Officer Commanding and Music Director

MAJ Peter Grant

Major Peter Grant
Grad Dip App Mus, LMusA, AMusA, MIMT
Officer Commanding and Music Director
Australian Army Band Melbourne



We would like to introduce you to the Officer Commanding and Music Director of the Australian Army Band Melbourne, Major (MAJ) Peter Grant.

MAJ Grant enlisted into the Australian Regular Army on 9th June 1975, and, following recruit training, was posted to the 5th Military District Band in Perth, where he served for six-and-a-half years, during which time he saw promotion to Lance Corporal and Corporal.

After successfully completing his Subject Two for Sergeant course at the Army School of Music at Balcombe, MAJ Grant was selected for Instructor duty at the School of Music, and was subsequently posted there in 1982, where he served for three years and achieved promotion to the rank of Sergeant.

1985 saw MAJ Grant posted to the 3rd Military District Band in Melbourne (currently named the Australian Army Band Melbourne), where he achieved promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was subsequently selected for officer training and, in 1989, commenced the Band Officer Course.

1990 saw MAJ Grant commissioned and posted to the Band of the 1st Recruit Training Battalion at Kapooka, in Wagga Wagga, as the Second-in-Command. During the next two years he completed his Junior Staff Course, and enjoyed a tour to Papua New Guinea to celebrate their Independence. In 1992, he was promoted to Captain and was placed In Command of the newly re-named Australian Army Band Kapooka.

In 1993, MAJ Grant was posted to the Australian Army Band Brisbane, where he enjoyed a four year posting as the Second-in-Command. During this time he began studying the Japanese language, and also achieved his Private Pilot's Licence; both of which still hold his interests today.

1997 saw MAJ Grant, once again, posted to the Australian Army Band Melbourne as the Second-in-Command. In 1999, he was promoted to the rank of Major, and posted into the position of Manager of Operations for the Australian Army Band Corps and Deputy Commandant of Defence Force School of Music. It was during this posting that MAJ Grant became the Music Director of the Australian Youth Band – The Southern Stars, and was instrumental in raising a 240 member marching band in Victoria, as a part of the Olympic Games Marching Band in 2000.

In January 2005 MAJ Grant again returned to Wagga Wagga, this time, as the Officer Commanding and Music Director of the Australian Army Band Kapooka.

2007 has seen MAJ Grant return to Melbourne as tbe Officer Commanding and Music Director of the Australian Army Band Melbourne.

Second-in-Command

CAPT Matt Chilmaid

Captain Matt Chilmaid
Grad Dip App Mus, BMus (Perf), LTCL
Second-in-Command/Deputy Music Director
Australian Army Band Melbourne



Captain (CAPT) Matt Chilmaid has lived and worked in Sydney his entire life, most notably as a freelance percussionist with various small groups and orchestras including the Tommy Tycho Orchestra, the Sydney Concert Orchestra and the Lyric Theatre Company. One of his highlights of this time was studying kendang, a Javanese drum, in Indonesia.

As an educator, CAPT Chilmaid has worked with numerous schools, was a regional consultant in percussion for the NSW Department of Education and was the leading teacher of Percussion at SCECGS Redlands for six years where the Percussion Ensemble recorded 'Loco Jero', an original composition, as part of an ABC FM live to air concert with the North Sydney Orchestra under Edie Rens. He also gave a one-off lecture on indigenous Australian percussion at Berklee School of Music in Boston, USA.

CAPT Chilmaid's playing may be heard on several recordings including a documentary soundtrack for the South African Tourist Bureau, Berlioz - Grande Messe des Mortes for ABC Recordings, on the album Dagger Stare by 'Atlas Strings' for Polygram, 'Thump' a collection of original Australian percussion works for Lunadisc and the two Australian Army Band Sydney recordings Salute to the Aussie Digger and Camouflage - Exposed.

In 1995, CAPT Chilmaid received a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium, where he studied under Daryl Pratt and the following year achieved his Licentiate Diploma in Performance from the Trinity College of London.

In 2001, CAPT Chilmaid was posted to the Australian Army Band Sydney, working as a percussionist in all ensembles of the Band. Some highlights were two tours of Timor Leste and a trip to Vanuatu. CAPT Chilmaid also received an Australia Day Medallion in 2004 for his work on the Camouflage - Exposed recording.

CAPT Chilmaid completed the Band Officer Course which started in 2006. He subsequently took up his first appointment as Second-in-Command of the Australian Army Band Melbourne in June 2007.

CAPT Chilmaid currently lives in Watsonia with his wife Katie who is currently employed as a violist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. When CAPT Chilmaid has any free time he enjoys recreational motorcycle riding and is a voracious reader of books, particularly those in the Science Fiction genre.

Band Sergeant Major

WO1 Vaughan Grant

Warrant Officer Class One Vaughan Grant
MDefStud, BA, BMus, GradDipEd, AMusA
Band Sergeant Major
Australian Army Band Melbourne


Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Vaughan Grant enlisted into the Army Reserve in May 1986, whilst studying at Melbourne University and served with the Band of the Royal Australian Artillery. On the completion of his studies he transferred to the Regular Army and from 1991 till 1993 was posted to the Band of the Third Military District which was later renamed as the Australian Army Band Melbourne (AABM). During this time he was involved in the WW1 commemorative services in France, Operation Western Front.

From 1994, WO1 Grant was posted to The Band of the First Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. During this time he was involved in the activities surrounding VP50, both in Townsville and Papua New Guinea, as they sailed to PNG aboard a former Russian ferry, the Mickhail Sholokov.

From 1997 WO1 Grant was posted, on promotion to Corporal, to the Australian Army Band Sydney (AABS) and was subsequently promoted to Sergeant in 2001. His last task with AABS was Tour de Force Three, to East Timor, with Killing Heidi.

In 2002 WO1 Grant was posted back to AABM and again fortunate to perform in East Timor as part of Tour de Force Five.

In 2004 WO1 Grant was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two and was appointed as the Band Sergeant Major (BSM) of the Australian Army Band Perth (AABP). During his tenure with AABP, WO1 Grant was attached to AABS to perform at the Sydney Edinburgh Tattoo. In 2006 WO1 Grant was posted back to the East Coast to take up the position of Supervisor of the Military Band Section at the Defence Force School of Music. This posting was mercifully short and in 2007 he was posted to the AABM as the BSM. In 2008, WO1 Grant was promoted to his current rank.

Vocalist

MUSN Deb Cotton

Musician Deb Cotton
Vocalist
Australian Army Band Melbourne


Musician (MUSN) Deb Cotton joined the Australian Army Band Melbourne in November 2002 after working professionally as an entertainer for many years. Born and bred in Melbourne, MUSN Cotton completed her schooling at Catholic Ladies' College, Eltham. In her early teens, she began studying singing, dance and drama at various schools including the “Johnny Young Talent School” and successfully passed V.C.E classical voice under the direction of Audrey Duggan.

MUSN Cotton has had a varied career, working as a freelance session singer and vocal tutor while performing in cover bands, musical theatre and on television. Highlights include “Westside Story”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Into the Woods”, “The Dusty Springfield Show”, The 10th Anniversary Production of “Les Miserables” and ABBA tribute show, “BABBA” with whom she toured Australia and Australasia.


During her relatively short time in the Army, MUSN Cotton has achieved more than the average; having been deployed to East Timor, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Japan, Malaysia and Iraq where she entertained locals as well as the troops. In 2005, MUSN Cotton took part in the ‘Army in Concert' national tour, raising funds for Legacy, where she shared the stage with guest artists Marina Prior, Rhonda Burchmore and Tom Burlinson. She also travels interstate on a regular basis as guest vocalist with Army Bands throughout Australia.