Principal Director of Music
LIEUTENANT COLONEL NICK GRACE ROYAL MARINES BAND SERVICE
Born in West Bromwich, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Grace joined the Royal Marines Band Service in 1982 playing Euphonium and Cello.
In 1985 he was awarded the Prince's Badge for the best all-round musician and then served in Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia. This tour of duty included a circumnavigation of the world, a royal honeymoon cruise, and rescuing British and foreign nationals from Aden.
Nick attended the Warrant Officer Bandmaster course at Deal and successfully completed the course, gaining the Licentiate Royal Schools of Music diploma. After successfully passing the Admiralty Interview Board he was commissioned in January 1999. On his Director of Music Course Nick studied conducting with Patrick Bailey and composition with Martin Ellerby at the London College of Music gaining a First Class Bachelor of Music degree with Honours.
During his time at college his compositions for piano and trumpet were published for the LCM graded exam syllabus. Nick was awarded the 'Henry Purcell' prize for composition, gained a Fellowship diploma in conducting and the Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians on graduation in 2001.
Nick took up his first appointment as the Director of Music to the Royal Marines Band at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone and then led the Royal Marines Band in their operational role as casualty handlers as part of Operation TELIC. He took up appointments as the Staff Officer responsible for tasking band engagements, promotions and drafting followed by his promotion to Major in June 2004 when he was appointed as Staff Officer Band Service at the Headquarters Band Service.
In July 2005 he was appointed Director of Music Training at the Royal Marines School of Music and then moved to the position as the Director of Music of HM Royal Marines Band Portsmouth (Royal Band) in January 2007. In March 2009 Nick was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed as the Principal Director of Music Royal Marines and the Commandant of the Royal Marines School of Music. Nick lives in Portsmouth with his wife Isobel and their son Ryan.
