Music Branch (Canadian Forces)

The Music Branch is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).[2] It is primarily composed of band musicians, and also deals with the selection and musical training of its recruits. The branch encompasses all the military bands in service in the Canadian Armed Forces. It is roughly the equivalent to the British Army's Royal Corps of Army Music (CAMUS).[3]

Music Branch
Branche de la musique
Badge of the Music Branch [1]
Active1968–Present
Country Canada
Branch Canadian Forces
TypeCF Personnel Branch
Part ofDirectorate of History and Heritage
HeadquartersNational Defence Headquarters, Ottawa
MarchNone authorized.
Website"Canadian Forces Music". 11 January 2018.
Commanders
Supervisor of MusicCommander Patrice Arsenault
Music Branch CWOChief Warrant Officer Heidi Twellmann
Notable
commanders		Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Murray
Major Patrick Picard

The musicians play in brass/reed and pipes & drums bands. Canadian military bands consist of:

  • 6 full-time regular force bands
  • 53 part-time reserve force bands
  • 15 voluntary bands [2]

The members of these bands come from all over the CF, coming from units in the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Royal Canadian Navy. The branch controls all RCN and RCAF bands through the Naval Operations Branch and the Air Operations Branch respectively.[4] The music branch as a whole is responsible for fostering morale in the CF and providing musical support for all aspects of military life and for official military ceremonies, including guards of honour for dignitaries. [2]

Directorate of History and Heritage

The Directorate of History and Heritage is a sub-department of the Department of National Defence that is responsible to the Chief of Military Personnel (CMP) for providing personnel and technical advice regarding the Music Branch.[2] It was founded on 1 September 1996 by merging the Canadian Forces Music Centre and the Directorate of Military Traditions and Heritage.[5] On 1 April of the following year, the Music Centre was made part of the Directorate. The directorate has 7 sections, with the musical section making up DHH 7.[6]

Its specific roles include:

  • Developing and managing Music Branch policy
  • Evaluating musician qualification level
  • Provide advice and guidance on human resources including recommending the relocation of personnel and the recruitment for the Music Branch
  • Recommending the authorization of official music, marches and calls

The DHH Music Staff is the official leadership of the DHH and the Music Branch that formulates Music Branch policy and carries out its roles. The order of precedence is as follows:

  • Supervisor of Music
  • Music Branch Chief Warrant Officer
  • Music Branch Chief of Staff
  • CF Music Branch Standards Advisor
  • Pipes and Drums Advisor and Standards Master Warrant Officer
  • Brass and Reed Standards Master Warrant Officer
  • Music Branch Auditions Coordinator

Military Tattoos

The Music Branch handles all CF Military Tattoos around the country, including the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, the Fortissimo Sunset Ceremony and the Canadian International Military Tattoo. The first tattoo to be managed by the branch was the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo in 1967, which was the world's largest travelling show.

Traditions

March

The Music Branch has no authorized marches as it is responsible for providing music to the Canadian Forces.[7]

Music Division
The Regimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders is one of many voluntary pipe and drum bands administered by the Music Branch of the CF.

The Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre Music Division is the training institution of the Music Branch that offers a curriculum of instruction to potential musicians in the CF.[8] Part of the Royal Canadian Logistics Service, it is the de facto successor to the Canadian Forces School of Music. It is located in Building E-51 at CFB Borden. It consists of a concert hall, 47 practice studios, 10 teaching studios, a library, and four classrooms.[9]

Supervisors of Music
  • Clifford Hunt (1964-1968)
  • Charles Villeneuve (1980-1984)
  • Commander George Morrison (1984-1990)[10]
  • Lieutenant Colonel Gaétan Bouchard
  • Lieutenant Colonel W. Scott Attridge
  • Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gaudreau (2019–?)
  • Commander Patrice Arsenault (?–Present)

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military bands of Canada.

References
  1. "Registration of the Canadian Forces Music Branch badge". Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada. Official website of the Governor General. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. "Canadian Forces Music Branch". Official website of the Canadian Forces Music Branch. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. "Royal Corps of Army Music". Official website of the British Army, the Royal Corps of Army Music webpage. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  4. "Dress instructions: Section 2 Bands and music branch members". Official Canadian Armed Forces Dress instructions manual webpage. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  5. Grey, Jeffrey (2003). The Last Word?: Essays on Official History in the United States and British Commonwealth. ISBN 9780313310836. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  6. "History and structure". Official Directorate of History and Heritage webpage. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  7. "Official marches of the Canadian Forces". Official website of the Canadian Forces Music Branch. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  8. "CFLTC Music Division summer concerts / Concerts d'été de la Division Musique du CILFC |". Borden Citizen online news for military personnel. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  9. "Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre". Canadian Forces webpage. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  10. "Biography for Conductor George Morrison Commander Retired". Chester Brass Band webpage. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  11. "The Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces: Chapter 1 – Precedence > Personnel branches". 12 October 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
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