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 bandmasters (who are also appointed as training instructors) are expected to play within sections as and when required.
They wear a unique appointment badge of a crowned lyre in a wreath underneath the WO1's badge (the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom). In 1994, the number of bands was reduced and all bands became staff bands, effectively putting an end to the rank of 'bandsman' used in regimental line bands (the rank in staff bands being known as 'musician').īandmasters qualified before the reorganisation in 2014 were always immediately promoted to the rank of warrant officer class 1, with the designation of WO1(BM). 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. However, unlike most NCOs, bandmasters are promoted directly to staff sergeant on completion of their bandmaster training and have not necessarily worked their way through all the intervening ranks.īritish 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. All bandmasters initially joined the Army as musicians and were selected for bandmaster training from non-commissioned rank (usually having reached the rank of at least corporal). Directors of music are all former bandmasters who have been commissioned. A commissioned officer who leads a band is known as the director of music. In the British Army, bandmasters of the Royal Corps of Army Music now hold the rank of staff sergeant, warrant officer class 2 or warrant officer class 1.
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