Bandmaster

Warrant Officer Class One Claire Milgate was born in Germany in 1975 and educated in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.  Her interest in music developed at the age of 9 when she began flute lessons at school and participating in county Wind Bands and Orchestras.  Her music education continued in Kent where she obtained a Bachelor Of Arts Degree (Honours) before completing a Masters degree in flute performance, both from Canterbury Christ Church University.  Whilst studying, she also joined the Kohima Band of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment (Territorial Army) and it was here that she developed an interest in military music.

She enlisted into the Corps of Army Music in 1999 and upon completion of Phase Two training at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, she joined the Light Division Band, based in Winchester.  During her time with the Band she completed tours of Germany and Cyprus as well as travelling extensively throughout Europe.  She has performed twice at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and other Military Tattoos in Germany, Sweden and France.  In 2003 she extended her musical interests outside of the military by becoming the conductor of Winchester's Ambulance Service Brass Band which she left in order to take up the post of Musical Director of the Southampton Concert Wind Band.

In 2005 she was accepted to form part of the inaugural Corps Recruiting Team where she served for two years.  This post saw her involvement with every British Army band as well as many civilian bands and educational establishments.  She was then selected for the Bandmaster Course which she began at the end of the recruiting post.  She completed the course in August 2010, being awarded a First Class Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree and more importantly, taking her first appointment of Bandmaster to the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals. 

In August 2011 she was posted to the Band of the Prince of Wales's Division in Tidworth, as the Bandmaster.