Apr 20 – Regiment Sees Change Of Bandmaster
The Royal Gibraltar Regiment has seen a change of Bandmasters recently.
Former Warrant Officer 1 Matt Simons has now commissioned to Captain and assumed command of the Band of the Parachute Regiment as their Director of Music. WO1 Simons served the Royal Gibraltar Regiment as Bandmaster for two years, where he excelled in the post, pushing extensively in the regeneration and recruitment of musicians.
Capt Simons said: “I have had a fantastic tour in Gibraltar and leave with a heavy heart. If the post was uplifted to a Captain I would blindly jump at the chance of coming back.”
The RG now welcomes WO1 Richard Burton who has joined after finishing a tour of duty with the Band of the Welsh Guards. WO1 Burton was selected for the Bandmaster Course held at the Royal Military School of Music commencing in 2011 and graduated in 2013 with a Licentiate Diploma in Wind Band Direction and prizes for Band Management, Band Direction and The Worshipful Company of Musicians Medal for Best Overall Bandmaster. He was appointed as Bandmaster of The Band of the King’s Division in February 2014 during the period of re-rolling to become the Army’s first full time professional brass band. In April 2015 he was assigned as Bandmaster to the Band of the Welsh Guards.
WO1 Burton is the son of Major Denis Burton, who helped set up the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band back in 1992 when the band first formed.
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ivor Lopez said: “WO1 Matt Simons has had a hugely successful tour and will be greatly missed. I am delighted that he moves on promotion to Captain as the Director of Music of the Parachute Regiment where I know he will continue to do very well. I am very pleased to welcome WO1 (BM) Richard Burton to the Regiment, especially seeing that his father helped with the initial set up of our Band in the early 1990s”.
Photograph (L-R): WO1 Simons, WO1 Burton
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