Music and Musicians
All young musicians will remember the applause from an audience, whether it be one person or an auditorium full of people. That great feeling when they have enjoyed the concert and can’t wait for the next.
There are many talented musicians in the Air Training Corps and every year, usually in February, at half term, some of them are invited to visit RAF College at Cranwell in Lincolnshire.
This visit is for one week and these Cadets spend their time enjoying music instruction and rehearsal with the members of the Band of the RAF College. The most exciting aspect for the cadets is that during this time they are working towards a concert. This concert is jointly presented with the Band of the RAF College at the end of the week. They play a tremendous selection of music from classical to big band swing in front of an audience of invited guests and parents. The chance of a life time.
The Music Camp of February 2002 was very special. The Air Cadets who attended came from all over the United Kingdom. At the end of the week they were just 35 out of the 50,000 air cadets who became the first members of the Air Training Corps to receive the new Corps Musicians Badge. A very prestigious honour. One of those to be honoured was from 1017 (Malvern) Squadron, Corporal Richard Carson and he has been selected to attend again in 2003.
In order to attend this music camp selection you will have achieved grade 3, and provide a recommendation from a music instructor or a bandmaster. It is worth all the hard work of practice and rehearsal.