Country Canada Type Military band Garrison/HQ CFB Edmonton | Branch Canadian Army Size 35-piece band | |
Part of 3rd Canadian Division Support Group | ||
The Royal Canadian Artillery Band (French: La Musique de l'Artillerie royale canadienne) is one of six Regular Force Army bands in the Canadian Armed Forces. Located at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, the RCA Band provides music designed to support Canadian Forces operations, foster morale and esprit de corps, and promote Canada and the Canadian military nationally and abroad. The band operates mainly in western Canada. 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.
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Role
The role of the Royal Canadian Artillery Band is to provide a comprehensive, professional musical service to 3 Canadian Division Support Group, 3rd Canadian Division, the Canadian Armed Forces and the Government of Canada.
Organization
The Band's Commanding Officer is the unit's principal conductor. The Commanding Officer is responsible for the creative direction of the Band and all facets of musical performance. The principal components of the Band are the brass, woodwind and percussion sections.
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 quartets to full unit rehearsals.