CCF Band

Downside School has a full CCF Marching Band along with a Pipe Band and the Corps of Drums. Our CCF Band takes pride of place leading the Annual Bath Remembrance Parade.

Each year around 100 CCF cadets from across all services can attend a tri-service music camp held in Dartmouth. David Green, who served in the Royal Marines band and is now the director of music at Plymouth College, gives his insight into the course “Each summer we draw cadets from across the country to come to Dartmouth and take the place of the Royal Marines band. They arrive at the beginning of the week knowing that at the end they will need to provide a chapel service; a short beat retreat before the mess dinner plus music during it and a spectacular finale; ceremonial divisions; and then a 40-minute beat retreat the following day.

Musically, the summer camp is like being in an “intensive orchestral course” that would normally cost hundreds of pounds, he says. “But on an orchestral course if you don’t quite get there it doesn’t matter. Here it does – you might have the Second Sea Lord taking parade at the end of the week.”

All cadets are welcome to take up these opportunities. Cadets could also be able to enrol onto a BTEC L2 Music Course as part of the Cadet Experience.