About the East York Concert Band

A proud history of service

For more than 70 years, the East York Concert Band has brought the joy of music to audiences across the Greater Toronto Area. The band was founded in 1948 by local music teacher Norman Tuckwell, with its initial membership drawn from a night school music class at East York Collegiate. Over the years, the band has grown to include members of all ages and musical abilities from around the Greater Toronto Area.

The band’s proud history of service includes long-term dedication to a wide range of community events across Toronto’s east end. Every year since 1964, it has provided the soundtrack for the Zone D5 Royal Canadian Legion’s annual pilgrimage at Pine Hills Cemetery. It also performed regularly for the Scarborough Skating Club for more than 40 years, and features annually at East York’s Canada Day celebrations at Stan Wadlow Park.

The band today

Today’s East York Concert Band features more than 50 members ranging in age from their early 20s to their early 90s and representing a variety of musical abilities. Rehearsing weekly from September to June under the direction of conductor Joseph Resendes, the band performs numerous concerts each year featuring repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary.

The band is a proud member of the Canadian Band Association – Ontario Chapter, and in 2008 was proud to host the association’s annual community band weekend.

In 2012, the band was also grateful to receive funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, to support the acquisition of new music, percussion instruments and performance equipment as well as the redevelopment of this website.