The Royal Canadian Artillery Band (french: links=no, Musique de l'Artillerie royale canadienne) is one of six Regular Force bands in the

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

. Located at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, the RCA Band provides music designed to support Canadian Forces operations, foster morale and

esprit de corps Morale, also known as esprit de corps (), is the capacity of a group's members to maintain belief in an institution or goal, particularly in the face of opposition or hardship. Morale is often referenced by authority figures as a generic value ...

, and promote Canada and the Canadian military nationally and abroad. The band operates mainly in western Canada and is de facto the representative band of the Canadian Army in the western provinces. All unit members are professional musicians in addition to being members of the military, which enables the band to adopt a variety of configurations to suit the musical needs of their audiences. Ensembles can range from jazz combos, rock bands, and chamber groups, through stage and show bands to full marching and concert bands.

History

The RCA Band traces its roots to the "B" Battery Band of the Royal Canadian Artillery in Quebec City. Founded in 1879, it was composed of volunteer militia and professionally trained musicians from the United Kingdom and France, becoming the first permanent military band. It became the Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery Band in 1899 under

Joseph Vézina François-Joseph Vézina (June 11, 1849 in Quebec City – October 5, 1924 in Quebec City) was a Quebec conductor, composer, organist and music professor. Vézina is buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont in Sainte-Foy. Early lif ...

, a prominent Quebec musician who was also the first director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec and led the first performance of " O Canada" in 1880. A second band part of the Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery was formed in

Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...

in 1905 and directed by Major Alfred Light. During the First World War, the RCGA Band was stationed at the Citadelle of Quebec. During this time, it was mentioned in an article of the '' Montreal Star'' as "justly known as one of the best bands in North America". The two bands were the only ones operational at the end of the war. In 1922, 20 members of the band broke off or created the Band of the Royal 22nd Regiment or La Musique du Royal 22e Régiment as it is known today in French. During the Second World War, the band was for the most part stationed overseas, one of them being the RCHA Band which was reformed and stationed in Shilo, Manitoba, and then Winnipeg. In 1952, the Royal Canadian Artillery Band was formed in Halifax under Captain E.R. Wragg, and in the following years it travelled overseas to entertain troops in South Korea. In 1955 Captain Kenneth Elloway became the new bandmaster and was vital in highlighting the RCA Band on an international stage. He arranged appearances on BBC radio, invited guest performers, and led the RCA Band in the 1957 Bermuda Tattoo. After the Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968 the RCA Band in Halifax was dissolved and reformed in Montreal. The RCA Band performed for over 100,000 spectators in 1988. The RCA Band was moved from Montreal to Edmonton on 4 December 1997.

Uniform

Rogers Santa Claus Parade 2013 (11162882273)

The RCA's musicians uniforms are based on the officers pattern of the ceremonial uniforms of the now dissolved Royal Artillery Band. RCA musicians, when in full dress uniform, wear the busby (not to be confused with the bearskin cap), with tall plumes attached to ferrule to the top of the front. Unlike the Royal Artillery, the RCA Band wears white plumes, and do not wear the cavalry spurs. Bandsman wear navy blue tunics, quilt lined with a standing collar, fastened with hooks. Navy blue cavalry-style pantaloons are also worn, with an RCA stripe in scarlet sewn onto outside of each leg.

Role

The role of the Royal Canadian Artillery Band is to provide a comprehensive, professional musical service to 3rd Canadian Division Support Group, 3rd Canadian Division, the Canadian Armed Forces and the government of Canada.

Performance history

In 1994–95, the RCA Band participated in the Canada Remembers program, which took the band on a tour of Asia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2000, the RCA Band was chosen by the Directorate of History and Heritage as the Canadian representative for the Kangwon International Tattoo commemorating the

golden jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...

of the start of the Korean War. In 2004, the band participated in a week-long tour of

Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...

, which was centred on its participation in the Change of Command Ceremony for Brigadier General Stuart A. Beare in Banja Luka. In the summer of that same year, the band performed in the Fortissimo Sunset Ceremony on Parliament Hill with the Band of the Ceremonial Guard and the Albany Marine Band. The band travelled to Sweden in 2006, where they performed in Kungstradgarden and Strängnäs as well as marched in the 20th Swedish Military Tattoo, which included a parade to the Stockholm Palace while performing pieces such as "

The Voice of the Guns :''This is not to be confused with the poem by Gilbert Frankau.'' ''The Voice of the Guns'' (1917) is a British military march composed by Kenneth Alford during World War I. It was written as a tribute to British artillerymen serving in the war, ...

" and "Glorious Victory". In June 2017, the band provided musical support for a contingent of the 2nd Battalion,

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

, which provided the Queen's Guard in England at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Altho ...

, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. In October–November 2018, the band provided support for a contingent from the

3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (3 RCR) is a regular force light infantry battalion of the Canadian Forces. 3 RCR's most notable service occurred in Korea, Germany, Bosnia and Afghanistan. In 2006–2010, the battalion was deployed ...

, which provided the Queen's Guard. It was one of the rare occasions when the band wore the Atholl-grey greatcoats authorized for wear in the autumn and winter.

Organization

The band's

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

(CO) is the unit's principal conductor. The CO is responsible for the creative direction of the band and all facets of musical performance. The principal components of the band are the following sections: * Brass *Woodwind *Percussion The RCA Band is a 35 piece band that also performs in the following configurations: *Parade Band *Concert Band *Jazz Big Band (10 piece ensemble) *Windage Salon Orchestra *The Soul Orchestra *Jazz Task Force *Chamber groups **Woodwind Quintet **Brass Quintet Members of the band spend most of their time engaged in training activities when not delivering formal performances. Musical training usually includes up to three hours of individual practice per day and collective practice sessions in groups ranging in size from

quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

s to full unit rehearsals.

Pipes and Drums

In 2008, for the first time in its then over 100 years history, Corporal Jim Douglas, who was a piper in the CF, was posted to The RCA Band as part of what is now the RCA Pipes and Drums, which as of 2010, had four members. In November 2012, it appeared in public for the first time to perform at a public concert in support of a charity. The Pipes and Drums of the RCA serve as the Canadian counterpart to the former and current pipe bands of the British Royal Artillery.

Music

The RCA Band regularly performs the regimental marches: '' The British Grenadiers'' and the ''Royal Artillery Slow March'' The Royal Artillery Slow March was written by the Duchess of Kent, and mother of Queen Victoria around 1836. The tune of ''The British Grenadiers'' was first adopted for use as a regimental march by the Honourable Artillery Company (the oldest British regiment), during the English Civil War. The melody was brought to England by King William III of the Netherlands and soon after became popular in the country and was known as the ''Royal Artillery Grenadiers March'' unofficially until 1882. It first appeared in print as 'The British Grenadiers' in 1740. The popularity of the tune 'The British Grenadiers' subsequently led to its adoption by all regiments who wear as their cap or collar badges, the symbol of the grenade. This included the Royal Artillery and as a result is now used by the RCA.

Notable members

The following are notable members of the RCA Band: *Captain

Kenneth Elloway Captain Kenneth Albert Elloway (17 January 1916 – 22 September 1980) was a British teacher, trombonist, double-bassist, cornetist, and conductor of many orchestras. External links Kenneth Ellowayat The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Cana ...

, British teacher, trombonist, and

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Music * Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra. * ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas * Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...

. *Klaus Østby, Norwegian-Canadian musician. *William T. Wornes, Commandant of the Canadian Forces School of Music. *Charles Villeneuve, Supervisor of Music of the Canadian Forces from 1980 to 1984. *

, Quebec

and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

*Captain Charles O'Neill, the director of the band of the newly formed Royal 22nd Regiment. *Pando Giuseppe *Frederick Edwin Leadston, trombonist who served with the RCA Band as well as the

Vimy Band The Band of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals was a regimental military band in Canada based out of Canadian Forces Base Kingston in Ontario. It is a voluntary band, which means that its band members are not composed of full-time professional m ...

and the Band of the Canadian Guards.https://www.murphyfuneralhome.ca/book-of-memories/167115/Frederick-Leadston/obituary.php?Printable=true * Captain Matthew Clark, director of the Royal Canadian Air Force Band since 2016.

References

Footnotes

* CWO (Ret'd) Jack Kopstein CD ' When the Band Begins to Play: A History of Military Music in Canada (1992). * CWO (Ret`d) Jack Kopstein CD & Ian Pearson `The Heritage of Military Music in Canada` (St. Catharines, Ont.: Vanwell Pub., 2002) * CWO (Ret`d) Jack Kopstein CD & Ian Pearson `The History of the Marches in Canada: Regimental/Branch/Corps` (Hignell Printing Ltd, 1994).

External links

*
The Royal Canadian Artillery Band rehearses
by the ''

Edmonton Journal The ''Edmonton Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network. History The ''Journal'' was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as ...

''
The Royal Canadian Artillery Band
at

rcaband
on YouTube {{Authority control Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Bands of the Canadian Army Musical groups established in 1899 1899 establishments in Quebec Musical groups from Edmonton