Archana Cini
Journal Lookout

  • For 85 years, the Naden Band has uplifted spirits at home and internationally through concerts, parades, tours, and more. 
  • Explore insights from Naden Band members on service, musicianship, and the legacy of the band 

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Music has long been a cornerstone of morale in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), offering comfort, inspiration, and a sense of shared purpose. At Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt, this role sits in the hands of 35 professional full-time musicians — the Naden Band.

This year, the Naden Band celebrates an incredible 85 years of service to the nation.

For Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1) Steve Donagan, Operations Manager and Trumpet player, the band’s impact runs deep.

“Music has a way of cutting through the noise and reminding us of what connects us,” said PO1 Donagan. “Every note is a potential reminder that even in the face of all the hardship in today’s world, there can still be hope, pride, and harmony. The Naden Band may not be able to change the world, but it can impact how our audiences move through it.” Through free community concerts, musical collaborations with educational institutions, ceremonial event support, and more, the Naden Band has done just that.

“Locally, it’s about community concerts, parades, and ceremonies. Internationally, music crosses language barriers, creating goodwill that words alone can’t,” said PO1 Donagan. “Nationally, bands and the music they play are an outward manifestation of our shared traditions and history — it’s a reminder of who we are and what we stand for, both as members of the RCN and as Canadians. In every setting, it’s about using music to bring people closer together.”

Today, these connections reach beyond Canada as international musicians join the Naden Band seasonally, like Petty Officer Musician (POMUS) Fraser Robertson from the Royal New Zealand Navy Band. Naden Band members Master Sailor (MS) Leslie Perrin and Sailor 1st Class (S1) Andrew George are also currently deployed and performing music in Palauas part of Pacific Partnership 2025, a multi-national humanitarian mission.

To Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Cindy Hawchuk, Production Supervisor/Vocals, the band’s community impact is one such way it continues to bridge the gap between the military and the public.

“The Naden Band is so entrenched in Vancouver Island life,” she said. “Last year, we worked in partnership with a Toy Drive for a holiday show in December. It was my privilege to come up with a plan for the show, including selecting tunes. I really wanted to make a distinction between a concert, which is what the Naden Band usually performs, and a show, which is much more dynamic, and has continuous flow from beginning to end.”

The show was met with overwhelmingly positive responses from the community. Notably, the band has performed in over 40 Salvation Army holiday shows to date.

“I feel blessed that we were able to capture our audience’s hearts,” shared PO2 Hawchuk. “It’s genuinely amazing that the Naden Band is still doing the job that it started 85 years ago.”

As dynamic as the Naden Band has become over the decades, tradition still anchors its presence. Each year, the band hosts a Heritage Day, inviting alumni back to perform alongside current members. Here, food is shared, stories told, old photos and artifacts shared—memories remembered, memories made. This perhaps speaks to one of the band’s favourite sayings: ‘Once in the Naden Band, always in the Naden Band.’

As the Naden Band of the RCN celebrates 85 years of service, its legacy is clear: it is more than a group of musicians in uniform. It is also a family; a cultural ambassador; a community anchor; source of Canadian pride; and a vessel for hope.