The Midwest Clinic Chat Rooms provide an arena where teachers will learn from and dialogue with expert practitioners. These brief ‘chats’ allow directors a forum for collaboration in a relaxed, intimate environment. The Chat Rooms have limited seating so attendance is granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lt Col Huw Williams
- Biographical Information
Huw Williams joined the Royal Marines Band Service in Deal, Kent at age 17, where he studied the cornet with Prof. Sydney Rose for two years. He was awarded the Prince’s Badge for best musician under training before being posted to the Plymouth band in 1996. In the years that followed the band performed all over the world, often embarked in HM Ships. An extended deployment in HMS Illustrious took in many of the Mediterranean ports, through Suez and the Red Sea on the way to the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and finally Australia.In 2002 Huw was drafted to the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth as cornet instructor. Selected Bandmaster in 2006 and soon commissioned, he was promoted Captain in 2010 and appointed Director of Music of the Band of HM Royal Marines, Commando Training Centre, where he served as OC Rear Party for UK Medical Group and Joint Force Support on Operation Herrick 14.From 2011-2013 he studied orchestral conducting under David Jones at the Royal Welsh College of Music, gaining his Master of Arts degree and Fellowship of the Royal Schools of Music. Between 2013 and 2023 he served as Director of Music CTCRM Band, SO3 Bands, Director of Music Plymouth Band and Director of Music Training and SO1 Band, overseeing commitments, policy, plans, media, personnel and massed bands events.He was appointed Commanding Officer RMBS and Principal Director of Music in October 2023. Father of two and keen marathon runner, Huw lives in Emsworth, on the Hampshire-Sussex border.
Mike joined the Royal Marines Band Service as a Bass Player in September 1990 at Deal, Kent straight from school in his hometown of Hartlepool. Playing tuba before he joined, he then began the task of also learning double bass and bass guitar which he still enjoys playing regularly. He studied tuba under Steve Shimwell and his string instruments under Clive Brown. Having travelled extensively throughout his career, he enjoyed 7 Months on-board HMS Illustrious in 1997 on a Global trip and career highlight which included the hand back of Hong Kong and concluded in Perth, Australia. Having spent time as both a performer in various bands and as an instructor at the Royal Marines School of Music, before promotion to Warrant Officer Class 2 in 2014. Having spent time in the role of Bandmaster in two of the bands, subsequent promotion to Warrant Officer Class 1 followed in 2021. Following successful selection for Corps Bandmaster, Mike took up the position in October 2023 as a career long aspiration. He lives in the Portsmouth area and relishes spending time with his lovely wife, Claire and their daughter Georgia. He is a keen golfer, despite his enthusiasm being higher than his ability but always enjoys the chance to get out in the open air.
Born in Nottinghamshire, England (Robin Hood country), Tom spent much of
his youth pursuing his main interests, athletics, Scouting and music. Keen to develop his interests further he studied
Music and Sport Science gaining his Bachelor of Arts with Honours. Towards the
end of his undergraduate studies Tom developed an interest in Big Band music
and it became his ambition to play the trombone.
In September 1997 he joined the Royal Marines Band Service where, at the
Royal Marines School of Music he commenced trombone lessons with British trombone
legend Don Lusher whilst continuing his cello studies. On completion of
training Tom joined The Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth (The Royal Band),
where he travelled extensively as an instrumentalist and also
he met his future wife, Emma. In 2002 Tom was selected to represent the band
service in the Banda della NATO Naples, Italy where he enjoyed a wonderful year
working with instrumentalists from the US and across the Alliance.
Graduating from the RWCMD in July 2018, Tom was immediately assigned to
The Band of HM Royal Marines Plymouth with his first conducting job being at the
world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
In September 2018 he received his first appointment as Director of
Music, to The Band of HM Royal Marines Collingwood. During his tenure he led
the band throughout numerous high-profile events both in the UK and abroad to
South Korea, Chile and Australia. In 2019 he had the privilege of conducting
the Massed Bands of HM Royal Marines in the Royal Albert Hall. During the Covid
19 pandemic Tom was deployed as a Military Liaison Officer to the Southwest of
the UK where he assisted with the military assistance to NHS hospitals. Since
leaving Collingwood Band Tom has enjoyed assignments as the RMBS Adjutant and
latterly SO2 Band where he spends his time managing budgets and policy. In his
spare time Tom enjoys running along the Solent coastline and conducts the South
Coast Symphonia.