Roger Barsotti - was born in London in 1901, he was taught by his father, Luigi Barsotti, a professional musician and one-time professor of the Milan Conservatoire. Roger made his debut at the age of fourteen as a deputy flautist with the Hastings Municipal Orchestra. Joining the Buffs as a bandboy in 1916, he was promoted to Band Sergeant at the age of twenty-two. On passing out of the Royal School of Music, Kneller Hall in 1930 he was appointed Bandmaster of 2^nd Battalion The Queen's Royal Regiment, a position he held for fifteen years. A photograph taken in 1937 shows the band to have been 52 strong, though by that time war clouds were gathering and the bandsmen were preparing to take up their secondary role.

Mr Barsotti's industry and leadership were such that, within a few months of the outbreak of war, he had built a new band at the Regimental Depot capable of playing for all occasions.

On retirement from the Army, after nearly thirty years service, he was appointed Director of Music to the Metropolitan Police Band in 1946. In 1958 and 1960 he had the honour of being asked to adjudicate at the UK National Brass Band Championships held at the Royal Albert Hall. He was awarded the MBE in the Birthday Honours in 1961. Retiring from the Metropolitan Police Band in October 1968, he became Director of Music for the Royal Parks for some time. He died in 1986 after a prolonged illness.

His compositions include over thirty marches and over forty concert selections. Some of his best-known and most familiar works include specialized production (mood) music.

We are featuring a rarely performed overture