Next weekend, former Watford Grammar School for Boys pupil James Dunlop will be taking his seat at the Royal Albert Hall alongside his band mates in the Massed Bands of HM Royal Marines, as they perform at the Mountbatten Festival of Music to mark the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines.

That would be enough of an special event in itself, but the opening number the band will be performing, Rise of the Royals, was written by James himself, especially for the occasion – the second time he has been commissioned to compose a piece of music for the festival. Last year the band performed his Chariot Wars.

“I only started composing a couple of years ago,“ laughs the 24-year-old, who grew up in Nascot Wood, and now lives in Portsmouth, where the Royal Band of the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines is based. “It really does feel quite amazing.“

James joined the Marines in 2006 to follow a career in music, and plays clarinet in the band. He studied music at both Watford Boys and Watford School of Music, where he also played the viola, recorder, and keyboard. From the ages of 13 to 16, he played in the volunteer band at Northwood military headquarters.

“I joined the marines because I wanted to travel but also to continue my music,“ says James. “There aren’t that many opportunities out there to play music professionally – for instance, this orchestra has two places for clarinet and there are ten people in standby for each of those! So this seemed like a great way.

“We are on active standby, though,“ James continues. “We can get called up. We would mainly do stretcher duty, on medical support, and operational roles.“

In his musical career, James has performed for royalty and at events including the Royal British Legion Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and the British Military Tattoo.

He was in the Royal Marine band that led the cortege at Baroness Thatcher’s funeral in London in 2013, and in 2012 he played at the royal world premiere of the James Bond film Skyfall, also at the Royal Albert Hall.

He has also appeared on BBC’s Tonight’s the Night with John Barrowman, and alongside stars such as Katherine Jenkins, Susan Boyle, Joss Stone, the RPO and The Tenors, and has been conducted by the Grammy-nominated Anthony Inglis.

James explains that Rise of the Royals is inspired by his love of films.

“I love Hollywood music, and composers like Hans Zimmer, and I thought that big, extravagant sound perfectly matched the occasion.“