Collingwood Band

by Musn J King

Collingwood Band made the short journey across Hampshire to play in the beautiful surroundings of Romsey Abbey, as part of the Abbey’s 2025 concert season. After the rousing opening fanfare, we truly demonstrated the full, diverse musical capabilities of the Band by performing Malcolm Arnold’s ‘A Grand, Grand Overture’, written for three vacuum cleaners, a floor polisher, four rifles and, if available, a full Concert Band. No, seriously. Members of the Collingwood Corps of Drums once again demonstrated both their performing versatility and their crippling inability to say ‘no’ to the Boss, as they took to the front of the stage to play the vacuum cleaner parts with aplomb. There were also fantastic solos from BdCpl Fraser Wilkes and BdLCpl Leon Thomson. The second half began with a ‘Star Wars’ medley that gave the Abbey’s acoustics a good workout, but the star of the show was undoubtedly the BBC Sports Themes Medley (even if you don’t like sport, who doesn’t love belting out the music for ‘Grandstand’?).

Soloists BdLCpl Benny Coxon and BdCSgt Richard Burberry at MFM

Collingwood then joined up with the rest of Massed Bands for the 2025 Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall. This year’s performance saw a number of Collingwood personnel featured among the soloists, including BdLCpl Benny Coxon and BdCSgt Richard Burberry. BdCpl Kirsty Haines and BdLCpl Sarah Brooks also featured, as two of the vocal soloists in ‘Curtain Call’, which brought the first half to an exciting conclusion.

RM Band Collingwood Montagu Cup winners

Outside of its musical commitments, the Band has enjoyed success both in the field and on it; successfully completing its annual military training package, before the football team regained the inter-band Montagu Cup, comprehensively beating CTCRM Band 3-1. Under the watchful eye of referee WO1 Jules Cook RM, CTCRM started the brighter on a difficult pitch and should have taken the lead early on, only for Collingwood’s goalkeeper to pull off a stunning double save. Collingwood grew into the game and with halftime looming took the lead after a defensive slip. The second half was only a few minutes old when CTCRM conceded a penalty and although the spot kick was well saved, the rebound was smashed into the roof of the net to double Collingwood’s lead. The third came after a sloppy back pass to the goalkeeper slowed up on the muddy playing surface. CTCRM pulled one back with ten minutes remaining, shortly after which, Man of the Match Musn Aaron McMillan in Collingwood’s goal had to be at his best to claw a late free kick just around the post. Collingwood weathered the storm and held on to win back the cup, which was presented by the Principal Director of Music Royal Marines.