The Newmarket Citizens' Band is a concert band based in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's oldest continuously operating community concert band, and one of the country's oldest marching bands. It is a member of the Canadian Band Association, Ontario chapter. Its most recent conductor was Les Saville, who succeeded Bob Thiel in 1990 and retired in 2021.
It was the subject of the 1973 short film Goodbye Sousa produced by Tony Ianzelo, who was raised in the town and attended Newmarket High School. The film won the Canadian Film Award for Theatrical Short. The title is inspired from the music performed by the band, which includes the marches of John Philip Sousa.
History
The band was established in 1872 by Walter W. Roe, sixteen years old at the time and son of the town's postmaster and fur trader William Roe. He "circulated a petition appealing for funds" with eleven other youth, including his brothers Albert and Frederick, and friends George Dolan, Thomas Gain, George Hackett, James Harrison, John Hughes, William Hutchcroft, Frederick Raper, Robert Rest, and Frederick Saxton.
Each of the twelve founding members of the band had contributed $5, and the appeal drew subscriptions from 69 other residents, primarily the elderly. In total, they raised $319. Some of the prominent sponsors included John Cawthra and Robert Simpson. The petition was one of the first items added to the town's historical society archive.
On 31 May 1875, Walter and Frederick Roe drowned during a fishing trip on Cook's Bay in Lake Simcoe. The band played at their funeral, which was attended by many residents of the town, and band members wrote a "poem of lamentation" which was published in The Era.
The band wears "scarlet tunics little-changed from those worn" by its early members. The band operated from the Lion's Hall, but a fire to the building in 2005 resulted in the band moving from venue to venue until it establishes a new permanent location for its operation. It currently conducts rehearsals at Ray Twinney Complex. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the band first met virtually, and later some members met at a parking garage in Aurora.
The band's operation is funded by subscriptions from its members and a grant from the town of Newmarket.
Conductors The band has had numerous conductors in its history.
Les Saville, 1990–2021 Bob Thiel, 1982–1990 William C. Greig, 1962–1982 Stan Clark, 1960–1962 Ray Stevens, 1958–1960 William C. Greig, 1948–1957 Robert Moore, 1946–1948 William C. Greig, 1943–1945 Robert Moore, 1936–1943 Eddie Woods, 1930–1936 Orville Ganton, 1926–1930 Paul Arlitt, 1924–1926 H. Hawthorn, 1907–1908 Mr. Robinson, 1906 Arthur Oliver, 1900 Tom McDonald, 1895–1925 James Napier, late 1880s–1924 Edward Coates, 1887 Tom McDonald, 1885–1886 Jack Querrie Bert Ratcliffe Allie Townley Mr. Hilborne, 1884 Amos Hughes, 1883 Edward Hunt Albert Chantler, 1877 Col Slatter Jack. D. Graham, 1872 Mr. Bishop, 1850
Notes
References
External links Newmarket Citizens' Band Website Newmarket Citizens' Band at Rogers TV video