Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Central Band appoints Douglas Bostock as Honorary Guest Conductor
With effect from 1st September 2022, Douglas Bostock has been appointed as the Honorary Guest Conductor of the SAF Central Band. Since 2006, Douglas Bostock has led the SAF Central Band in numerous concerts and masterclasses. This appointment recognises his contribution to the Band’s development.
“I’m thrilled and excited as well as very humbled and indeed honoured by such an appointment. And it recognises this relationship I’ve had with the band since 2006, having come several times for In Harmony concerts and masterclasses alongside various other things. It reflects my deep relationship with the SAF Central Band and the great affection I have for it.
So with this honorary title, I will come periodically to conduct an In Harmony or chamber repertory concert, but also to teach conducting. Basically I will be in the background for the band as much as they wish or require, be it in an advisory or active capacity,” Douglas said.
“I will be working with the music directors of the SAF Central Band, and also help them to look out for potential future music directors and play a part in training them. Maybe I will also have sessions with musicians in the sense of a forums, talking about music in general or specific topics. So it’s sort of a very broad based position, title or function which will continue from now on,” he explained.
“We don’t have a definition in years, but we just agreed that we want to have a closer relationship than we’d even had until now, and above all, to give that relationship a format. I’m really looking forward to it, as it’s something which is not an everyday occurrence. And they’ve never had an Honorary Guest Conductor before, which makes it, of course, even more important and significant for me. I’ll be working closely with both Philip Tng and with Ignatius Wang and also with the rest of the musicians in the coming years.”
Douglas Bostock will be conducting the SAF Central Band for ‘In Harmony 37’ at the Esplanade Concert Hall on 17 September 2022, with a programme consisting of the complete wind band works of Percy Grainger.
A contributing editor at TBP.