Adjudicator & AoBBA Member

Royal Marines Commandant Royal Marines School of Music and Principal Director of Music Royal Marines Born in 1959 in Eastleigh, Hampshire, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Davis took an early interest in music, playing in various combinations in and around the Winchester area. These included, from 1969, the Hampshire Youth Concert Band under the direction of John Knight, until he joined the Royal Marines Band Service in the September of 1975. On completion of three years training at the Royal Marines School of Music, he joined the Band of the Commander in Chief Naval Home as a clarinet and violin player. The next eight years, six as leader of the orchestra, saw continuous service on board Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia, including two circumnavigations of the world, two Royal honeymoon cruises and trips to the Americas, Australasia and the Far East. Having completed the Bandmasters class of 1988 and receiving the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians he was promoted to Band Sergeant. There then followed a year as a member of the Band of the Commander in Chief Fleet, gaining his Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music. With a return to the Band of Commander in Chief Naval Home Command in 1989 came promotion to Band Colour Sergeant and further trips as leader of the orchestra on board Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia. 1992 saw a return to the Royal Marines School of Music as the leader of the Staff Orchestra. It was also during this year that he was successful on the Admiralty Interview Board and was commissioned on the 1 January 1993. There followed two years of study at University College Salford, where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in Band Musicianship, studying conducting with David King and composition under Ray Steadman-Allen and Peter Graham.