What is the most satisfying part of being a musician in the army? What experiences or skills make a candidate stand out?

Hey Billy, thanks so much for your question.

I've had so many fantastic experiences as a British Army Musician that I'm not sure I could just pick a single part. When an ensemble peaks in performance after lots of challenging rehearsals and the audience love it, that really makes it worthwhile. You get a real sense of collective pride - I definitely felt that satisfaction at big events like the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. There are also plenty of other parts of the job that make it really worthwhile; achieving new qualifications like ABRSM diplomas, and supporting others to succeed in their goals, climbing that mountain on adventurous training, or winning a sports match as part of an Army competition.

In terms of experiences and skills that would make a candidate stand out, I would say a love of music is first and foremost. Couple that with determination to get through the training process, a positive attitude and the drive to contribute to a team. If you had any experience in teaching music, or mentoring others that would be helpful, but if not there's lots of training on the job!

If you want to find out more check us out on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Corpsofarmymusic), have a browse here: https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/corps-of-army-music/ or email [email protected].

Keep in touch!