The Port Elgin Community Band was formed in 1996 when a group of interested
adults, as an initiative of supporting the children of the Port Elgin-Saugeen Central School music program, convinced music teacher Cam Porter to conduct a band class on Thursday evenings at the school. The class was intended to teach beginning adult instrumentalists, as well as people with previous experience on a concert band instrument, how to perform in a concert band. The adults of the night class paid a fee that went directly into the school music program for purchases of instruments, sheet music and music supplies.

Nine years later, the beginning band of 1996 has evolved into a large concert band (with membership at times reaching 115 players) that regularly practices and performs music eight months of the year (September to April). The band rehearses at the local secondary school (SDSS) Thursday evenings (6:30 PM to 7:45 PM) and performs at least four times per band year at local concerts. The band members continue to pay a $100 annual fee to join the group and proceeds are accepted from concerts.

The Port Elgin Community Band is (and always has been) a non-profit
organization that has two initiatives:
1) to raise money through membership fees and concerts to be donated to local
music programs and
2) to provide an enriching musical experience for the community of Port Elgin
and surrounding area.

In both regards the band has been very successful as last band year alone the band raised over $7,000 for local music programs, played to a sold out theater twice at the local United Church and performed in two music festivals, receiving an invitation to the national level of competition from Musicfest, Canada.

The band enjoys the contributions of many talented members such as Ian
Burbidge, music teacher at SDSS, who has willingly lent his talents over the years to the band through performing and conducting. Other members and their contributions are listed on this Web page as are future concerts and fund raising activities.

Thank you for visiting the Port Elgin Community Band Web page and we hope to
see you at a Port Elgin Community Band concert in the near future.