Testimonials - Sgt Dave Bowmar's Web Chat
Sergeant David Bowmar
Job role: Musician with the Band at RAF Cranwell
Joined the RAF: August 1985
Overseas travel: Cyprus, Gibraltar, St Lucia, Israel, Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, Germany, Spain, France, Holland, Belgium, Iraq, Poland, Japan, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Australia, Hungary, Norway
Career highlights:
- Spending five years travelling around Europe with the Band of the RAF Germany
- Performing ‘Tubby the Tuba’ with the late great children’s television presenter Johnny Morris
- Performing the first movement of the Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto with the Western Band of the RAF
- Undertaking a brass quintet tour of Israel
‘I started playing the tuba at secondary school and by the end of year four I had reached the Royal School of Music’s highest pre-diploma grade. I went on to study music at Clarendon College of Further Education, emerging with A-levels in practical and theoretical music. Following my basic training, I did my specialist training at the RAF School of Music at RAF Uxbridge.
‘My first posting was to the Western Band of the RAF. Whilst there, I took part in prestigious events such as the Royal Tournament and the Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. The band also went on numerous overseas tours around the world. In 1990, I joined the Band of RAF Germany and was later posted to the Band of The RAF College Cranwell.
‘Today, my primary role is tuba player, but I am also in charge of PR and marketing for the Band and the whole of RAF Music Services. I have also begun to take a role in band management, taking charge of various engagements including a forthcoming tour of Northern Ireland.
‘I’ve been involved with a station golf team as captain or vice captain since 1997. As captain, I organise a team of six players from all ranks, and represent that team on the Station Golf Committee. I was also a founding member of RAF Cranwell’s Rowing Club and have represented the station as bow man in four- and eight-man boats.
‘The best thing about the RAF is that I get to play music for a living and also enjoy all the extra benefits – such as high-profile engagements and sports – that the Armed Forces offer. If you want to play music for a living, there isn’t a more varied, more satisfying or more secure way of doing it.’
Web Chat session with Sergeant David Bowmar - Wednesday 23 July 2008
Muppet89: You said you do PR and marketing for the band. Was this something you ever thought you'd be doing when you started?
David Bowmar: No it's just something that's developed through my career. I became sales representative for the band to start with. Then moved on to being in charge of PR for the band. My interest in computers and photography it just gathered momentum from there.
Matt: hi, as a musician do you ever have to fight? Like the regiment would
David Bowmar: No. However, I have been in situations during my deployment to Basra where that could have happened. However thanks to the professionalism of the people I was working with we never got ourselves in a situation where we had to fight.
Mitch: how hard is it to work up the ranks?
David Bowmar: Not hard at all really. It depends on how much effort you're prepared to put in with it. Music services runs a continuous professional development programme, which means that you can work ahead to qualify for at least 2 ranks above your current position if not more. I for instance am a qualified band master. However it will take a few years to get the experience required to go in to that role. Certainly to begin with the main factor is your standard of instrumental performance (standard of playing the instrument).
welshboi: Do you ever need to use foreign languages in your job, and do any other jobs in the RAF use languages?
David Bowmar: Yes. Very rarely for musicians, but there are other jobs in the RAF which use foreign languages all the time. Things probably like the intelligence branch. I know these jobs are there but I'm sorry I don't know very much about them. Check out the website which has a jobs section on it. www.raf.mod.uk/careers
sophie: What made you want to join the RAF?
David Bowmar: As a 19 year old, I just loved playing my tuba. And the RAF seemed like a very good way to play for my living. As it's turned out, this is indeed the case. But there are other challenges as well which has made it very interesting. Such as - the public relations job I do, the trips overseas, the sport. It sounds like such a cliché when you say it but the camaraderie in the armed forces is superb.
Kamikaze: Hi, what instruments are available for people to play in the RAF?
David Bowmar: The basic group is a standard military band or symphonic wind band. Consisting of - flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophones, trumpet, french horn, trombone and of course most importantly of all TUBA! At the minute we're looking for oboe, clarinet, french horns, euphonium/trombone and tubas! Lots of french horns we're needing. So if you haven't picked one already choose french horn or clarinet!
Catherine: Did u enjoy the basic training? And was it difficult?
David Bowmar: As with everything in the Armed forces, how much you enjoy something depends on your attitude to it. If you go in to it determined to give it everything you've got you'll find you enjoy it very much however difficult the tasks may be. And of course the more difficult something is to do the better sense of achievement when you succeed. I didn't find basic training difficult because I was young and fit. It gives you the mindset you need to get you through the rest of your career. Nothing is wasted! It's all meaningful. It's as hard as it needs to help you enjoy your career in the RAF.
Kamikaze: Why the tuba?
David Bowmar: Why not! Funnily enough, this is for real by the way - I was late for music lesson early on in secondary education and it was all that was left! The rest is history.
Matt: Can you be an officer as a musician?
David Bowmar: Yes you can be an officer as a musician but our officers are always recruited from serving members of our music services. So you've got to be a musician first.
AZA: Does doing the music PR mean talking with the really big media companies like the BBC? Is that difficult?
David Bowmar: Yes it does. Not often enough! However, it's not difficult because it's something that both we and the media service in question need to do their jobs. I was trained by the Air Force to deal with the media, and more and more people are getting this training throughout the Air Force.
Tom: Where is the most exotic place you have played in with the RAF band?
David Bowmar: I've been to a lot of out of the way places. But the one that made the most impression on me has to be Jerusalem. Like how small and close together everything was. It's one of the most exotic places I've ever seen.
umpalumpa: Do you miss anything about civilian life?
David Bowmar: There are things that are different in military life, but the opportunities and the experiences you gain far outweigh anything that could perceive as having lost.
widness: I heard musicians have to be stretcher bearers too - is that really true?
David Bowmar: Not anymore! We now form casualty decontamination teams. To help the doctors and nurses. Also we can be sent as individuals to perform any number of different roles. In Basra I ended up being a convoy commander and then in the same tour a watchkeeper or office worker in HQ. So it's lots of variety and training is always supplied and is very good.
CH: How often do you have fitness training??
David Bowmar: All the time. You have to pass a fitness test every six months. And the standards have just gone up again! It's really important to be fit for anything you may be asked to do. I've recently been involved with a parade in the Isle of Man which lasted over 3 hours. And was followed by another two drill displays in the same day. So if you weren't physically fit, then you wouldn't be able to perform these tasks. I was shattered after though!
coleen: Are there many women musicians (RAF)?
David Bowmar: Yes. My band the The Band of RAF College, is approximately one third female. So there's no problem at all with females applying to be members of music services.
welshboi: What's the accommodation like?
David Bowmar: It's getting better. There are occasions when you just have to put up with what's available. These are usually when visiting a station for one night. Permanent staff accommodation at RAF Cranwell and RAF Uxbridge, is now excellent. (These are the ones I've been to anyway!)
coleen: Is it hard to balance family / personal life with being an RAF musician? Do you ever feel torn?
David Bowmar: Yes it can be. However, my wife and I met after I joined music services. And she understands that my job involves going away. Of course we are always in touch even when deployed with email and even phone calls.
corn: whats the hardest thing you have to do?
David Bowmar: That's a great question! To be brutally honest, just playing solo in front of a room of RAF musicians as part of the annual competitions. That was a long time ago now, but I still feel the fear!
AZA: Do you do a lot of marching. Do you get backache carrying the tuba when you do?
David Bowmar: Yes you do. You do do a lot of marching. I personally have never suffered from back pain. However I did get some very good Alexander technique training early in my career which has helped tremendously. And of course being physically fit has helped tremendously.
widness: I play violin (but not so well) - is it only brass instruments the RAF want? Is there a list and which instruments are most in demand?
David Bowmar: We do have a small orchestra, two violins, viola, cello and piano. However vacancies come up rarely and are currently full. But there may be an opportunity in the future. Have you thought of playing anything else (((like clarinet or french horn?)) okay I'll stop plugging now!
Catherine: What do you enjoy most about being in the RAF?
David Bowmar: That's easy - sitting on stage playing good music to an appreciative audience. It's as simple as that!
humf: Do you get to play different types of music - like jazz or anything modern? Or is it pretty much all marching music?
David Bowmar: No we play all kinds of music. For example, the last concert I did included music from Berlioz to "Take That". It also included big band music, film music, folk music, and finished with river dance. So we cover pretty much every kind of music you can think of.
bencavanagh: What kind of Work experience can i do to help?
David Bowmar: Yes. A lot of stations have voluntary bands. Which anybody can join. These bands do perform in public and the bigger ones have a resident conductor. There is an RAF voluntary bands website - www.rafvoluntarybands.co.uk so check that out for more information.
Jade: I'm 22 and don't play an instrument but have always wanted to, would you say its too late to start ?
David Bowmar: No. It's never too late to start! It all depends how much you are prepared to give to practice. Go for it!
Zak: What do you aim to achieve in the future? Either in the RAF or not.
David Bowmar: Within the RAF I'd like to be a band master eventually. And use the conducting skills I've picked up through my CPD (continued professional development) training. Outside of the RAF, I'm very interested in photography and I'd like to be a professional photographer at some point, when I retire from the RAF.
smallchange: why would you recommend a career in the RAF over the Army & Navy?
David Bowmar: Well I've got to answer that! I've never been in the Navy or the Army - so I can't really comment but some of the guys who transferred across to us do say things are 'different' in the RAF. (Boy am I going to get hate mail now!)
humf: Do you get much notice before you go on a trip - especially a long trip abroad?
David Bowmar: At least 6 months notice, usually. But things can come up at short notice. Although that's very rare.
widness: What's it like playing the national anthem to royalty - when they're actually there? have you done that?
David Bowmar: Yes I have done that. Many many times. There is a certain extra something about an engagement attended by a Royal. I'm not sure I can explain it. But it does focus the mind wonderfully!
Matt: have you any done any camps with the Band of the Air Training Corps, any of the region ATC bands or any of the ATC Wing bands?
David Bowmar: We do every year a Band Camp at RAF Cranwell for the ATC (Air training Corps) National band. In fact a couple of years ago I took charge of one of these. Cadets spend a week training with RAF musicians before giving a concert at RAF Cranwell on Friday night. I'm not sure how you get on to this course the best thing is to ask your ATC leaders. We've not done any courses with a Squadron or Wing Bands to date, but we don't rule it out for the future.
Josh: hi, are you deployed for the same amount of time? how long is this?
David Bowmar: Yeah we're deployed on the same rules as everyone else. At the moment it's generally 4 months, but it can be up to 6 months. umpalumpa: What's the most embarrassing or funny thing that's ever happened while you've been on stage? Tell all!
David Bowmar: Whilst playing a solo on the tuba I got in to the habit of wandering off in to the audience or even sitting on a lap or two! On one notable occasion I missed my intended target altogether and found myself sitting on the floor. I got a bit carried away!
6feetunder: What role do you play on remembrance day?
David Bowmar: RAF bands take a large role on Remembrance day and are present on Whitehall throughout the ceremonies.
welshboi: what jobs do u do as a musician
David Bowmar: First and foremost I play tuba. But the bands run themselves so all the jobs like librarian, public relations, admin, are all done by musicians.
davidj: whats the best thing about being in the RAF?
David Bowmar: The best thing about being in the RAF is the feeling you're doing something worth while. We tend to do things as well as we possibly can. And it's a great buzz when everything works. Especially on concerts.
cadet girl: Do you get to work with other trades?
David Bowmar: All the time. But very often when they form flights on parades that we're performing for, so they're usually a bit out of their comfort zone and in ours!
welshboi: how old do you have to be to be a musician in the RAF
David Bowmar: The youngest you can be is 16+1/2. And the oldest is officially 29. However, the upper age limit can be flexible if you're very good or play an instrument that we particularly require.
cadet girl: How come it takes so long to get promoted in the musician job?
David Bowmar: It doesn't really. We are a very small organisation so it can tend to be just waiting for a vacancy. But if you work hard practice hard, and volunteer for training it is possible to get promoted just as quickly as the rest of the Airforce.
sophie: i've been thinking about joining the RAF for a while but doing something in computers, the one thing i am worried about though is all the war and getting injured. . . i know it sounds stupid but did you have worries like that/
David Bowmar: Well yes. You wouldn't be human if you didn't worry about things like that. But the people you work with are some of the best in the world at what they do. And training is always provided. So when I was actually out there doing it - I found it very reassuring to be part of this highly professional group of people.
KIM: Are there many older applicants or are the majority of applicants straight out of school?
David Bowmar: There are a few older applicants. Most of our new members have been through some kind of further education. And a lot have gained Music Degrees before joining. However this is not a requirement. If you're a good enough player at 16 1/2 you could easily get in.
Views expressed during the web chats are those of individuals and do not necessarily reflect RAF policy.