St. Ronans's Appoints MD For The Scottish
St. Ronan's Silver Band from the Scottish Borders town of Innerleithen has appointed Captain Alex Knox as Musical Director for this year's Scottish Championships. Captain Knox will lead the Band in Howard Snell's second section test, Images of the Millennium, while Bandmaster David McLeod will join the front row cornet section for the contest.
Alex Knox was born in Edinburgh in 1966. He took up music when he joined Newbattle High School in Midlothian, where he was taught Cornet, Tenor Horn and eventually French Horn. After obtaining Higher Music at School, he followed the footsteps of his three elder bothers and joined the Army as a musician, when he enlisted into the Royal Scots at the Junior Infantry Depot in Aberdeen in 1983. After a further year's musical training at the Royal Military School of Music (Kneller Hall), he was posted to the Regimental Band of the 1st Battalion The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) where he served in Germany, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. In 1991 he carried out his secondary role as a Medical Assistant in the 1st Gulf War.
In 1992, he was selected to attend the 3-year Bandmaster's Course, again at the Royal Military School of Music. On completion of this course in 1995, he was awarded 7 prizes including best original composition and best overall Student Bandmaster. He also attained the highest marks in the Ministry of Defence Bandmaster examinations and was awarded with the Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians for musical achievement. In 1996, he was appointed Bandmaster of The Gibraltar Regiment, where he spent 18 months before taking up the appointment as Bandmaster of the Light Division in Winchester. In January 2000, Captain Alex Knox was commissioned and appointed as Director of Music of the Royal Irish Regiment. Captain Knox retires from the Army this year. He will settle in Earlston in the Scottish Borders, with his wife Vivienne and daughters, Michelle and Fiona.
Captain Knox said, "I am delighted to have been asked to conduct St Ronan's Silver Band at this year's Scottish Championships and am looking forward to working with the band." Speaking on behalf of the Band, Secretary Keith Belleville stated, "we are very pleased to have Alex on board for this demanding piece and the both the Band and David McLeod are excited about the prospect of working with him."
