Flight Lieutenant Piers L Morrell LRSM LTCL DipTCL RAF

After studying at Simon Balle School, Hertford, where he began his musical training, Piers continued his studies on trombone at Trinity College of Music, London. After graduating in 1994 he worked as a music teacher for East Hertfordshire and as a freelance musician, which included work with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Canadian Opera Company.

Piers joined the RAF in 1997 as a Musician and was posted to The Band of The RAF Regiment at RAF Uxbridge. In 2000 he was posted to The Central Band of The Royal Air Force, again based at RAF Uxbridge, where he served until attending Initial Officer Training in 2006. After successfully completing Initial Officer Training in March 2007, he was appointed Director of Music with the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment. In July 2008 he was posted to The Central Band of The Royal Air Force, the first Flying Officer to hold the appointment of Director of Music with the Central Band. In January 2012 Piers was posted to HQMS to take up his current role as Director of Music, Headquarters Music Services where is responsible for all aspects of training, budgets, allocations and administration within Royal Air Force Music Services.

Ceremonial duties have included the Lord Mayors Show, the Remembrance Parade at the Cenotaph, the Festival of Remembrance, and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2009, and he has worked with international artists Russell Watson and Hayley Westenra.

Overseas tours have included Cyprus, Poland, and most notably in May 2010 the Central Band took part in the 65th Anniversary Victory Parade on Red Square, Moscow, forming part of the massed international bands of a thousand musicians. As part of the visit to Moscow they also took part in the Ode to Peace Festival, in which Piers was invited by the Principal Director of Russian Military Music, Major General Valery Khalilov, to conduct the massed international bands in the finale of the final Festival performance.

A keen sportsman, he has run the London Marathon twice and enjoys road cycling. His continuing studies in martial arts have led to representing the RAF at Tri Service level and have brought success in competition at Association level.