London for Ceremonial 
The Guards Chapel Recital Series – Beyond a Marching Band
by Colour Sergeant Rachel Smith, January 2021
Guards Brass perform as part of the Guards Chapel Recital Series, July 2019
The Guards Chapel Recital Series celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019. Since the series started over 100 lunchtime recitals have been held featuring various ensembles from the Household Division Bands that offer a contrast to the usual marching band or concert band set-up.
Back in 2008 there was limited scope for chamber ensembles from the Household Division to perform to a public audience. Brass and Woodwind Quintets were accustomed to providing the entertainment at dinner nights and regimental events, and deserved an audience in their own right. The Guards’ Chapel seemed the perfect venue to create a recital series and in 2009 this vision became a reality, with the first of the Guards Chapel Lunchtime Recitals being held in January of that year. The series has since followed a schedule of 11 concerts a year held on the last Tuesday of each month. Open to the general public, the series has raised substantial sums for Household Division Charities.
The aim for the Recital Series was to give a platform for musicians and ensembles from the Household Division Bands to perform a variety of different repertoire at the highest level. It has featured diverse ensembles from brass, wind and percussion, and even the “Coldstream Guards 18th Century Band”! It also inspired the introduction of the Household Division Concert Series – a series of evening concerts given by bands from the Household Division and wider British Army Music.
The Guards Big Band performing as part of the Guards Chapel Recital Series.
Following the success of the Recital Series it expanded into the Household Division Music Festival in 2017. This week-long event occurs at the end of June, and each day includes a classical recital at lunchtime in the Chapel, open-air jazz during the afternoon on the Chapel Square, and a full band concert in the early evening, with the Guards Big Band being a particular favourite. 2020 would have been the fourth year of this event but due to the Covid-19 restrictions all recitals, and concerts were cancelled, as well as the music festival. We have, however, already started the planning for 2021 and hope that many of those recitals and festival events will be able to go ahead this year.
All of this would not be possible of course without the dedicated behind-the-scenes team, the talented musicians who perform, and the supportive and loyal audiences whom we hope to be able to welcome back again soon!
Colour Sergeant Rachel Smith DMA, BMus (Hons), FTCL is the principal flautist of the Band of the Coldstream Guards. In 2020 she received the Chief of General Staff's Commendation ‘For outstanding work to the British Army’ in recognition of her outstanding commitment to the Guards Chapel Recital Series.