Greater Victoria Concert Band

The GVCB has over 100 musicians, all working together to enjoy playing. We have musicians in our band from all walks of life - students, music teachers, engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc. We play in 10-12 concerts a year throughout the Capital Region and beyond.

The band offers you a chance to play with other musicians in any of our four skill levels. The Senior Level Concert Band, Intermediate Level Concert Band and Junior Level Band all participate in public performances throughout the year. The Novice Band can teach you how to read music and to play the instrument of your choice.

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As the band no longer fit the "youth" criteria of the Victoria City Police Athletic Association, their sponsorship was withdrawn and the band thus became in 1978 as the Greater Victoria Concert Band.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 Band Conductor: Dr. Michael Keddy
Dr. Michael Keddy is Music Director of the University of Victoria Don Wright Symphonic Winds, Music Director of the Greater Victoria Concert Band (Senior level), Assistant Conductor of the University of Victoria Wind Symphony, and has been a guest conductor of the Civic Orchestra of Victoria. He currently teaches Music Education and Post-Degree Professional Program courses at the University of Victoria where he recently completed his PhD in Educational Studies (Music Education/Conducting) under the supervision of Dr. Gerald King. Prior to this, Dr. Keddy completed a Master's Degree (Wind Conducting) with Dr. Dale Lonis at the University of Manitoba, and was Head of Performing Arts at Parry Sound High School in Parry Sound, Ontario. Ensembles under his direction have consistently been praised for their exceptional musicality.

Dr. Keddy completed the Graduate Diploma in Conducting from the University of Calgary, conducted and performed in Europe as Associate Conductor (Concert Band) and Music Director (Jazz Band) of the Ontario Youth Concert Band, and has also held the responsibility of Music Director and Music Education Clinician for the Senior Band component at Camp Musical d'Asbestos in Asbestos, Quebec. He has adjudicated and provided numerous music education and percussion clinics at many festivals and venues throughout Canada.

As a percussionist, Dr. Keddy taught as a member of the faculty at the University of Manitoba and performed in a variety of venues, from solo performer at Buckingham Palace to Symphony Orchestras to World Champion Drum and Bugle Corps'.

Intermediate Band Conductor: 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 Band Conductor: Kelly Montgomery
Kelly Montgomery graduated with a B.Ed (expanded music) in 1992, but her association with community bands started at the age of twelve in Comox, BC. Since then, she has played a variety of instruments with community bands in Comox, Victoria, Falmouth, Massachusetts and Prince George. In Prince George, she was the summer conductor for the band and was given the opportunity to start and conduct an adult beginner band for 3 years. She has taught middle and high school band in Port Alberni, Edmonton, Prince George and is now teaching at Colquitz Middle School. Kelly's husband and two sons are all musical and have been involved with the GVCB over the past 5 years.

Novice Band Conductor: Yvonne Norris
Yvonne learned to play piano at a young age and picked up the flute in junior high in Edmonton. She continued to play in her school band, and then played sporadically over the years until she arrived in Victoria in the early 1990s. In 1994 Yvonne was presented with the wonderful opportunity to assist Sheri Robertson in her music room at Royal Oak Middle School and held this position until 2009. During that time, Yvonne also assisted at North Saanich Middle School for 6 years. These positions allowed her the opportunity to gain a good fundamental knowledge of playing wind and brass instruments, as well as basic repair skills. Yvonne also had the opportunity to conduct, teach theory, and work one-on-one with students. As such, she is able to provide beginner players with solid basic skills for their instrument.

Yvonne loves to impart her love of music to those around her who show an interest in picking up an old or new instrument. She enjoys challenging the Novice group members by teaching them basic music theory, how to read music, how to hold and play new instruments, and how to follow a director. Yvonne is thrilled to be helping people from so many different walks of life - she has taught people from ages 19 to 83! She continues to teach lessons privately (piano, guitar, saxophone) and looks forward to a continued relationship with new and old students at the GVCB.