Band Lance Corporal Matthew Fletcher, HM Band of the Royal Marines, Portsmouth

Hi everyone and welcome to the latest Brass Band Hog interview. Back in the dim and distant past, when I was growing up, I was fascinated by two world famous musical institutions: The Cory Band and The Bands of HM Royal Marines. A large proportion of my CD collection were either Cory or a Marines band and, when my parents got internet, I would watch grainy videos of both via a less than perfect dial-up connection. They were, as far as I was concerned, the pinnacle of musicianship and I aspired to play for one, or both, of them one day. 

Sadly life, as it tends to do, got in the way but back in March, I had the privilege to spend time chatting to someone who has done exactly that. Former Cory euphonium player, BdLCpl Matthew Fletcher of HM Band of the Royal Marines, Portsmouth. 

A Bit about you

BBH: What were your earliest influences as a musician? Where are you from, where did you learn to play and who did you play for as a youngster?

MF: I was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and enjoyed a very musical upbringing. From an early age I was listening to a wide range of music with some of my earliest influences being Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Kenneth Alford, Classical music and numerous Big Band and Jazz albums. I was taught by Alan Docherty at Gosforth East Middle School, aged 11, and later Paul Robinson, as I studied for graded exams and music college auditions. My first brass banding experiences were with Backworth Colliery Brass Band and before I left home, Ellington Colliery Brass Band. One of the biggest influences of my childhood was my time with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Being taught by Dr Robert Childs, David Childs and Glyn Williams, conducted by Bramwell Tovey and Allan Withington, and being able to sit amongst very talented young musicians had a huge impact on my musical career. Another big influence was the International Brass Band Summer School which was held in Swansea. This was led by Prof. Nicholas Childs and Dr Robert Childs and was another opportunity to learn from my brass band heroes.

BBH: I understand you studied at the prestigious Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. What was this like?

MF: My time at the RWCMD was amazing, not only to experience student life and living away from home, but for the wide range of musical experiences that I gained. My weekly schedule was filled with ensemble rehearsals, performance classes, academic lessons, concert performances and euphonium lessons with David Childs. It was a very steep learning curve coupled with a great social life.

The Cory Band

BBH: How did your move to Cory, one of the most famous bands in the world, come about?

MF: I had ambitions of playing for the Cory Band at a young age and this was one of the many benefits from studying at the RWCMD. I joined the Pontardulais Town Band when I moved to Cardiff, and I regularly played for Cory when they were in need of a euphonium or baritone player. This gave me an experience of life in the band and only strengthened my goal of playing for them. I was very grateful for my seat once the time was right.

BBH: Can you give an insight into what it’s like to be a Cory player? 

It was an honour to play for the band and there was a great sense of pride in everything we did. For me, I always felt that the pressure was playing your best in rehearsals as there is nowhere to hide. Like the other Cory Band members, I rarely felt any pressure on stage as concerts were always just a lot of fun and the band were so well prepared for contest performances. There was always positivity in the band room especially leading up to a contest - you always had a winning mentality. Rehearsals are fast-paced and sometimes quite draining but this is simply a testament to how efficient and prepared Philip Harper always is.

BBH: How long were you with Cory and what are some of your highlights from your time with the band?

MF: I played for the Cory Band for two years and was very fortunate to win every major brass banding contest with them in this short space of time. I have great memories of playing with the band on stage, the standing ovations from the audience and the nervous excitement of waiting to find out a winning result in the pub on contest day! I always enjoyed travelling abroad with the band too. Our East Coast of the USA Tour was a highlight: we played in many amazing concert halls and had plenty of time for sightseeing and exploring!

 

The Royal Marines Band Service

BBH: Why did you decide to join the Royal Marines and when did you join?

MF: I decided to join the Royal Marines Band Service to combine my love for music and sport and to be paid in doing so! It was very tough to leave the Cory Band but I wanted to have a career performing music and for a euphonium player, there is no better place than the Royal Marines Band Service. I joined in September 2016, two days after winning the British Open at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. I couldn’t have had a better send off!

BBH: Which bands have you been in and which band are you currently in?

MF: I passed out of Phase Two Training from the Royal Marines School of Music in August 2019 and joined the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth, with whom I am currently serving.

BBH: I see that the Royal Marines have produced a short documentary for prospective musicians which shows the training process. Can you share a personal account of the training and audition process? Was there ever a point when you questioned your decision?

MF: The audition process at the Royal Marines School of Music was very regimented, as you would expect. The week included instrumental auditions, academic tests, physical tests and interviews, as shown in the documentary. The Initial Military Training, which is held at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone, was completely different to anything I had ever done before. Your civilian outlook is rapidly changed to suit life in the military and for the most part, your time here is spent following orders on little sleep. However, I do have some very fond memories of basic training and it was the start of many longstanding friendships. Phase Two Training at the RMSoM was more enjoyable but equally as tough. Learning to play whilst marching and learning the cello in particular were quite challenging for me. I think that everyone has questioned their decisions at some point early in their career and not everyone is cut out for life in the RMBS. I made it through training with the constant morale of my troopmates, the help of my girlfriend Joanne, and always looking forward to a dinner at Algarve’s Grill – the best Portuguese restaurant in Portsmouth!

BBH: Can you give an insight into the day-to-day life of a Royal Marines Musician?

MF: Life as a ‘bandie’ is exciting and there are seldom two weeks the same: routines differ from band to band and throughout the year, depending on engagements and operations. Generally, the calendar consists of rehearsals and concerts, but the variety is what keeps the job interesting. Gigs range from a marching band display to a string quartet for the First Sea Lord, an orchestra at a garden party to a massed bands concert in the Royal Albert Hall. There are often multiple upcoming concerts in the diary that all need preparing for and some can be very last minute which keeps you on your toes.

BBH: What ‘extra-curricular activities’ are you able to get involved in?

MF: There are endless opportunities to play sport, both recreationally and competitively and there are always Adventure Training packages to book on to throughout the year. Aside from sport, there is the chance to enrol on fully funded and partly funded academic courses. I am currently studying for my MMus Degree in Performance which exists in partnership with Plymouth University.

BBH: What are the highlights from your time with the band service?

MF: Musical highlights include success in the Cassel Prize competition during training (the RMBS’s equivalent to BBC Young Musician of the Year); playing at the Mountbatten Festival of Music in the Royal Albert Hall and marching down The Mall after Horse Guards Parade. Other memorable occasions include my first-time skiing on a trip to Bavaria that I went on in training, and also taking part in the RMBS vs Deal rugby matches.

BBH: What are the fundamental differences between playing for Cory, a world-famous brass band, and the Royal Marines band who are recognised across the globe?

MF: The main difference is playing in a concert band compared to a brass band. The military concert band repertoire is slightly different and the euphonium takes on more of a tenor tuba role, but playing in this ensemble is just as much fun. In terms of the musical output, both organisations are similar in that we always achieve the highest of standards.

BBH: Would you recommend joining the Royal Marines as a career to aspiring musicians? What advice would you give to anyone considering this path?

Absolutely, especially in the current global circumstances. The military offer job security, healthcare, career development and a competitive pension in the music industry. Whilst the Army and RAF offer a similar career, the Royal Marines take pride in being the most versatile and offering our supporting military roles of medics, vehicle drivers and CBRN-trained specialists – we are able to deal with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear incidents if required. For people thinking about a career with us, I would suggest following all of our social media channels and fully immersing themselves in the RMBS to gain deeper understanding of what is in store. Aspiring musicians should join our ‘Look at Life’ courses and get in touch with the RMBS recruitment team to start their application.

BBH: This interview comes at a time when there are increasing links between banding and the RMBS. What benefits do you think this collaborative working can bring, and what more do you think can be done?

MF: We are very proud to have announced a two-year partnership with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain which will see us providing instructional tutorials, taking part in joint collaborations and offering insight to a career with the RMBS. Our involvement with young brass band musicians is a good step forward for their development but also to raise awareness for our own development. I am looking forward to seeing how our relationship with the Cory Band develops and our link with the RWCMD. The link with the college is an important one and certainly one that I can relate to: it was only during my final year of study that I really became aware of the RMBS and the possibility of a career in music with them. There is always more to be done, but we have a very hard-working team who are making things happen so watch out for our future projects!

BBH: Similarly, what can each movement learn from the other?

MF: I think the RMBS can take inspiration from Cory’s online competitions and virtual performances during lockdown and we can strive to improve our online presence in other ways than we already do. The brass banding community might benefit from watching our immaculate deportment on Horse Guards parade or a Military Tattoo if they want better results at the Whit Friday Contest – you always know when a Royal Marines Band is marching down the street!

A Bit of Fun

BBH: What is your favourite tune from the Red hymn book and why? Do the Marines use this in the same way brass bands do?

MF: One of my favourite things to play with the Cory Band was hymn tunes and we only ever did it on contest day mornings which made it even more special. I have fond memories of No. 82, St Clement, which is always played at the end of a NYBBGB course with the middle verse played solely by the leavers. We do use the red books at work to warm up with, only they are blue!

BBH: What is your favourite piece from the brass band repertoire and your favourite piece from the military band repertoire?

MF: I have so many favourites from the brass band repertoire but one that I wouldn’t get tired of hearing is the Cory Band’s Nationals winning performance of Spiriti by Thomas Doss – this was a lot of fun to play on stage to a packed Royal Albert Hall. With the RMBS, I love playing on the march especially as euphonium players often have the counter melody, bass line and Trio solo. In concert, I enjoy playing pieces like Walcheren and Vindictive by former WO2 Russ Young. WO1 Ivan Hutchinson’s arrangements from the musical group Two Steps from Hell are also fun to play and I think the RMBS play this style of music very well.

BBH: If you could put together a joint concert between Cory and (your current) Royal Marines band, which venue would you pick, what would be on the programme and who would conduct?

MF: The Royal Albert Hall stage would be perfect for a joint concert. Next year is the 50th Anniversary of the Mountbatten Festival of Music so a hypothetical programme could include iconic works from each decade of MFM and I would commission Philip Harper to write a commemorative piece for the grand finale. Both bands would feature soloists but I’d love to do a euphonium duet with Glyn Williams, just like old times. Conducting duties would be shared between Philip Harper and the Principal Director of Music Royal Marines, Lt Col Jason Burcham RM. I would also invite the Cory Band to join us on parade and see how good their marching is!

Matthew thank you for taking the time to chat to me for this BBH interview. It's been a fascinating insight into the life of a top level brass player and that of a Royal Marine's musician. I look forward to catching up with you at Algarve's Grill one day!