Air Force music Musical groups established in 1920