Richmond band plays on Remembrance Day for 45th year in a row (video)

Richmond Community Concert Band will play at the city’s Remembrance ceremony, as it has done for the past 45 years.

Bob Mullett, the band conductor since 1978, said all members, aged 35 to 90, have  practiced two hours every Monday night for the special day.

“After all these years, it’s still a pleasure to perform on Remembrance Day. It is one of the things we always do. I don’t need to convince them; they want to come and do it,” said Mullett.

“It’s not ’fun’ — it’s something we feel obligated to do. We know that the public that comes to the ceremony likes the fact that we are there, and they enjoy the ceremonial part of it.”

Mullett said they will perform the same traditional songs they have always played for Remembrance Day, including O Canada and God Save the Queen.

“It is a tradition, just a way to remember, so nobody forgets what happened,” he said.

“The crazy thing is that even though the war has been over since 1945, there have been wars going on somewhere else ever since. Wars never stopped.”

He hopes the music and the ceremony can help young people understand what happened 70 years ago.

“It’s not always easy to convey to young people why they are there (at the ceremony). Many don’t even know what they are trying to remember,” said Mullett.

”The only thing they know about is what they see in the movies. It’s not real. Even the relatives that would have been there have mostly passed away. No one really tells them. Either they read about it or they come to the ceremony.

“Hopefully, they get the idea that war is not a good thing.”