The Maple Leaf Brass Band from 1994 to 2012
Our founding dates back to 1994. Our director, David Druce, arrived in Canada from Britain in 1992 and observed that while Ottawa had a number of community concert bands and orchestras it lacked a top-caliber brass band. David mentioned this to a local businessman who promptly offered to sponsor one, and a nucleus quickly came together. A group of original members were veterans of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Band that had been decommissioned in 1993. Others came from ensembles that they continued to play in such as the Governor General’s Foot Guards Band and the Centralaires. We continue to have local university music students join who are looking for a new musical experience.
In 2000, we became self-supporting. Since then we have made a strong effort to build our repertoire of Canadian works, especially with original pieces by composers and arrangers from Ottawa, and to bring their works to the people of Ottawa and the rest of the world.
We perform between twelve and eighteen times a year, often in benefit performances for charities that have raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years. Some past performances include:
- 6 consecutive years at The Festival of Brass organized and hosted by The Hannaford Street Silver Band of Toronto
- Yearly performances at the Last Night at the Proms concerts in numerous locations including Ottawa, Pembroke, Perth and Cornwall
- Outdoor performances at Santa Claus Parades and St Patrick’s Day Parades
- Numerous Christmas concerts at local churches
- Charity performances at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) Teddy Bear’s Picnic at the Governor General’s residence yearly
- Good-will performances at the Perley Rideau Veteran’s Hospital yearly
- Music Monday performances in support of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada
- Fort Wellington in Prescott for the opening of the new Visitor’s Center, 2012
- Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg
- Participation in the Music and Beyond Festival in Ottawa, 2012
- Canada Day at the Royal Mint (Ottawa), Bank of Canada (Ottawa) and the Cumberland Museum
We continue to grow as a band as we work to uphold our commitments to music education and the promotion and performance of high quality Canadian brass band music.
