The next ten years promise to make extraordinary demands on the Regiment, serving Welsh Guardsmen, their partners and families and particularly those members of the Regiment who have left through disability or work-related illness. The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal is designed to support, alleviate and improve the prospects of all those consequently in need.
The fund will enable the Regiment to provide:
- Support to the families and dependants of those killed in action by responding promptly to problems of bereavement and hardship.
- Support to those wounded on operations, particularly those who have had to leave the Army, to assist in finding them new employment and to help them become active family and community members.
- Support to the families and dependants of those seriously wounded or injured in prolonged recovery situations.
The Band of the Welsh Guards
NEW CHARITY CD LAUNCHED BY THE BAND OF THE WELSH GUARDSFOR THE WELSH GUARDS AFGHANISTAN APPEAL FUND
The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal Fund are about to release a new CD featuring The Regimental Band of The Welsh Guards & Mark Llewelyn Evans. The 2 track CD also features the voices of The Llantrisant Male Choir & renowned Welsh actor, Richard Elfyn.
Unlike most other releases for charity, this recording has been made possible with support from Welsh companies Go Compare, Dischromatics Ltd, AB Acoustics & Acapela / Kissan Studio Ltd.
Everyone on the tracks has given their time for free: whether arrangers, CD design and photography, sound engineers, mastering engineers, producer Nick Patrick, The Llantrisant Male Voice Choir, Richard Elfyn & Mark Llewelyn Evans. It is being distributed by Nova via Universal Music Operations.
This ensures that every penny from the sale will go towards the Appeal Fund and help those soldiers & their families who require help have a safe and secure future whatever their needs may be.
Tracks: Tell My Father & Men of Harlech
The song Tell My Father is from the musical The Civil War and tells the story of 2 brothers on opposite sides of conflict. One is injured and asks his brother to tell his father that he loves him. It is an extremely moving song newly arranged by John Quirk.
The Regimental Slow March of the Welsh Guards: Men of Harlech, has had a fresh new arrangement commissioned by the Afghanistan Appeal Fund. Richard Balcomb has arranged this track which features The Welsh Guards Band, Mark Llewelyn Evans, The Llantrisant Male Choir and the voice of actor Richard Elfyn who reads the Welsh Guards Collect: The Prayer of The Welsh Guards. It ends in a stirring fanfare of Welsh pride - a must for every Welsh Guardsman, past and present.
The Digital single will be available for download on ITunes & Amazon from 2pm on Sunday 18th March and the CD will be available for purchase on Monday 19th March. Pre-Orders are now being taken online at www.amazon.co.uk search for Tell My Father.
Introduction to the Band of the Welsh Guards.
The Band of the Welsh Guards was formed in the same year as the Regiment (1915), and consisted of 44 musicians and a Warrant Officer - Andrew Harris, their Bandmaster. Their first instruments were presented by the City of Cardiff, enabling the band to carry out the first King's Guard Mounting on St. David's Day 1916. That evening, it gave its first concert on the stage of the London Opera House.
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The occasion was such a success that the Band's reputation for its high musical standard was immediately established.
Since its formation, the band has toured extensively and brought the pomp and pageantry of the British way of life to many far-flung corners of the world. In recent years it has visited Spain, Australia, Belgium, Egypt, the USA, Canada and also the Balkans.
The band’s musicians are drawn from all over the UK and are permanently based in London, where they have the opportunity to enjoy a varied and challenging musical career. They can regularly be seen at the ceremony of Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, as well as at many other State and Ceremonial occasions.
Many of the band’s musicians are string players, who form a chamber orchestra that regularly provides music at State Banquets and Investitures. Brass and Woodwind quintets, as well as a versatile Dance Band with an extensive repertoire, give the musicians plenty of diverse performance opportunities. The band as a whole regularly performs with the Royal Philharmonic and Hallé Orchestras in some of the most spectacular extravaganzas staged in the UK.
Appearances on BBC's Songs of Praise and at prestigious sporting events such as the FA Cup Final, Royal Ascot and The Lawn Tennis Championships, have helped bring the Band's music to a worldwide audience. Such events have given the band members the opportunity to share the stage with well-known celebrities including Katherine Jenkins, Bryn Terfel and Shirley Bassey.
Links with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards' traditional recruiting areas in Wales are maintained by regular public appearances in Wales, often with the fine male voice choirs for which Wales is renowned. Involvement with children and young people in instrumental clinics and music workshops is another of the band's activities, and many close ties with various schools and colleges have successfully been forged. Through its unique blend of stirring music and proud heritage, the band continues to appeal to audiences the world over. By performing at charity concerts in aid of The Army Benevolent Fund, The Royal British Legion and The Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen’s Families' Association, the band has helped raise significant funds.
Welsh Guards Band Afghanistan Appeal Fund.
The Appeal Fund was launched in the summer of 2009 at a time when the Battalion were experiencing significant challenges in Afghanistan. By the end of this tour of duty, the Battalion had lost seven members killed in action, including their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe MBE. In addition, a large number of casualties were sustained, many of whom received life-changing injuries. Only just recently, Lance Sergeant Dan Collins sadly succumbed to the consequence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from his experience on the 2009 Tour.
The 1st Battalion Welsh Guards are now deployed again in Afghanistan for another six month tour of duty, returning to the UK this autumn. Funds raised by the Appeal go towards helping the bereaved and injured in the Regiment; many tens of thousands of pounds have already been granted to help them. Your support would be very greatly appreciated www.welshguardsappeal.com
Colonel (Retd) TCS Bonus Regimental Adjutant
Welsh Guards
Director of Music - Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Barnwell.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Barnwell joined the Army in 1975 as a trumpet player. His career began with 2 years initial training in the Junior Musicians Troop Royal Artillery at Woolwich, where he took up the viola as a second study instrument. In 1985 he returned to Kneller Hall after being selected for the 3 year Student Bandmaster course. Upon graduation in 1987, his first appointment as Bandmaster was with the Regimental Band of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment.
He was commissioned into the Corps of Army Music on the 1st May 1996 and posted to Kneller Hall for
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2 years. He was appointed Director of Music of The Band of The Prince of Wales Division (Clive) in June 1998. In March 2003 he was deployed with The Clive Band on Operation Telic in support of 34 Field Hospital, and in July 2003 was promoted to the rank of Major. He returned to The Band of the Irish Guards in June 2005 to take up appointment as their Director of Music, moving across to The Band of the Welsh Guards in October 2008. He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel and Senior Director of Music Household Division in November 2011.
Mark Llewelyn Evans.
With the release of his stunning debut album "Let the Light In" Mark has established himself as one of the UK’s most exciting classical cross-over performers. Originally from Carmarthen in West Wales, Mark studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and The National Opera Studio in London. Since completing his studies, Mark has performed with the majority of the UK’s opera companies, singing many title roles, such as Don Giovanni. More recently, he appeared in Guy Ritchie's film "Sherlock Holmes II: A Game of Shadows".
For more information and to arrange interviews with band members, please contact
Colour Sergeant Adrian Beckett MBE
Mob: 07976 914612
Email:
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