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Personnel spotlight

Director of Music

Major B Miller BMus (Hons) LLCM (TD) LRSM ARCM psm

Major Bruce Miller began his musical career as a clarinettist, playing in the Scottish National Wind Band, Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and 51 Highland Brigade Territorial Army Band.  Formal education took place at Napier College, Edinburgh and at the University of Surrey, Guildford.  Combining his interest in conducting with life in the Territorial Army, it seemed inevitable that a career in the forces would follow.

In 1989 he joined the Regular Army, playing clarinet and saxophone, serving with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, which after amalgamation became the Royal Logistic Corps.  In January 1991 he was mobilised in his war role as a Medical Assistant and served in support of 1st (UK) Armoured Division during the Gulf Conflict.  As a member of the band he toured Germany, Belgium, Holland, Gibraltar and Hong Kong as well as many locations in the UK.

Between 1994 and 1997 he attended the Bandmaster Course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, achieving several prizes on graduation including conducting and composition.  In March 1997 he was appointed Bandmaster of the Band of The Dragoon Guards with whom he toured extensively throughout Europe and Northern Ireland. 

Major Miller was selected for the position of Staff Bandmaster, Headquarters Army Music in October 1999 and was responsible for the development of training required by army musicians - he played an integral part in the accreditation of the Army's Trade Employment Qualification Class One examination by Trinity College, London.

In March 2002 he was commissioned as a Director of Music of the Band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons, based in Bovington.  He returned to the Gulf in 2003 where the band was attached to 1 Close Support Medical Regiment.  After the latest restructuring of Army bands he initially remained in Bovington to oversee the formation of the Light Cavalry Band before being appointed Director of Music, Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers.  Immediately following this tour he returned to Kneller Hall on promotion to Major in the senior staff appointment as SO2 O&D.  He is currently privileged to be the Director of Music of the Minden Band of the Queen's Division.

Major Miller is married to Andrea and has one daughter, Kerry.  His interests are squash, chess and his family.  He has also been known to admit to following the fortunes of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club.

Bandmaster

Warrant Officer Class One (Bandmaster) Benjamin Mason BMus(Hons), DipABRSM, ALCM

WO1 (BM) Ben Mason was born in 1975.  He was involved in music making with various Suffolk youth ensembles throughout his childhood and enlisted into his local Regiment, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, as a Junior Bandsman in 1991. 

In 1994, upon completion of the Junior Musician Course at the Army Junior School of Music (Pirbright) and the Pupil Course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall (RMSM), he was accepted for transfer into the Band of the Grenadier Guards as a pianist and trombonist.  He has performed at numerous national and state events including celebrations marking the 50th anniversaries of D Day, VJ Day and VE Day.  While in London other engagements included: three Royal Tournaments, The Queen Mother's 100th Birthday Celebration, RMT 2000, The Queen Mother's Funeral, State Banquets, Investitures and Queen's Birthday Parades. 

During his time with the Guards, tours included: Bosnia, Northern Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe,  he also undertook work as both the Band Arranger and the Recruiting Team Leader. 

In 2003 he achieved promotion to the Sergeants' Mess and also assumed leadership of the Dance Band.  In 2006 the Regiment awarded him the Brian Johnston Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution and in November of the same year he was successfully selected to attend the three year Bandmaster Course (BMC) at RMSM. 

Upon completion of the BMC, in August 2010, he received promotion to Warrant Officer Class One and was assigned as Bandmaster to The Minden Band of The Queen's Division, returning to both the Division where his army career began and to the area where he was raised.  His interests include: composition, work with community groups, running, swimming, food and the performing arts.  He is married and has twin daughters.