Goderich Laketown Band Celebrates 50 Years

At 3:00 PM on April 30th, the Goderich Laketown Band presented their 50th Anniversary concert at the Lakeshore United Church in Goderich. Starting off the concert was the talented group Duo Percussion, who provided a very entertaining set featuring performances on everything from marimba's to tambourines. Their high energy and driving rhythms kept the audience spellbound throughout their performance.

Dave Robillard of Duo Percussion

Dave Robillard and Brennan Connolly hammering out the beat.

The set was followed up with a stellar performance by the Goderich Laketown Band under the direction of Hugh McGregor and Hugh's protege Katie Dockstader. Featured in the performance was a piece specially commissioned for the occasion by the Goderich Rotary Club called Snug Harbour. Snug Harbour was written by local composer Jeff Smallman who is a very accomplished artist that has had his compositions performed throughout Canada and the United States, Hungary, Holland, Lithuania, Poland, and China.

To help make the occasion special, past members were invited to join the band for the afternoon's performance and a wonderful dinner. In all, 22 past members were able to attend and join in our celebration.

Back row: Karen Dunn, Tom Quirk, Peter Baldwin, Annie Coulter, Louise Stewart McGill, Christina Lammerant, Ernie McMillan, Judy Stuart, Melissa Keith, Paula Butler,  Steve Smith, Neil Blackwell, Mary Ellen McGill, Tom McGill, and Bob McGill
Front Row: Brenda Stewart, Carol Stewart Anderson, Irla Stewart, Barb McKnight, and Dona Baker.
Jim McArthur and Chris Black were there, but missed the picture.

To this day, two of the original band members perform regularly with the band. Jim Peters was instrumental in getting the band together and Don McMillan was the band's first president. Jim Peters plays sax and Don, the trombone. Without their vision and dedication, the Goderich Laketown Band would not be the band it is today.

Don McMillan and Jim Peters with their tokens of appreciation for their contributions to the ongoing success of the Goderich Laketown Band.

Spring Sound of Goderich

If you missed our 50th Anniversary performance last Sunday, here's your chance to hear us perform Snug Harbour, a song commissioned specifically for our band by local composer Jeff Smallman. In addition to the band, there will be the McKay Choristers, the Harbouraires, and special guests, the Suncoast Brass Quartet. The concert will take place at 7:30 pm May 9th at the Christian Reform Church in Goderich .

Goderich Laketown Band 50th Anniversary Concert

It's always nice to hear from our listeners, specially when the reviews are great! Thank you Doug and Colleen for the wonderful letter and photographs.

Fifty years of Music!    (By Doug R. Bundy)
Last Sunday afternoon, we attended the Concert put on by the Goderich Laketown Band to celebrate their 50th year of providing music to the people of Goderich!
What a wonderful group of musicians, about 50 of them, ranging in age from the youngest, a teenager, to two of the original members, Don McMillan and Jim Peters.
The band was formed in 1967-Canada’s Centennial Year- and has had several leaders over the years, with Charles Kalbfleisch the first leader. Their current leader, Hugh McGregor, introduced two other former leaders, now playing in the band. They were Al Mullin (Trumpet) and Irla Stewart (French Horn) .
Several former members also travelled from afar to play along with their friends for this special occasion. They seem to fit in just right!
The Band played favorites like the Colonel Bogey March and the Royal Air Force March Past, as well as a Canadian Folk Song Overture and several others, showing the highly professional aptitude that all the players have, guided by their conductor, Hugh McGregor. Included was the premier Performance of “Snug Harbour” a stirring piece written by local composer, Jeff Smallman, who was present in the audience.
As a lead in to the Laketown Band music, a pair of percussionists, Brennan Connolly and Dave Robilliard thrilled the audience with their expertise on drums, tambourines, marimbas, and other percussion instruments.
The concert ended with the band playing the Howard Cable version of O’ Canada, which the audience sang along with, loudly and proudly, to end a wonderful afternoon of Music!  
Then, to top it all off, the band and their families and many of the sponsors were invited to attend a banquet, put on by Lakeshore United church.  At this gathering, the Band Assistant Conductor, Katie Dockstader presented plaques to honour the two men who were original members of the band when it was first formed.   Don McMillan and Jim Peters accepted the gifts and were loudly applauded by all!  
You can hear the Laketown Band, along with the MacKay choristers and the Harbouraires at the annual Sound of Goderich, on Tuesday, May 9th, at the Christian Reform Church on Mill road.  
Here we see the entire Band, At Lakeshore United Church:   (Photo by Colleen Maguire )

Hugh McGregor leading the band during the 50th Anniversary concert
(Photo by Colleen Maguire )

Don McMillan (L) and Jim Peters (R) accepting their awards of appreciation for their years of service. Don was our first president and Jim worked with Charles Kalbfleisch in getting the band going. Both are actively engaged in the Band, Don on trombone and Jim on Sax.
(Photo by Colleen Maguire )