The Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy is a Canadian military band in the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack subma ...

based in Halifax. It serves as official military band of the Maritime Forces Atlantic Command (MARLANT). It is one of six regular force military bands in the

Canadian 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. ...

. It provides musical accompaniment for ceremonial requirements of the East Coast Navy. The Stadacona Band usually performs at the Halifax dockyard to take part in the welcoming naval vessels. For over 75 years, the band's performances have been seen members of the Royal Family, the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm ...

, the

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as su ...

, foreign heads of state, and Canadian naval officials. The band has provided music for all graduation activities in the area.

History

In the summer of 1942 the original Stadacona band was divided into three parts, with one section going to HMCS St. Hyacinthe, another to HMCS Cornwallis and the remainder to HMCS Avalon. In October of that year another

military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the ti ...

was formed for the ship. In 1943, part of the Stadacona band went to serve as aboard

HMCS Protector Royal Canadian Navy base HMCS ''Protector'', also known as the Point Edward Naval Base, was located next to Sydney, Nova Scotia, Sydney Harbour, on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. It was founded in 1940 and used by the navy during the World ...

Sydney, Nova Scotia Sydney is a former city and urban community on the east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Sydney was founded in 1785 by the British, was incorporated as a city in 1904, and dissol ...

. In 1967, the band was one of three naval bands represented in the 1967 Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo. The Stadacona band absorbed the

Royal Canadian Artillery , colors = The guns of the RCA themselves , colors_label = Colours , march = * Slow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March" * Quick march (dismounted parades): "British Grenadiers/ The ...

Band (Coastal) and members of the HMCS Cornwallis Band following the 1968

Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces The unification of the Canadian Armed Forces took place on 1 February 1968, when the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged to form the Canadian Armed Forces. History A white paper was tabled in the Parliam ...

. In September 2017, a member of the band composed what is now the service march of the

Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues ...

Directors of Music

*Jim Forde (October 1987-July 1994) *Peter van der Horden (July 1994-May 2001) *Raymond Murray (January 2006-) *Patrice Arsenault (August 2016-August 2018) *Brad Ritson (August 2018 – Present)

Ensembles

* Ceremonial Band * Concert Band * Big Band * Jazz/Dixie combos * Brass ensemble * Woodwind ensemble A four-piece combo from the Stadacona Band toured

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

, and

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

in 1981.

Links

Official Website"Heart of Oak" (MP3)
performed by the Stadacona Band

References

Bands of the Royal Canadian Navy Musical groups established in 1940 1940 establishments in Canada {{Canada-band-stub