MANITOBA COMMUNITY BANDS
Community bands have been a part of Manitoba's heritage for more than a century. The MBA supports community bands with recruitment and assists in organizing and publicizing community band events. The MBA sponsors two community band festivals - an annual event in June at The Forks and an April festival in Pinawa every odd year. A Community Band Workshop is offered in March in Roland.
The 2019 workshop included musicians from Winnipeg, Holland, Morden, Selkirk, Virginia (MN), Thompson, St. Alphonse, Manitou, Altamont, Winkler, Rosebank, Miami, & Roland. 58 musicians from across Manitoba and Minnesota came for a day long reading workshop and evening concert, directed by Bernard Helfter. Representing members from Assiniboia Concert Band (Winnipeg), Branch 252 Veterans Concert Band (Winnipeg), Friday Morning Concert Band (Winnipeg), German Club Band (Winnipeg), Manitoba Millennium Band (Winnipeg), New Horizons Community Band (Winnipeg), Northwinds Community Band (Winnipeg), Prairie Red Coats Band, Rupertsland Brass Band (Winnipeg), Thompson Community Band (Thompson), and Westwood Community Band (Winnipeg)
Our Bands!
Opportunities are available throughout the province for all who play brass, woodwind or percussion instruments. Join a community band!
List of Community Bands in Manitoba (Posted October 9, 2018)
Our Festivals!
The 2019 Pinawa Community Band Festival will take place on April 14th, 2019 (2:00PM - 5:00PM) in Pinawa. Concert will take place at the Pinawa Community Centre (20 Vanier Dr. Pinawa). Community Bands Performing will include; Assiniboia, Eastman, Northwinds, Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Westwood, and a massed band lead by Robert Hall. This festival takes place every other year and watch this space for details on the April 2021 Festival.
Please contact us if you have any question about this event or would like to register your band by February for this festival.
Peter Hayward or John Balsillie
The 2020 Forks Community Band Festival was scheduled for May 30 & 31 at the Forks Market under the canopy.
Please note this program has been cancelled for the 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 developments. The MBA will have additional details in the fall of 2020 as we begin planning for the spring of 2021.
There is no charge for this wonderful event, simply stop by, hear the music, and enjoy the afternoon. Please contact us if you have any question about this event or would like to register your band by March for this festival. Duncan Hasker or John Balsillie
An updated schedule will be posted each March. Posted Here!
Saturday, June 1st, 2019 Sunday, June 2nd, 2019
12:00 St. Charles Big Band 12:30 Pinawa Stage Band
1:00 Falconer Brass Quintet 1:30 Westwood Community Band
2:00 German Club 2:30 Assiniboia Concert Band
3:00 The Dixie Beats 3:30 Friday Morning Concert Band
4:00 Northwinds Concert Band 4:30 The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
5:00 East St. Paul Community Band 5:30 Springfield Heights Mennonite Church
6:30 Winnipeg Pops Orchestra 6:30 East Side Jazz Band
Bob Day Memorial Award
At the annual Community Band Workshop, a yearly award is presented in memory of the late Bob Day, a dedicated community band member who had great musical spirit and a deep commitment to community bands. This award is given to someone who displays the qualities of dedication, commitment and musical spirit. NOMINATION FORM It is open to all community band members and will be presented this year at the workshop each March, or at a suitable time and place for the recipient. Contact Tom or Lori Neufeld at: Tom or Lori for additional information and to send in nominations.
Past recipients of the Bob Day Memorial Community Band Member Award (BDMCBMA).
Photos can be found of our facebook page.
1998, Dayna Nickel of Winnipeg
1999, Mike Slater of Winnipeg
2000, Val Pearson of Winnipeg
2001, Bernard Helfter of Holland
2002, Bob Corbett of Winnipeg
2003, Tony Purvis of Winnipeg
2004, Jon Publow of Winnipeg
2005, Harold Aiken of Dauphin
2006, Harvey Winks of Winnipeg
2007, Annette Verniest of Holland
(We shifted the Community Band Workshop from Nov. to March in 2009, so we had a "leap" year!)
2009, Peter Hayward of Pinawa
2010, Barry Shaw of Winnipeg
2011, Carole Helfter of Holland
2012, Vicki Adams of Somerset
2013, Brian Duncan of Rosebank
2014, Bruce Childs of Dauphin
2015, Christina Paul of Winnipeg
2016, David Patrick of Winnipeg
2017, Cam Marsland of Selkirk
2018, Derrick Wainio of Morden
