History
The Greater Victoria Concert Band was originally formed in 1964. Sponsored by
the Victoria City Police Athletic Association, the band was called the
Victoria City Police Boys' Band. The band members were provided with new police
style uniforms to play in concerts and march in parades.
The first transformation of the band came in the late 1960's. After a few years,
the band experienced some recruiting limitations and it was decided that girls
should be allowed to join. The band then became known as the Victoria City
Police Youth Band.
Over the next decade and following a significant turnover in membership, a
decision was made to permit adults to join thus changing the name yet again to
the Greater Victoria Police Community Band. As the band no longer fit the
"youth" criteria of the Victoria City Police Athletic Association, their
sponsorship was withdrawn and the band thus became in 1978 as the Greater
Victoria Concert Band.
Senior Conductor: Rick Underwood
Rick Underwood has been the conductor of the Senior Concert Band since 1999.
Previously he was assistant conductor and had played trombone in the band for
seventeen years. This band represents for Rick, the ‘raison d’etre’ for the
public school music programs: the continuation of music performance as a
life-long pursuit.
He taught general music, band, choir and strings in the Greater Victoria
School District for thirty-three years and was Music Director for dozens
of musical productions in a number of schools. Before his retirement, Rick
was the Career Preparation Program Classical and Contemporary Music facilitator.
In addition to the GVCB, Rick’s community involvement has included work with
the Victoria Theatre Guild, where he is a Life Member; music director of nine
musicals for the Victoria Operatic Society; and was an executive and board
member of the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival Association. Like the
many students he has taught and who have continued to make music a part of their
lives, Rick is now rediscovering music as a part of his life after ‘graduation’.
Intermediate Band: David Suomi Marttinen
David is a musician, conductor and educator. As a musician, he studied the
guitar, clarinet and piano. He has performed in many community theatre
orchestras and wind ensembles. During his time earning a Bachelor of Music
degree from Western Washington University, he studied conducting and went
on to develop his skills from the Calgary University Diploma Conducting program.
David's achievements in Calgary led him to conducting scholarships from the New
England Conservatory of Music where he earned his Master of Music degree and
an opportunity to be a finalist at the Canada Council for the Arts in Conducting.
As a conductor and educator, David has instructed instrumental music programs
in public and private high schools as well as community bands and orchestras
in both Canada and the United States. He has served in the Canadian Naval
Reserves, Lieutenant (N), as Director of Music for HMCS Discovery and Associate
Director of Music for the National Band of the Naval Reserves.
David is presently the Associate Director of Bands at Glenlyon-Norfolk
Middle-High School.
Junior Conductor: Byron Bush
Byron's music education began at grade 6 as a clarinet player under the
direction of Rick Underwood, who would later be his music teacher at Esquimalt
High school, and is current conductor of the Senior band. At Esquimalt, Byron
continued his music education on trombone, working in both the Classical and
Jazz programs.
Byron would continue his musical studies at the University of Victoria in the
Music Education program. As a trombone player he would study with Brad Howland,
Eugene Dowling, Ian Mcdougall and Hugh Fraser. There Byron also studied
conducting with Dr. Gerry King and Yariv Aloni.
Upon graduating university, Byron would spend a year teaching music in both the
private and public system in Powell River. There Byron also had the opportunity
to sing in a choir and tour with Order of Canada recipient Don James.
In 2007, Byron returned to Victoria and in October began as the Conductor for
the Junior Band. During the 2007-08 school year Byron worked as the music
director for Saltspring Island Middle School, as well as a music specialist
in the Victoria school district.
Byron feels that the Greater Victoria Concert Band creates a unique opportunity
for adults who would have missed out on the amazing music experience in school,
to 'get back on board' and give it a try.
Byron is currently a teacher in Victoria, working primarily as a String Teacher.
Share Your Story!
Since the GVCB started, we have had hundreds (if not thousands) of members.
If you have a story about the GVCB you want to share, please tell it to us.
History
The Greater Victoria Concert Band was originally formed in 1964. Sponsored by the Victoria City Police Athletic Association, the band was called the Victoria City Police Boys' Band. The band members were provided with new police style uniforms to play in concerts and march in parades.
The first transformation of the band came in the late 1960's. After a few years, the band experienced some recruiting limitations and it was decided that girls should be allowed to join. The band then became known as the Victoria City Police Youth Band.
Over the next decade and following a significant turnover in membership, a decision was made to permit adults to join thus changing the name yet again to the Greater Victoria Police Community Band. As the band no longer fit the "youth" criteria of the Victoria City Police Athletic Association, their sponsorship was withdrawn and the band thus became in 1978 as the Greater Victoria Concert Band.
Senior Conductor: Rick Underwood
Rick Underwood has been the conductor of the Senior Concert Band since 1999. Previously he was assistant conductor and had played trombone in the band for seventeen years. This band represents for Rick, the ‘raison d’etre’ for the public school music programs: the continuation of music performance as a life-long pursuit.
He taught general music, band, choir and strings in the Greater Victoria School District for thirty-three years and was Music Director for dozens of musical productions in a number of schools. Before his retirement, Rick was the Career Preparation Program Classical and Contemporary Music facilitator.
In addition to the GVCB, Rick’s community involvement has included work with the Victoria Theatre Guild, where he is a Life Member; music director of nine musicals for the Victoria Operatic Society; and was an executive and board member of the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival Association. Like the many students he has taught and who have continued to make music a part of their lives, Rick is now rediscovering music as a part of his life after ‘graduation’.
Intermediate Band: David Suomi Marttinen
David is a musician, conductor and educator. As a musician, he studied the guitar, clarinet and piano. He has performed in many community theatre orchestras and wind ensembles. During his time earning a Bachelor of Music degree from Western Washington University, he studied conducting and went on to develop his skills from the Calgary University Diploma Conducting program. David's achievements in Calgary led him to conducting scholarships from the New England Conservatory of Music where he earned his Master of Music degree and an opportunity to be a finalist at the Canada Council for the Arts in Conducting. As a conductor and educator, David has instructed instrumental music programs in public and private high schools as well as community bands and orchestras in both Canada and the United States. He has served in the Canadian Naval Reserves, Lieutenant (N), as Director of Music for HMCS Discovery and Associate Director of Music for the National Band of the Naval Reserves.
David is presently the Associate Director of Bands at Glenlyon-Norfolk Middle-High School.
Junior Conductor: Byron Bush
Byron's music education began at grade 6 as a clarinet player under the direction of Rick Underwood, who would later be his music teacher at Esquimalt High school, and is current conductor of the Senior band. At Esquimalt, Byron continued his music education on trombone, working in both the Classical and Jazz programs.
Byron would continue his musical studies at the University of Victoria in the Music Education program. As a trombone player he would study with Brad Howland, Eugene Dowling, Ian Mcdougall and Hugh Fraser. There Byron also studied conducting with Dr. Gerry King and Yariv Aloni.
Upon graduating university, Byron would spend a year teaching music in both the private and public system in Powell River. There Byron also had the opportunity to sing in a choir and tour with Order of Canada recipient Don James. In 2007, Byron returned to Victoria and in October began as the Conductor for the Junior Band. During the 2007-08 school year Byron worked as the music director for Saltspring Island Middle School, as well as a music specialist in the Victoria school district.
Byron feels that the Greater Victoria Concert Band creates a unique opportunity for adults who would have missed out on the amazing music experience in school, to 'get back on board' and give it a try.
Byron is currently a teacher in Victoria, working primarily as a String Teacher.