MY, doesn’t time fly when you’re having a good time?

Maj Geoff Grey should know, he’s been in the Army for 31 years and music director of the Band of the Royal Military College for another six. Now at age 46, with some “irons in the fire” but nothing definite, he’s saying “Auf Wiedersehen” at the end of December and embarking on a new life.

Fear not, he’ll still be in the region, as visitors to The Q, Queanbeyan, discovered the other day when they heard he would be conducting the tribal rock musical, “Hair”, late next year.

And he’ll still be conducting the Canberra City Band, the oldest community concert band in Australia, he says, and a tribute to the vision of the late Prime Minister Ben Chifley and bandmaster William Hoffman in moving away from the pure brass format.

Still, the move is not without a few tears in the eyes. The final Music at Midday concert for 2011 on December 6 will be Grey’s last performance with the band. He’s been involved with Music at Midday since he returned to Canberra in 2006 to take up the position of commander and director of the RMC Band, and he loves it.

He also loves the Canberra Theatre, where the concerts are staged.

“The collaboration between the Canberra Theatre Centre and the Royal Military College is a partnering model any theatre in the nation would be proud of and is testament to what community spirit can achieve,” he says, pointing to a record of 12 concerts a year seen by tens of thousands of concert-goers. In 2011, the concerts have raised $9997.90 and seen 5597 patrons.

Trumpet-playing Maj Daniel Hiscock will be taking over in 2012 and in Grey’s view, change is always good, so it will be “a very exciting time for the RMC Band”.

As for Grey, it’s time. Like his predecessor Lt-Col Ian McLean, he’s been with the Army for many, many years – “we joined as children,” he says.

Music at Midday, at the Canberra Theatre, 11am and 12.30pm, December 6. Proceeds go to Uniting Care Kippax teenage gift drive. Entry is by gold coin donation.