The Aurora Community Band was established in 2011 and has a membership of approximately fifty musicians of all ages and from all walks of life.

Our season consists of formal concerts as well as numerous informal performances in the town of Aurora. The band also participates in the York University Community Band Festival.  If you have ever played an instrument, join us!

The band has received support from the Town of Aurora, the Aurora Mayor’s Golf Charity Classic Event, the Optimist Club of Aurora, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and individual donations under the "Friends of ACB" patron program.  The band is also very proud to have received the Town of Aurora “Johnson’s Cultural Achievement Award” in recognition of the band’s significant cultural contribution to the town.  

OUR PHILOSOPHY

The rehearsal and performance of any ensemble should always be fun for everyone involved.  Our goal is to rehearse and perform music of varying difficulty and styles to the highest standard in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.  If you are feeling overwhelmed (or underwhelmed) please be patient as we strive to find our common ground.  Our greatest regret will be to lose someone.  We are open for suggestions but will always make decisions that we feel are in the best interest of the whole band.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The ACB is a registered not-for-profit organization with an elected Board of Directors. 

President: Carol Santagato-Davies

Vice-President: Jan Rose

Treasurer: Warren Fetterly

Secretary: Brittany Salt

Directors-at-Large: Anne Hussain, Elizabeth Matthews

CONDUCTOR

Gord Shephard

Dr. Gord Shephard completed his PhD in Community Music at York University. His research areas include community bands, lifelong learning, leisure, and the significance of emotional response on community band participants. He studied trumpet and music education at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto and Western University.

Currently, Gord is the music director of the Aurora Community Band and Borealis Big Band. He has also conducted the York University Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and Music Media Concert Band and was a faculty member at National Music Camp.

Previously, Gord was head of music at three high schools in York Region and was Project Manager for the Artist in Residence Project, a collaboration between the York Region District School Board and Ontario Arts Council. He was a member of the curriculum writing team for the Ontario Music Educators’ Association, chair of the York University Community Band Festival and most recently a professor at Seneca College in the Therapeutic Recreation Department.