Royal Air Force Music Services is the organization which provides

military music A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

al support to 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) and ...

. Based at

RAF Northolt ("Ready to carry or to fight") , pushpin_map = Greater London , pushpin_label = RAF Northolt , pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Greater London , coordinates = , type = Royal Air Force station , code = , site_area = , height = , owners ...

(previously at

RAF Uxbridge RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station in Uxbridge, within the London Borough of Hillingdon, occupying a site that originally belonged to the Hillingdon House estate. The British Government purchased the estate in 1915, three years ...

) and

RAF Cranwell Royal Air Force Cranwell or more simply RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England, close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. Among other functions, it is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which trai ...

, it forms the central administration of one hundred and seventy musicians divided between the

The Band of the Royal Air Force College The Band of the Royal Air Force College is based at RAF Cranwell and is one of three established bands in the Royal Air Force. It is the music ensemble of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. Formed in 1920 and based at RAF Cranwell, the Ban ...

The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment is based at RAF Northolt, and is one of three established bands in the Royal Air Force and the music ensemble of the Royal Air Force Regiment. History Originally formed from the Coastal Command Band in ...

Central Band of the Royal Air Force The Central Band of the Royal Air Force is an RAF regular band and is part of Royal Air Force Music Services. The motto of the band is ''Aere Invicti'' (Latin for "Invincible with the Brass"). History The Central Band of the RAF was formed in ...

, the Royal Air Force Salon Orchestra and

Headquarters Music Services Headquarters Music Services (HQMS) is the entity that oversees all three military bands in the Royal Air Force (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' ...

. These main military bands contain within their ranks the Royal Air Force Squadronaires, Royal Air Force Swing Wing and Royal Air Force Shades of Blue.

History

Royal Air Force Music Services has its origins in the RAF School of Music which was established by

Walford Davies Sir Henry Walford Davies (6 September 1869 – 11 March 1941) was an English composer, organist, and educator who held the title Master of the King's Music from 1934 until 1941. He served with the Royal Air Force during the First World War, dur ...

in 1918.

Current organization

RAF Music Services consists of the

Band of the Royal Air Force College The Band of the Royal Air Force College is based at RAF Cranwell and is one of three established bands in the Royal Air Force. It is the music ensemble of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. Formed in 1920 and based at RAF Cranwell, the Ban ...

Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment is based at RAF Northolt, and is one of three established bands in the Royal Air Force and the music ensemble of the Royal Air Force Regiment. History Originally formed from the Coastal Command Band in ...

(HQMS), Royal Air Force Salon Orchestra, and the Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Besides supporting the

, Royal Air Force Music Services' musicians also undertake operational roles both as individuals and as a unit. The RAF Music Services' current Principal Director of Music is

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.

History

Current organization

See also