The Band of the Irish Guards

The Band of the Irish Guards at Windsor Castle

Band History

The Irish Guards were formed on the 1st April 1900 by HM Queen Victoria in recognition of the bravery of the many Irish regiments who fought in the South African campaigns. The Regimental Band was formed at about the same time and consisted of 35 musicians with a Warrant Officer, Mr. CH Hassell, as the Bandmaster. The most notable event in these early years occurred in 1905 when the band was invited to make what turned out to be the first of many tours of Canada. 

During two World Wars the band frequently travelled to active service areas performing concerts for the troops. Commitments during the Second World War became so intense that the strength of the band was increased to 65 musicians. It has toured extensively and in addition to Canada has visited the USA, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Italy, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan and Egypt. In Japan the band was accorded the unique privilege of being the first band ever to perform inside the Imperial Palace in the presence of the Empress and two Crown Princes.

The band is permanently stationed in London and has an establishment for 49 musicians from which it provides a Concert Band, Marching Band, Orchestra, Dance Band, Brass Quintet and Fanfare Trumpeters.

The band has numerous recordings to it's credit and has broadcast frequently, one such broadcast being the British premier of Hindemith's Symphony for Concert Band. On retirement from the Band, a number of musicians have continued their musical careers with national orchestras such as the Halle Orchestra and The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, or working in the world of popular music, recording with artists such as Sting and Tom Jones.

Recruitment

The Band of the Irish Guards is actively recruiting brass and woodwind and string players. We are an equal opportunities employer and have recently been accredited the prestigious Investing In People certificate, emphasising our commitment to high standards of training and human resource investment in the workplace.