Archana Cini
Lookout Newspaper

When fantasy meets the Fleet, the unforgettable happens.

On Apr. 4, the Farquhar Auditorium at the University of Victoria (UVic) swelled with music during the much-anticipated Fantasy, Myths, & Legends concert – a professional collaboration between the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the UVic Wind Symphony. An engaging program featuring music from Moby Dick and Mordor to works inspired by Peter Pan and Firebird, locals agreed on the significance of experiencing military and student musicians performing side-by-side with camaraderie. To many, the evening was a moment of music, connection and mentorship – a testament to the powerful role our military musicians play in shaping future professionals.

“The joint concert between the Naden Band and UVic’s Wind Symphony has long been a way to perform outstanding repertoire, provide guidance and mentorship to university students, and showcase a side of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that isn’t often seen,” said Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)) Benjamin Van Slyke, Naden Band’s Commanding Officer and one of the night’s
conductors. When asked what it meant to play with talented university-level musicians, Lt(N) Van Slyke shared, “students get a chance to ‘level up’ their playing. They’re already at the university level and developing into wonderful players, but there’s nothing like the adrenaline surge of playing next to working professionals at the highest level.”

The Naden Band performs across Canada and internationally in support of military and community events and has developed a strong reputation for collaborative outreach over the years. When it comes to supporting young musicians, the band prefers to tap into the power of shared performance and scholarships. In this case, proceeds from the evening funded the official Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific Scholarship in Music Performance, awarded annually to UVic music students demonstrating excellence in brass, woodwind, and percussion.

Collaborating with young musicians was also an opportunity to make a huge impact, according to Chief Petty Officer Second Class (CPO2) Brayden Wise, Unit Chief and Naden Band member. “We get to show what’s possible in the professional realm of being a musician,” he said. “It helps frame music as a viable job opportunity, not just something you do in school. Many of us in the Naden Band were drawn to the CAF because of interactions we had with military bands in our youth like this.”