Navy bands share stage for double-bill “Atlantic Bonds” concert 

Navy bands share stage for double-bill “Atlantic Bonds” concert

By Ryan Melanson,
Trident Staff 

A joint concert in Halifax brought together the Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy Band on June 25, marking the first time the Norwegian ensemble has performed in the city. Held at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium and titled Atlantic Bonds: A Tribute in Harmony, the event highlighted both countries’ naval traditions through music, while also acknowledging a longstanding historical connection. 

Nova Scotian ties to Norway date back to the Second World War; the concert program reflected this shared past, with selections honouring wartime service, national composers, and cultural touchstones from both countries. 

“As part of the Norwegian Band’s outreach while travelling abroad, they wanted to bring a showcase of their culture to Canada, and we’re thrilled to have them join us,” said Master Sailor (MS) Tony Taylor of the Stadacona Band, a tuba player who frequently doubles as a concert emcee or master of ceremonies for events. 

The bands gave separate performances, with the Canadians kicking off the evening before a brief intermission while the Norwegians took to the stage. 

The setlist from the Stadacona Band included a performance of Canadian folk legend Stan Rogers’ White Squall, with an arrangement by the band’s Sailor 1st Class (S1) Nathaniel Jenkins and lead vocals from Petty Officer 1st Class Brad Davidge. Other highlights included rousing trumpet and trombone solos from S1 Cameron Milligan and S1 Jenkins, respectively, during a performance of Joseph Turrin’s Fandango, as well as select pieces from Norwegian composers, including Johan Halvorsen’s Entry March of the Boyars (Bojarenes Indtogsmarsch). 

Younger concert goers may have recognized tunes during a medley of songs from Disney’s How to Train Your Dragon, chosen partly due to the Nordic focus of the series. 

“Our half of the concert was a nod to the Norwegians, while also bringing in our own Canadian traditions. For the Norwegian Band, their set was very steeped in Norwegian music and some of their major composers,” MS Taylor said. 

Pieces from the Norwegians’ performance included a War Sailors’ Requiem (From Krigsseilerrekviem), commissioned in 2020 for the bands 200th anniversary, and The War Cross (From Krigskorset), another newly written piece meant to honour those who have received Norway’s highest ranking combat decoration. The set also included classics from Norwegian, French and Spanish composers. 

The two bands not only shared the stage at the Rebecca Cohn, but were also both part of this year’s lineup for the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, which kicked off just two days later. Joining the Stadacona Band and the Royal Norwegian Navy Band on the Tattoo floor were fellow military groups from the United Kingdom, Germany, and The Netherlands. Further Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) representation at the Tattoo included the Canadian Army’s Band of the Ceremonial Guard, the 5th Canadian Division Composite Band, and the 12 Wing Shearwater Pipes and Drums.

For the Royal Norwegian Navy Band, the trip to Nova Scotia also included a historically significant day spent in Lunenburg. Along with a performance, the band visited the site of Camp Norway, a training facility for Norwegians established during the Second World War, along with Hillcrest Cemetery, where several Norwegians were buried during the war years.