The Chief and Petty Officers’ Association Band

The Chief and Petty Officers’ Association Band (CPO Band) is a 25-member community concert band associated with the Chief and Petty Officers’ Association in Victoria, British Columbia.

The band was first established as an ‘alumni’ band for retired Canadian Forces Band system members in the fall of 1987 under the auspices of Branch 91 (Prince Edward Branch) of the Royal Canadian Legion in Langford. The following year, the band moved to Esquimalt and aligned itself with the Chief and Petty Officers’ Association. The newly formed CPO Band held its first concert called ‘Salute to Seniors’ on April 13, 1988, in what is now the Archie Browning Centre.

After 30+ years, the CPO Band continues to provide high-quality, entertaining concerts, including the annual Wounded Warriors Fundraiser, scheduled for April 14, 2024, at the Peace Lutheran Church in Sidney. In addition to concerts, the band supports the military community in Esquimalt (including Remembrance Day and Canadian Peacekeepers Day Parades) and events such as the opening of the Greater Victoria Yacht Club.

The band currently has a core group of retired military musicians and welcomes serving military members, base personnel or family members who want to continue to use their musical skills. If you are interested in joining or trying out the band, please get in touch with cpoband@gmail.com or contact us via the website chiefsband.weebly.com/contact.html

The 2023/24 season resumes Sunday, Sept. 10, at 1900 in the Naden Band Room (N33) with an ‘open to the music community’ reading session on Sunday, Sept. 17.