The Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces’ (Ottawa) Commanding Officer Major Dave Shaw, commissioned eight new arrangements of Victor’s music from the Pan Am and Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies for concert band. The CFB performed Welcome The Champions as they greeted “Soldier On Afghanistan Team” at Ottawa City Hall, May 8th; on Parliament Hill, National Day of Honour Parade May 9th, and will play The Spirit of Canada June 15th at the Canada Aviation & Space Museum.
Major Dave Shaw played the ceremonies music for the Pan Am Games in 1999, which Victor wrote. In his new role as Conductor of The Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces he remembered the success of this music and commissioned new arrangements for band for government ceremonial occasions. The Band is the ensemble which plays the majority of music for government events, and is unique in that it is not only a band but also includes a string quartet! Rarely heard as a complete unit, this outstanding ensemble supplies groups of every size for many occasions large and small, doing up to 500 events each year for ceremonies, marches, state dinners, concerts, and veteran’s events of every kind.
