In 2010, James began a degree course in music at Cardiff University. In his last year of study, James was selected to become the musical director of the university big band and led the band in many performances at prestigious venues such as the famous Wales Millennium Centre. In that same year, under James’ direction, the band won two awards at the Great Northern Big Band Festival.
In 2014 James started a career in the British Army and completed his basic training at ATC Winchester, where he won the ‘Hollice Education Award’. After completing training at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall he was assigned to The Band of The Parachute Regiment in Colchester as a trumpet and cornet player. During his time with the band, James has played at Buckingham Palace, Silverstone Circuit, London Stadium, Edinburgh Castle and has travelled as far as Bangladesh, Canada, and Georgia.
In 2014 James started a career in the British Army and completed his basic training at ATC Winchester, where he won the ‘Hollice Education Award’. After completing training at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall he was assigned to The Band of The Parachute Regiment in Colchester as a trumpet and cornet player. During his time with the band, James has played at Buckingham Palace, Silverstone Circuit, London Stadium, Edinburgh Castle and has travelled as far as Bangladesh, Canada, and Georgia.
During his time with the band, James has continued to compose and arrange music for concert band and his output is ever increasing. James was successful in composing the winning piece for the Army Benevolent Fund, The Soldier’s Charity’s (ABF) March Composition Competition. Open to all regular and reserve musicians within the British Army, out of 17 entries, James’ march Men at Arms won. This has now been selected to be the official March of the ABF. In the last year, James completed a gruelling musical selection process to follow in the footsteps of famous composers such as Kenneth Alford and has become a student bandmaster at the Royal Military School of Music. It is a two-year conducting course, of which, James is almost at the end of the first year. Once completed, James will be assigned to a regular army band in the UK as the bandmaster, an incredibly prestigious position which James looks forward to greatly.
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President: Mrs Tessa Mogg
Musical Director: James Symington Flutes: Jessie Fieth, Jenny Smith, Sophocles Mavroeidis, Liz Acaster, Jen Skene, Kathleen Onorevole Oboe: Kathy Andrews Clarinets: Jamie Maloy, Deana Lee, Nicola Berry, Rosie Green, Derek Rowell, Naomi Gray, Saxophones: Anne Baker, Gerry Coles, Sabrina Longley, Sue Rowell, Imogen Coker, Becky Moore Cornets: Sarah Pullen, Sarah Warner, Matt Concannon, Jonny Fieth French Horn: Rachel Symington, Charlie Cunningham, Claire Stinchcombe Tenor Horn: Sally Gomme Trombones: Chris Pavlosky, Sarah Hodge, Stuart King Euphoniums: Steve Owen, Mike Gomme Bassoon: Jack Walter Tuba: Dave Pullen Percussion: Anita Woodruff, Richard Caudle, Suzi Ingram, Katie Ingram |