The Central Band of the Royal Air Force
Music has been a part of the Royal Air Force since 1912, when the Service existed as the Royal Flying Corps. In 1918 the Royal Air Force was formed and by 1920 The Central Band of the Royal Air Force was established.
The Central Band has several notable achievements in its history. In 1922 it was the first military band to broadcast on BBC radio, remaining to this day the most frequently featured military band in that medium. It was also the first military band to make a long-playing record. In April 1955, HMV released a recording of what is to this day the most requested piece in their repertoire; Eric Coates' music for the film 'The Dambusters'. The band also ended a 155-year tradition in by including women in its ranks whilst taking part in the ceremony of Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
Director of Music - Flight Lieutenant Richard Murray BMus(Hons) LRSM LLCM RAF
Flight Lieutenant Richard Murray began playing the flute and piano from an early age under the guidance of the music staff at Downshire School, Carrickfergus and Colin Irvine at Belfast High School. Walking in the footsteps of the Irish flute tradition he was soon studying music at the University of Ulster, graduating with honours in 1997. During this time Richard was awarded a Scholarship from the Arts Council for N.Ireland, which he used to attend Ulster Youth Orchestra courses, master classes with Sir James Galway and lessons with Colin Fleming of the Ulster Orchestra.
Richard joined Royal Air Force Music Services in November 1997 and served briefly with the Western Band of the Royal Air Force at RAF Locking. Prior to his posting as Principal Flautist with the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment at RAF Cranwell in 1999, Richard was awarded the Cassel Silver Medal by The Worshipful Company of Musicians. While at Cranwell Richard continued his musical studies gaining Licentiateships in Performance and Conducting from the London College and Royal Schools of Music and for his efforts was awarded another Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians on completion of the Bandmaster Course in 2006. On promotion to Sergeant in 2008, Richard was posted to The Central Band of the RAF.
As a flautist Richard has travelled, performed and recorded throughout the UK and worldwide, from the dessert sands of Saudi Arabia and Basrah, Iraq to the live TV Studios of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the BBC. In addition to his service commitments, he can regularly be seen performing and conducting with the Lincolnshire Philharmonia and the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra.
In his free time Richard enjoys cycling, windsurfing, racquet sports and hiking.
Richard received his Commission and was awarded the MacRoberts Prize on completion of Initial Officer Training Course No.17 at RAF College Cranwell in February 2010. Flight Lieutenant Murray was then appointed Director of Music to The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment and joined The Central Band of The Royal Air Force as Director of Music in January 2012.
Not Just Musicians
As with all members of the Royal Air Force Music Services, Central Band musicians are required to support British forces on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Musicians continue to be deployed as 'force protection', guarding installations and supporting helicopter and air transportation squadrons.
The public image of Royal Air Force Music will always remain that of concerts and parades around the country, along with the traditional State events so popular with tourists. However, as serving members of the Royal Air Force, our Musicians do also have other duties which take them to rather less familiar environments both in the UK and around the world, providing both musical support (entertaining the troops...) and taking part in military operations.
Entertaining the troops is very much the remit of the Band of the RAF Regiment, and their soul and blues group 'TNT Soul Explosion', who, through their Theatre of Operations Tours, are undertaking an increasing variety of overseas tours to operational theatres where members of the British Armed Forces are now deployed. Each Theatre of Operations Tour only lasts around two weeks so it can be quite a punishing schedule for the musicians, with over one ton of equipment, instruments and associated sound system to set up at each venue. Indeed, with such 'front line gigs' often taking place in the desert where facilities will always be somewhat limited, it is often only through the enthusiastic logistical support of our 'audiences' that the show always goes on.
For RAF Musicians in recent times, operational deployment first occurred 1991 with the deployment of the entire RAF Music Services from the UK on active service as medical orderlies to Operation Granby, the 'first' Gulf War.
In 2003 the Royal Air Force began deploying individual Musicians to support operations around the world. These roles include aircraft guards, watchkeepers, packet or convoy commanders, air cargo and passenger handling. The theatres currently being covered are Afghanistan, The Balkans and the Falkland Islands with many Musicians having served in the now complete Operation Telic in Iraq. In addition to these individual roles the Bands retain their connection with medical duties as each band is trained to support field hospitals as casualty de-contamination teams. In a more recent development is that Musicians are now being detail to provide admin back-up to exercises in the United Kingdom
