Francis Robert Charles Garland

Education – school:
Colchester Boys High School;
Colne Community School, Brightlingsea;
St Helena's School, Colchester;

Education – further:
Colchester Institute;
Huddersfield University;

Qualifications:
BA(Hon) Film Music and Sound Production
B-Tec: National Diploma in Music Practice
GCSE: 8 GCSEs [1xA*, 3xA]
ABRSM:
Bassoon – Grade 8
Piano – Grade 8
Violin – Grade 7
Theory – Grade 7
RSCM: Bishops' Chorister Award

Music – Bassoon:
Essex Youth Orchestra;
Colchester Area Music School, Wind Band;

Music – Violin / Viola:
Essex Area Music School Orchestra;

Music – Church Organ:
Organist, Congregational Church, Wivenhoe;
Organ Scholar, St Mary's Church, Wivenhoe;

Music – Bass Guitar:
Colne Community School, Jazz Band;
Various musical theatre pit orchestras

Music – Voice:
Southern Cathedral Singers;
Chester Cathedral residency 2000;

Performances – Conductor / MD:
Witham Amateur Operatic Society – MD
Clacton Concert Orchestra - Conductor;
Essex University Pantomime Group – MD
Centre Stage Company – Haverhill

Performances – Keyboards:
Various musical theatre pit orchestras;
Blue Note Soul Band;
The Generation band;
Soloist for piano concertos with CCO;
Accompanist for ABRSM Grade Examinations;
Wedding and events pianist;

Performances – Strings:
Trio for wedding receptions;
BBC Remembrance Day Service, Birmingham Cathedral;

Performances – Bassoon:
Pit orchestra player for Essex choral societies;
Soloist for concerto with Clacton Concert Orchestra
Francis

Profession:
Francis is now concentrating on performances as a Wedding and Events Pianist in the Essex and Suffolk area. He can provide music for the service on church organ or his stage piano, a wide variety of piano music for entertainment at receptions as well as having an extensive range of musical contacts to arrange string or other instrumental groups.

He has now taken over as Choir Master for the The Comrie Singers and continues as a performer in bands and pit orchestras and as Musical Director for a number of local musical theatre groups and wrote the music for the Witham Amateur Operatic Society centenary production, The Flames of Injustice (2022).

In 2025 his work as Musical Director for Rock of Ages at Princes Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea earned him the Best Musical Director from the North Essex Theatre Guild.