Join us for a wonderfully evocative afternoon when the Band of the 15th Field Regiment and the Vancouver Welsh Men’s choir will present music and songs as part of their annual Remembrance Day concert. Always an emotional yet joyful experience as the choir and band present their own performances as well as combining on a number of pieces including a rousing World War 1 Medley. This concert is a great way to share your Remembrance Day with the members of the 15th Field Regiment and Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir who are dedicated to providing an appropriately joyous but emotional concert to mark the day. This combination concert has become a firm favorite in both the band and choir calendar and is always well supported. Don’t leave it too late to get your tickets.
The Fifteenth Field Regiment began in February 1920 after a decision by the Canadian Artillery to formally establish a militia unit in Vancouver. Originally called the Fifteenth Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, the unit consisted of several horse drawn cannons manned by a group of battle hardened veterans of the First World War. Although there is no official record of a band in the early years of the unit, other sources indicate military bands performed throughout British Columbia as early as the 1860s. At the beginning of the twentieth century and throughout World War One, there was a community of musicians who supported other Vancouver area militia units and there is no doubt that bands were a regular part of regimental life during the early years of the Fifteenth Field Regiment, too. The Royal Canadian Artillery has a long history of employing musicians and was the first regiment to establish a full-time band in 1879. By the time the Fifteenth Field Regiment moved from Stanley Park into the Bessborough Armoury, a purpose built facility in what was then the outskirts of the city in the Kitsilano neighbourhood in 1934, a band was part of the establishment. Over the years, the Band of the Fifteenth Field Regiment has served its unit at virtually every military and social function that required music. The band is an integral part of the Regiment’s identity and has contributed to its community footprint within Vancouver and across British Columbia. In the early years, many of the musicians were active bombardiers who participated in regimental exercises with their own gun battery. Band members have served as Regimental Sergeants Major and one year, the band gun battery even won the annual shooting competition! Since 1994, the Band of the Fifteenth Field Regiment has been the only militia band on the mainland of British Columbia and, as such, its duties have expanded greatly to involve the provision of musical support to all militia units in the province. It is not unusual to see the band on parade in the Kelowna, in Prince George or as far east as Trail in support of other units. In its capacity as the “Brigade Band”, the group serves as musical ambassadors for the Canadian Armed Forces performing concerts, marching in parades and entertaining the public at community celebrations everywhere in British Columbia and as far away as Québec City, California, Holland and Hong Kong.
To honour the brave men and women who have served our country we are offering a discounted rate to veterans at $28 plus service charges.
