Guillaume Balay

Guillaume Balay, (born April 30, 1871, in Crozon and died December 13, 1943, in Ploujean (now Morlaix), was a French military bandmaster and composer. Bio Guillaume Balay was born on April 30, 1871, in Crozon, into a large family. His father, a schoolteacher, introduced him to music. In 1889, he enlisted in the army, joining the band of the 19th Infantry Regiment in Brest. In 1892, he transferred to the 5th Infantry Regiment in Caen. Guillaume Balay studied cornet at the Paris Conservatory, where in 1894 he unanimously won first prize in the class of Jean-Joseph Mellet. He also studied harmony with Paul Vidal and composition with Vincent d’Indy. In 1894, he was appointed assistant bandmaster and joined the 119th Infantry Regiment in Courbevoie. In 1898, he was appointed bandmaster. He was assigned to the 154th Infantry Regiment in Bar-le-Duc in 1900, and then in 1904 to the 72nd Infantry Regiment in Amiens, with which he won first prize at the Caen Military Band Competition in July 1908. In 1911, Guillaume Balay won the competition for Bandmaster of the Republican Guard, succeeding Gabriel Parès. He held the position of musical director until his retirement in 1927. Returning to ci