Albert Furey

Furey, Albert

Albert (Cornelius "Con") Furey. Conductor, composer, arranger, trumpeter, b Dublin 7 Feb 1930, d Victoria 14 Nov 2007. Albert Furey studied in Dublin and, after service with the Irish army, joined the Radio Eireann Light Orchestra as trumpet player and staff arranger. He moved in 1956 to a similar position in Canada, with the Central Band of the RCAF, Ottawa. He graduated in 1965 from the Canadian Forces School of Music with a fellowship from the Canadian Band Association. In 1965 he became assistant music director of the North American Air Defense Band, Colorado Springs, which toured the USA and abroad. Promoted to captain in 1967 he was music director 1969-71 of the Training Command Band, Winnipeg; associate director 1971-5 of the Central Band of the Canadian Forces, Ottawa; and music director of the Naden Band, Victoria, BC 1975-81. In 1981 Furey became director of music cadet bands (Pacific) and was promoted to major in 1982. His duties were expanded in 1987 to include those of regional cadet music advisor. His compositions and arrangements exploited the broadened instrumentation of the modern concert band. He composed two marches for Canadian Forces units: Golden Hawks (1967) and Mercury March (1974).