David began his musical career at the age of 13 as a trombonist for Barnstaple Town Military Band and Bideford Town Brass Band. In 1987, he joined the Army and was posted to the Band of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. During his two years at the Royal Military School of Music, David took a change of course, studying flute and classical piano under Graham Mayger and Veronica Clayton respectively. It was while he was at Kneller Hall that David discovered his passion forwriting band arrangements.
After postings to Northern Ireland and Cyprus in the early nineties, David successfully passed an audition for the Life Guards Band of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. During a series of summer concerts with the Life Guards Band, David was persuaded by the Director of Music to take yet another musical change: he became the principal oboist of the Band, a position that he held until he left the army in 1998.
The Director of Music
David A. Vaninetti-Smart FLCM
David began his musical career at the age of 13 as a trombonist for Barnstaple Town Military Band and Bideford Town Brass Band. In 1987, he joined the Army and was posted to the Band of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. During his two years at the Royal Military School of Music, David took a change of course, studying flute and classical piano under Graham Mayger and Veronica Clayton respectively. It was while he was at Kneller Hall that David discovered his passion forwriting band arrangements.
After postings to Northern Ireland and Cyprus in the early nineties, David successfully passed an audition for the Life Guards Band of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. During a series of summer concerts with the Life Guards Band, David was persuaded by the Director of Music to take yet another musical change: he became the principal oboist of the Band, a position that he held until he left the army in 1998.
The Director of Music
David A. Vaninetti-Smart FLCM
David began his musical career at the age of 13 as a trombonist for Barnstaple Town Military Band and Bideford Town Brass Band. In 1987, he joined the Army and was posted to the Band of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. During his two years at the Royal Military School of Music, David took a change of course, studying flute and classical piano under Graham Mayger and Veronica Clayton respectively. It was while he was at Kneller Hall that David discovered his passion forwriting band arrangements.
After postings to Northern Ireland and Cyprus in the early nineties, David successfully passed an audition for the Life Guards Band of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. During a series of summer concerts with the Life Guards Band, David was persuaded by the Director of Music to take yet another musical change: he became the principal oboist of the Band, a position that he held until he left the army in 1998.
The Director of Music
David A. Vaninetti-Smart FLCM
The Band
The creation of the Heroes Band was the brainchild of David Vaninetti-Smart, its conductor. In October 2013 David had just completed 10 years as the Director of Music of Farnborough Concert Band of The Royal British Legion, Hampshire.
There are obvious benefits from having bands as a useful PR and fund raising tool for the Armed Forces and for veterans charities, and the idea of creating a band in the same way to support the fundraising activities of H4H seemed a natural choice.
In the Autumn of 2013 David approached H4H with his idea and the rest as they say, 'is history'.
Bryn Parry OBE, former CEO and Co-founder of the Help for Heroes Charity commented, “Help for Heroes is all about ‘doing your bit’ and we are delighted to have the support of David Vaninetti-Smart and his band. The Road to Recovery is a very long and hard path, these are young men and women today but they will grow old. H4H aims to ensure that they have the support they need for life, they deserve the best and we are doing our best to get it.”
The objective of The Heroes band is two fold. Firstly, to raise donations for the charity through musical performances and secondly, to bring entertainment and enjoyment to listeners and band supporters.
In February 2015 the band were pleased to be officially awarded registered charity status.
We are recruiting talented players.
The band rehearses in St. Botolph's without Bishopsgate Church, London
on Monday evenings, 7.30-9.30pm.