Governor General's Foot Guards Band
{{Short description|Band of the Canadian Forces}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Governor General's Foot Guards Band
La Musique des Governor General's Foot Guards
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| image = File:The Governor General's Band of the Ceremonial Guard.jpg
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| dates = 15 June 1872-Present
| country = {{flag|Canada}}
| branch = {{army|Canada}} - Primary Reserve
| type = Military band
| role = Public Duties
| size = 35
| command_structure = Governor General's Foot Guards
| garrison = Ottawa
| garrison_label = Headquarters
| march = Quick: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_kGZt4pZeE Milanollo]
Slow: Figaro
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| motto = Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra (Our Care is King and Country)
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| equipment = GGFG Band
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| commander1_label = Commanding Officer and Director of Music
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| notable_commanders =Captain Stefan Sikorski{{Cite web|url=https://www.insideottawavalley.com/community-story/7193068-governor-general-s-foot-guards-band-returns-to-perth/|title = Governor General's Foot Guards Band returns to Perth| date=16 March 2017 }}
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The Governor General's Foot Guards Band (French: La Musique des Governor General's Foot Guards) is an authorized Canadian Forces 35-piece brass and reed band. It consists of serving members of the CAF who parade on a part-time basis. It serves as the regimental band of the Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) and is the most senior band of the Canadian Army Primary Reserve.
Overview
File:Remembrance Day 2017 in Ottawa Canada 07.jpg parade in Ottawa.]]
The band was formed soon after the establishment of the Governor General's Foot Guards in 1872.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZmlEDAAAQBAJ&q=Governor+General%27s+Foot+Guards+Band&pg=PT209|title = Musical Canada: Words and Music Honouring Helmut Kallmann|isbn = 9781442633469|last1 = Beckwith|first1 = John|last2 = Hall|first2 = Frederick A.|date = 15 December 1988| publisher=University of Toronto Press }} Many of its members at that time were from the Band of the Ottawa Brigade of Garrison Artillery. In 1888, the band attracted controversy when it refused to perform at multiple events unless they were given adequate pay.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1386821/governor_general_foot_guards_band_1888/|title = Governor General Foot Guards Band 1888|newspaper = The Ottawa Journal|date = 8 October 1888|page = 1}} In 1891, the band was part of the funeral procession for Sir John A. Macdonald, the 1st Prime Minister of Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZgMPAAAAYAAJ&q=Governor+General%27s+Foot+Guards+Band&pg=PA503|title = Canada's Patriot Statesman: The Life and Career of the Right Honourable Sir John A. Macdonald|last1 = Collins|first1 = Joseph Edmund|year = 1891}} The band made its first international debut in 1906 under its first director, John C. Bonner, when it travelled to New York City. During the visit, the band performed at the West Point Band, with the latter playing The Stars and Stripes Forever and the former playing God Save the King.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HYL3CgAAQBAJ&q=Governor+General%27s+Foot+Guards+Band&pg=PA90|title=Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945|isbn=9780815652939|last1=Andrew Ross|first1=J.|date=21 May 2015|publisher=Syracuse University Press }}
Joseph T. Brown led the band at the opening of Madison Square Gardens in New York in 1925 and at the opening of the Peace Bridge between Buffalo and Fort Erie in 1937. The band made several appearances during the visit of George VI in 1939, including the Trooping of the Colour in front of Centre Block. After World War II the band's summer concerts were broadcast on local radio, and it participated in many massed band displays and tattoos on Parliament Hill. Its first major activity following the war was the coronation day ceremonies in front of Centre Block that included the Trooping of the Colour by the GGFG in front of Governor-General Vincent Massey.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H9pYAAAAMAAJ&q=Governor+General%27s+Foot+Guards+Band|title=Canadian Geographical Journal|last1=Burpee|first1=Lawrence Johnstone|year=1953}} Under Milne, the increased its role in the new Canadian Armed Forces, traveling to Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Toronto among other cities. It also regularly performs at state functions in Ottawa, particularly at Rideau Hall, the official residence of both the Canadian monarch and his or her representative. The band has recently taken part in military tattoos, including the RCMP Sunset Ceremony{{cite web |url=https://www.todocanada.ca/city/ottawa/event/rcmps-canadian-sunset-ceremonies/ |title=RCMP's Canadian Sunset Ceremonies |website=todoCanada.ca|accessdate=December 6, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://rcmphc.com/en/sunset-retreat-ceremonies-2|title = RCMP Heritage Centre | Sunset Retreat Ceremonies}} and the Fortissimo Sunset Ceremony. The band has produced two recordings: On Parliament Hill (1972, Kanata KAN-8) and Changing the Guard (1982, GGFG FG-1002).[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-governor-generals-foot-guards-band-emc The Governor General's Foot Guards Band] at Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, accessed September 1, 2019[https://ingeniumcanada.org/aviation/whats-on/governor-general-foot-guards-band.php Ingenium Canada] In 2015, the GGFG pipes and drums represented the Canadian Forces at the Bermuda Tattoo for the second time since 2009 to mark the 50th
anniversary of the Bermuda Regiment.http://footguards.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2015-September.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj0qeforP3mAhUBeawKHRneDow4HhAWMAh6BAgGEAE&usg=AOvVaw3ufn4NU6aHpnpqHDmSZ0FK {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
Directors
- John C. Bonner (1872–1874)
- James Carter (1874–1877)(1888–1895)
- Arthur A. Clappé (1877–1884){{Cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/arthur-a-clappe-emc|title=Arthur A. Clappé | the Canadian Encyclopedia}}
- Captain Joseph Miller Brown (1900–1923){{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1101867/captain_joseph_miller_brown_obituary/|title = Captain Joseph Miller Brown, Obituary|newspaper = The Ottawa Journal|date = 8 October 1923|page = 13}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l_hGarjpO9QC&q=captain+Joseph+Miller+Brown&pg=PA86|title = That Moaning Saxophone : The Six Brown Brothers and the Dawning of a Musical Craze: The Six Brown Brothers and the Dawning of a Musical Craze|isbn = 978-0-19-534732-6|last1 = Vermazen|first1 = Bruce|date = 5 March 2004| publisher=Oxford University Press, USA }}
- Joseph T. Brown
- Major F. W. Coleman
- Captain Alex McCurrdie
- RCMP Superintendent Edwin Joseph Lydall (1968–1970)http://canadianobits.com/ontario/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/427
- Captain George Aubrey (1970–1977)http://footguards.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2012_june_guards_star.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjJ19if6dnmAhWCU80KHT24BjUQFjABegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0DOhjiaaE9hc9oEuC5DGxy {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
- Major James Ralph Milne (1979)
- Captain Terry Porter (unknown - 2005)
- Lieutenant Colonel Frances Chilton-Mackay (2005–2016) (first female director){{Cite web|url=http://www.lookoutnewspaper.com/governor-generals-foot-guards-bands-first-female-director-music-retires/|title = GGFG Band's first female Director of Music retires|date = 29 July 2016}}
- Captain Stefan Sikorski (2016 - 2023)
- Captain Samantha Parent (2023 - 2025)
- Master Warrant Officer Rob McKinnon (2025 - present)
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cAlO_hKT_NY "Milanollo" played at St. Paul's United Church, Perth, Ontario. March 25th, 2018]
- [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ6bsi4VIbE The band at the Ottawa City Hall during the Winterlude celebrations]
- [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aNSRksw0L7E The band with the band of the Royal Regiment of Canada at the Toronto Exhibition Stadium in 1984]
- [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftjjlo6Q83c God Save the Queen] and [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z9eqUpBwEjA O Canada] performed by the GGFG Regimental Band in November 2009
{{Authority control}}
Category:Governor General's Foot Guards
Category:Bands of the Canadian Army