About Us - Military Music, Royal Marines Band Music, Royal Marines Music, Army Band Music, Army Music, Military Band Music, The Ashokan Farewell, Sea Shanties, Big Band Music, Christmas Music, Royal Marines, Musicals

John Perkins (below receiving top national award from Princess Alexandra - more info..)

Military Music, Royal Marines Band Music, Royal Marines Music, Army Band Music, Army Music, Military Band Music, The Ashokan Farewell, Sea Shanties, Big Band Music, Christmas Music, Royal Marines, Musicals

John retired from the Royal Marines in November 2000 having served 35 years, the last twenty of which have been as a conductor and Director of Music of three major bands. He has combined this work with a parallel career as a violinist and record producer and is currently the MD of Clovelly Recordings Ltd (www.clovellyrecordings.com), Conductor of the Kent Concert Orchestra and Leader of The Becker Ensemble (www.beckerensemble.com) .

He began studying the violin aged 14 years with Harry Lipman (himself a pupil of Brodsky) and, at the age of seventeen, he was appointed Leader of the Orchestra in HM Yacht Britannia, a position he held for the next 8 years. During this time he continued his violin studies with Molly Mack at the Royal Academy of Music, and Mr KoeKoe in Arnhem, Holland. In 1977, John gained the professional qualifications of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM), the Royal College of Music (ARCM) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (LGSM). In 1980, he undertook the Advanced Conductors Course at the Royal Academy of Music with Maurice Miles and Malcolm McDonald, where his joint first study of composition resulted in composer membership of the PRS/MCPS and numerous recordings of his music.

Throughout this second period at the RAM he studied the violin with Jack McDougal. John is a former Leader of the Kent Concert Orchestra and St Cecilia Strings and has been Leader of the 'Becker Ensemble' since its formation in 1988. In 1997 John was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) and in 1998 he completed his Master of Music Degree (MMus). He appeared as a solo violinist at the Royal Albert Hall in 1999, 2000 and 2001 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His popular recording of the 'Ashokan Farewell' (now released as a 'single' CD) was voted the highest new entry in the ClassicFM Hall of Fame 2000, 13th in the 2002 chart and 6th in the 2003 chart.

John has been producing recordings since the mid-eighties working with military bands, brass bands, choirs, shanty groups, Big Bands, pop groups and enthusiasts! He has produced many recordings at Abbey Road studios and Sony Studios London as well as regular location recordings in concert halls, churches and cathedrals around the country