Previous Music Directors
MAJ Craig Johnson (2001 - 2005)
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| MAJ Craig Johnson |
Craig began his musical career with the Australian Army as an Apprentice Musician in 1977. After graduation and initial posting to the Band of the Second Military District he progressed through the ranks of the Australian Army Band Corps to the rank of Sergeant, until in 1989 when he was selected to attend Band Officer training at the Defence Force School of Music in Melbourne.
At the completion of this two year course, Craig was awarded the 'Commanding Officer's Prize for the most outstanding Conductor', was commissioned, and appointed as the Second In Command of the Australian Army Band Kapooka. Various appointments followed until he was posted back to the Band of the Royal Military College (RMC Band) as Second In Command in 1997. During this appointment Craig deployed to Bougainville three times with the band, and was awarded a Chief of Army Commendation for his work on these deployments. Two deployments to East Timor followed in 1999 and 2000. In 2001 he was promoted to Major and appointed as the Officer Commanding and Music Director of the RMC Band. During his tenure as commander of the band, Craig took the band to Turkey to support the official ANZAC Day Commemorations at Gallipoli in 2003, and in the same year deployed the band to the Solomon Islands in support of the Regional Assistance Mission. After Bougainville and East Timor, RMC Band had once again become the first AABC band to deploy to a particular area of operations in support of the peace keeping mission.
After a short break from the Army in 2006, Craig returned to continue his military career, albeit in a new role, undertaking the appointment of SO2 Policy and Plans at the Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety - Army.
He has a wide background and experience in musical theatre in Canberra, having been the Musical Director for Canberra Philharmonic Society's productions of 'Hello, Dolly!', 'Grease', and 'Thoroughly Modern Millie', for which he was nominated for a Canberra Area Theatre Award.
Craig continues to travel and study the art of conducting in Australia and overseas. In 2008 he travelled to Bulgaria to undertake advanced conducting studies, and performed the Brahms 'eine Deutches Requiem' in Varna, Bulgaria.
In 2009 Craig returned to the Australian Army Band Corps and was appointed as the Deputy Director of Music - Army.
MAJ Ian McLean AM, CSC (1993 - 2001)
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| LTCOL Ian McLean |
Ian enlisted in the Australian Army as an Apprentice Musician in June 1967. He graduated two years later after an initial posting to the Northern Command Band in Brisbane (from where he toured South Vietnam in 1970). He was posted to the Royal Military College Band, Duntroon, in 1971. He rose through the ranks to Sergeant before he was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, in Townsville in 1978. Then to the North Queensland Army Band before he was selected to attend the famed Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall in London.
He commenced the 3 year Bandmasters course in 1981 and was commissioned Lieutenant and posted as Second in Command, 1st Recruit Training Battalion Band at Wagga Wagga on his return to Australia in January 1984. 18 months later he moved to Brisbane with promotion to Captain, then in 1987 assumed command of the Wagga Wagga band. After a highly successful 3 years he was promoted to Major and moved to Canberra in 1990 as the Deputy Director of Music for the Australian Army based at Russell Offices. In 1993 he realised a long-held ambition when he returned to Duntroon, this time as Officer Commanding and Music Director of his favourite unit, the Band of the Royal Military College.
Under Ian's command, the band toured extensively throughout Australia and visited Vanuatu and the UK. They became the first band to be deployed on operational service since Vietnam when they visited Bougainville in 1998. RMC Band completed a further two Bougainville tours then deployed to East Timor at Christmas in 1999.
Ian has a long association with most of Canberra's musical organisations. He was a Musical Director for the Canberra Youth Orchestra Society and has conducted orchestras for many productions for the Canberra Philharmonic Society and the Canberra Theatre Centre. He is co-founder and drummer of the highly regarded sophisticated jazz quartet, 'Swing in Style" and has played with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra both in the early 1970s and again since his return in 1990.
When Ian retired from the army in 2001 he took over the Canberra Symphony Orchestra as CEO, continuing a long and active involvement in local Canberra music. In 2005, he introduced a new arm to the CSO, the Canberra Pops Orchestra.
Ian remains heavily involved in Canberra music with judging duties for the Canberra Area Theatre Awards and commitments to numerous performing arts committees. He also conducts both the Blamey Street Big Band and the Radford College Big Band.
In 2009 Ian returned to the army and was promoted to LTCOL and is currently Director of Music - Army.
MAJ Bruce Munchenberg AM (1986 - 1992)
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| Major Bruce Munchenberg AM |
After enlisting in the Australian Regular Army as a Musician in 1965, Bruce's first posting was to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps Band. Further postings included Australian Army Band Singapore, Western Command Band, Army School of Music, North Queensland Army Band and 2MD Band. In 1978 Bruce was commissioned and appointed 2IC 5MD Band. Subsequent appointments as Officer Commanding/Music Director North Queensland Army Band and 2MD Band preceded his appointment as Staff Officer Grade Two Music (SO2 Music) at the Directorate of Music-Army. In July 1986 he was appointed Officer Commanding/Music Director RMC Band. In 1990 Bruce was made a Member in the Military Division of the Order of Australia (AM) for service whilst holding that appointment. He returned to the Directorate in 1993 as SO2 Music and in 1998 was relocated to Melbourne as Staff Officer Band Operations/Deputy Commandant at the Defence Force School of Music.
Bruce has also been extensively involved as Battlefield Tour director for RSL Travel (NSW), Austravco & Tourex Travel. Bruce's responsibilities included planning, directing and escorting WW1 Battlefield Tours to Turkey, France & Belgium.
Bruce retired from the Regular Army in 1999, having completed 34 years service. In 2000 he joined Defence again but this time as a Public Servant as the Staff Officer to the Director General Personnel Policy and Employment Conditions. He retired in December 2007 and now lives in Merimbula on the South Coast of New South Wales.
Bruce's keen interest in Military history enabled him to be involved as a battlefield Tour Director. Annually between 1990 and 2000 he planned, directed and escorted World War One battlefield tours to Turkey, France and Belgium. He still maintains an enthusiastic interest with recent visits to the El Alamein and Tobruk battlefields in 2002, walked the Kokoda Track in 2006 and in 2008 he is walking the Sandakan - Ranau Death March route in Sabah, Borneo.
MAJ Neville Hammond LTCL (1986)
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| Major Neville Hammond LTCL |
Major Neville Hammond was born and raised in Charleville, Qld and received his earliest musical training as a member of the Charleville Junior Band. His service career commenced in January 1967, as a National Serviceman, serving with the Royal Military College Band where he continued until December 1974. During this time he also performed as a member of the Canberra Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras as well as the Elizabethan Theatre Trust Orchestras. He was also active in instrumental teaching as Bandmaster of the Daramalan College Bands and successfully competed in brass band competitions in various state and national championships.
From 1975 to 1978 he undertook a posting to the Army School of Music where his responsibilities included the instrumental training of musicians as well as teaching promotion courses in harmony, orchestration and aural perception. A posting to the 1st Military District Band as Band Sergeant Major followed in January 1978 where he was subsequently commissioned and appointed Second in Command in 1980.
Following appointments as Officer Commanding/Music Director of the North Queensland Army Band, as Second in Command, then Officer Commanding/Music Director of the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and as Deputy Director of Music of the Australian Army, he became the Officer Commanding/Music Director of the Australian Army Band Brisbane in January 1990. Here he led this fine band in all of its official, community, and cultural activities for almost twelve years. He also produced and conducted many productions in conjunction with both professional and community based cultural organisations and enjoyed an excellent reputation in this field. It is this involvement in the community, which led to his appointment as Musical Director of the very successful, highly acclaimed Ipswich Orpheus Chorale following the retirement of its founder and conductor, Mr George Hogg OAM, in July 1999.
Having retired in July 2001 from a thirty-five year career in music in the Australian Army, and in his ninth year as the chorale's musical director, he continues to lead a very active and diverse musical life. As well as his concert, theatre restaurant, eisteddfod and adjudicating commitments, he has musically directed very successful productions of "Pirates of Penzance", "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "The Merry Widow", "Les Miserables", "Anything Goes", "The Mikado", "Jesus Christ Superstar", My Fair Lady, "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Cats".
Now, living in Bracken Ridge together with his wife Gwen, and grandfather of eight, Neville continues to enjoy a warm association with the Australian Army Band Brisbane and regularly performs, together with the 120 voice Ipswich Orpheus Chorale, in combined band and choral concerts in both Brisbane and Ipswich.
MAJ Michael Pyne LRAM, ARCM, LGSM, LTCL, A.Mus.A (1983 - 1986)
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| Major Michael Pyne LRAM, ARCM, LGSM, LTCL, A.Mus.A |
Major Michael Pyne enlisted into the Army in 1964 as a band boy, having been a chorister and cello student at Asquith Boys' High School.
He is a graduate of the Royal Military School of Music, London where he won the Professor's Prize for gaining the best marks on all instruments of the concert band, The Graham Wallace Award, for the best overseas student and the Boosey and Hawkes Prize for the best original fanfare. He travelled throughout Britain during the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 as a member of the famous Kneller Hall Trumpeters.
Major Pyne was a senior instructor at the Army School of Music, Victoria, Director of the Band of the First Recruit Training Battalion, Kapooka and is the first former member to return as Officer Commanding / Music Director of the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon to which he was appointed in January 1983.
His Instrumental experiences include: principal trombone with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra; several years as a member of various modern and traditional bands and; as a member of backing bands for popular performers such as Matt Munro, Kamahl, Roy Orbison and the Claire Poole Singers to name a few.
In his capacity as an adjudicator for the Victorian Band League, he has adjudicated several State and National finals.
MAJ Colin Fischer MBE (1972 - 1983)
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| LTCOL Colin Fischer MBE |
Major Colin Reginald Fischer MBE enlisted into the Royal Australian Infantry (Special List Bandsman) on 26 February 1951. He served as a bandsman with the Central Command Band until he was posted to the Army School of Music in 1958. Major Fischer later served with the Royal Australian Engineers Band, the Western Command Band and the Southern Command Band before being posted to the Band of the Royal Military College in 1972 until 1983 when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Director of Music - Army. Colin retired from the Army in March 1986 after 35 years of service.
Colin was also very active in supporting Canberra music outside Defence and held the position of Music Director of Canberra Philharmonic Society between 1981 and 1985 as well as Director of Music of the Canberra City Band from 1983 to 1992 and Hall Village Brass Band from 1995 to 2001. He was also Principal Tuba with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra between 1972 - 1992.
In 1995 the bandroom at Duntroon was dedicated in his honour as the Colin Fischer Band Centre.
MAJ Jack Silk MBE (1965 - 1972)
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| Major Jack Silk MBE |
The late Major H.J. Silk MBE was an outstanding leader in the Band Corps. He became Bandmaster of the Royal Military College Band in 1964, which was in the process of converting from a Brass Band to a Military Band. He was commissioned to become the Music Director whilst at Duntroon and he was posted from Duntroon to the Army School of Music, Balcombe, in 1972. Major Silk retired in 1976.
Major Silk was born at Orange and as a boy he played the cornet in the Orange Brass Band. He enlisted in the Second AIF and he saw operational service in New Guinea and Borneo with the 2/13th Australian Infantry Battalion. On the completion of hostilities his Commanding Officer requested him to raise the 66th Australian Infantry Battalion Band for service in Japan. He was a Lance Corporal at the time, later to be a Sergeant.
He transferred to the Australian Regular Army and on his return to Australia he was first of all Bandmaster of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Band and then the Southern Command Band (now Australian Army Band Melbourne). Although most of his post war service was as Bandmaster or Music Director, for almost a year he acted as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battalion. His tragic death following an accident in 2004 shocked the older members of the Band Corps who looked upon him as a legend.
WO1 Len Fischer (1958 - 1964)
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| WO1 Len Fischer |
In 1948 Len joined the Regular Army and was posted to the Recruit Training Battalion Band in Greta until it closed in 1949. He then transferred to Melbourne and the newly formed Second Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment with Bandmaster Jack Silk, and in 1951 to the newly formed Central Command Band where he was promoted to Band Sergeant Major. At this time Len also played trumpet with the Elder Conservatorium Orchestra and the South Australian Symphony Orchestra.
In 1953 Len became the first and only winner of the Jesson Medal for Champion Soloist of Australian Army Bands.
In 1954 Len was appointed School Bandmaster of the Army School of Music in Balcombe, Victoria, where he took over instruction of the first Bandmasters' course. He was also Bandmaster of Southern Command Band in 1955 and the Royal Australian Engineers Band in Casula in 1956/7.
Len was Bandmaster of the RMC Band between 1958 and 1962, after which he became the Senior Instructor of the School of Music in Balcombe.
Len retired from the Army in 1967 but continued his musical career at the School of Music, where he was appointed Lecturer in Brass Instruments.
He will always be remembered for his march "Staff Cadet" which was adopted as the Regimental March of the Corps of Staff Cadets.
WO1 Bob Rignold LTCL, BBCM, LLCM (1954 - 1958)
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| WO1 Bob Rignold LTCL, BBCM, LLCM |
The late Warrant Officer Class One R.C.L. Rignold LTCL, BBCM, LLCM began his musical life as a cornet player in a Salvation Army Band. He enlisted in the Second AIF during World War 2 serving in the 2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion, and for this service was Mentioned in Dispatches.
After the war he enlisted in the Australian Regular Army and in 1949 he raised the Northern Command Band (now the Australian Army Band Brisbane). He was selected to attend the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, in the United Kingdom from 1950 to 1953. As part of his studies he was a member of the Kneller Hall Fanfare Trumpeters who performed at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
On his return to Australia, he spent a short period at the Army School of Music, Balcombe, and then he was posted to Duntroon in 1954 to raise the Royal Military College Band. He remained at Duntroon until 1958. After service as Bandmaster of the Recruit Training Battalion Band, Kapooka, he retired from the Army. All of his Band service was with Brass Bands. On retirement, he was very active in the Salvation Army.