Friary Brass Band

Musical Director

Chris King started his interest in music while playing the cornet at school and with various brass bands in Lincolnshire, under the guidance of David Gaylor, Keith Edwards and Denis Wheeler.

 

Despite being the most unlikely boy to join the Army at school, his musical career began at the Army Junior School of Music, Pirbright, where he trained as a Junior Musician between 1987 and 1989, winning the Musician of the Year award on graduation. On completion of his junior training, he attended the one-year Pupil’s course at Kneller Hall, Twickenham, where he won the prestigious Frank Wright Silver Medal in the annual cornet soloist competition – playing Miss Blue Bonnet.

 

In 1990, Chris was posted to the Royal Artillery Band at Woolwich where he served for nine years playing cornet in the band, and trumpet and viola in the orchestra. His time at Woolwich included active service in the first Gulf War, before leaving the band in 1998 to become an instructor at Kneller Hall and then attending the three-year Bandmaster’s Course at Kneller Hall.

 

He completed the Bandmaster’s Course in August of 2002 armed with a first-class honours Degree in Music, and was subsequently posted to the Minden Band of the Queen’s Division as Bandmaster. 

 

During his very happy time with the Minden Band, Chris toured Pakistan twice, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, and all the other great tourist destinations! Chris was posted back to Kneller Hall in 2006 in the staff appointment of Training Development Team Warrant Officer and this is when Chris began his relationship with the Friary Guildford Brass Band as Musical Director.  During his tenure, the band has had repeated contest success including victory at the 2010 First Section National Championships and the 2014 Senior Trophy, as well as qualification for the National Brass Band Championships in the Royal Albert Hall on two successive years.

 

Chris finished his time in the Army as the Bandmaster of the Band of the Grenadier Guards in London, and now works as Bursar at a Preparatory School in Twickenham, where he and his wife and two daughters live.