World news story

Combined sunset performance by the bands of the Indian Navy and British Royal Marines

The bands of the Her Majesty’s Royal Marines and the Indian Navy will present a joint sunset performance at the iconic India Gate in New Delhi.

Royal Marine Band

The one hour performance will be held from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Friday 4 March 2016.

The band of HM Royal Marines is based at HMS RALEIGH in Torpoint, Cornwall the premier training establishment of the British Royal Navy. The very same band has given rise to great composers and music directors such as British March King KJ Alford and FJ Ricketts. The Indian component will comprise of musicians from INS India augmented by musicians from the Indian Navy Central Band.

The bands will perform a wide repertoire of stirring martial music like Colonel Bogey, The Thunderer, Heart of the Oak, Jai Bharti, Life of the Ocean Waves, Sare Jahan Se Achcha. Popular movie theme tunes like Dragon Music, Pink Panther, and James Bond will also feature alongside Amazing Grace.

Popular Indian pieces like Vaishnava Janto, Jeena Jeena and a medley of old Hindi music from the 1970s will also be played. The programme will culminate with the National Anthems of the two countries.

The bands will perform under the baton of Cdr VC D’Cruz and Major Richard Long respectively.

Further information

The band has played at various locations in Delhi this week, including the local schools and the Gymkhana Club, and held a workshop with the Indian Navy band.

The visit of the Royal Marine Band is part of a broad and deep collaboration between the UK and India. During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UK in November 2015, the UK and India agreed to deepen Defence and International Security Partnership across military capability, counter terrorism and cyber, as well as consolidating strong cooperation that exists already in many areas of defence and security.

The UK and India are elevating their defence relationship by establishing capability partnerships in strategic areas, through which both the countries will work together across the spectrum of doctrine, training and other elements upon which military effectiveness depends. These partnerships would enable support to ‘Make in India’ and transfer of strategic capability between the two nations, including defence technologies and manufacturing in areas of mutual interest.

In support of India-UK technology capability partnerships, the two countries are set to develop research into new areas and progress their defence science and technology collaborative projects.

Royal Marine Band

Stuart Adam, Head,
Press and Communications
British High Commission, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110021
Tel: 44192100; Fax: 24192411

Mail to: Upendra Singh

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Published 3 March 2016