Our band conductor, Simon Nicholls

Read all about our band conductor Simon Nicholls’ musical background and love of rugby… 

Profile of Simon Nicholls band conductor

Born in Bristol, Simon began playing trombone aged eight with his local Scout and Guide Band. In 1989, he successfully auditioned for the Royal Marines Band Service joining the Royal Marines School of Music (RMSoM) in Deal, Kent.

Performing around the world with Royal Marines bands

Whilst under training, Simon was selected to represent the Royal Navy at rugby at Under 19 and Under 21 level. On completion of training, Simon spent the following 15 years in various Royal Marines bands around the country. This provided opportunities to travel extensively, visiting the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, The Falkland Islands and much of Europe. Particular highlights during this time include playing as part of the first Western Military Band to perform in Tchaikovsky Hall in St Petersburg and a four-month tour of the Far East on board HMS INVINCIBLE, with concert appearances in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

Playing the trombone

As principal trombone of RM Band Scotland Simon was a regular soloist. This culminated in playing as a featured soloist with the Massed Bands of HM Royal Marines at the Royal Albert Hall – dressed as a nun!

2006 saw Simon appointed as the trombone instructor at RMSoM, where he worked alongside Gordon Campbell, principal trombone of BBC Big Band and professor of trombone at RMSoM. This was a hugely rewarding period of his career and saw Simon achieve diplomas in performance and teaching as well as graduating with a BMus(Hons) from Portsmouth University.

Simon spent most of the later part of his career as a Volunteer Band Instructor (VBI) working as the professional Bandmaster and Conductor of the Royal Navy’s equivalent of the Army’s TA Bands. In 2020, after a period as Band Operations Coordinator at Portsmouth Band, Simon returned as VBI and the RM Band Service Specialist Advisor to the RN Volunteer Bands.

Prior to leaving the RM Band Service, Simon was awarded the Rushworth Scholarship from the University of Liverpool to study for a Masters degree in Classical Music Industry Studies, graduating with Distinction in 2022.

Today

Upon his retirement from the Royal Marines, Simon was appointed to his current role as Concerts and Orchestra Manager for the London Mozart Players, a professional orchestra based in Fairfield Halls in Croydon,

Simon is a passionate advocate for community music and has had the opportunity to conduct several civilian community brass and wind bands. He was invited to become Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth and District Concert Band in September 2018 and is looking forward to a long and successful collaboration with the band.