MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Chris Willis MBE; MA; LRAM; ARCM
Chris, who ‘grew up on the hills above Combe Martin’ and went to school in Berrynarbor and Ilfracombe, retired from military service in 2013 having worked his way through the ranks from Bandsman (Devonshire & Dorset Regiment) to Director of Music (RAF), finally Army Reserve in Exeter.
A graduate of both the Army and RAF schools of music and post-grad of the University of Bristol (Composition for Film & TV) he has extensive performing and teaching experience in brass and percussion, conducting and arranging across all styles of music. He joined South Molton Town Band in 2024, initially playing cornet on the ‘back row’; after a brief spell as Bandmaster he was appointed MD in June 2025.