Symphony New Brunswick Names Second Trumpet Chair in Memory of Bruce Holder Jr. and in honour of the St. Mary’s Band.
Symphony New Brunswick Foundation and Symphony New Brunswick have recognized Donald Mitchener’s significant support of both charities by naming a chair in the Orchestra. Second Trumpet will be known as The St. Mary’s Band and Bruce Holder Jr. Memorial Chair in honour of Don’s friend and musician who we lost in September 2022.
Don and his late wife, Jane, have been long time supporters of the arts in New Brunswick. Don’s interest in symphonic music was ignited at age 9 upon visiting the Toronto Symphony Orchestra when he was in an orphanage north of Toronto. This experience resonated with Don and he took up the baritone saxophone. Don is shy to call himself a musician although he has played in various bands including The East York Concert Band from 1959 to 1998 and the St. Mary’s Band since he moved to New Brunswick in 1998.
“My exposure to music has imbedded both an appreciation of the discipline and an appreciation of the commitment it takes to be an accomplished musician. I hold a deep admiration for Bruce and for all those who have achieved and shared their excellence in music.”
Don first met Bruce when he joined the St. Mary’s Band in 1998. With the memory of his biological father in uniform, the band’s vast military background and affiliation caught his respect and admiration instantly.
“Bruce and I connected over our shared love for swing music, and I enjoyed all of his stories about the history of music in Saint John. As all contributors to that heritage will attest, music transcends cultures and ages, transforms our moods, and transports us to new experiences, but more often to old memories. Bruce lived the music that most appeals to me.”
Bruce knew well this power of music. He not only personified it in his performing, teaching, and conducting; he also delivered it through his contributions to Saint John’s music heritage, most significantly in his sixty years with various versions of Symphony New Brunswick as well as throughout his time with the St. Mary’s Band.
“Honouring the contributions St. Mary’s Band and its members have made over almost 120 years to Saint John’s lush, prolific and vibrant music heritage is a ‘no brainer’ and is unquestionably deserved,” says Gayla (Hunter) Atkinson of the St. Mary’s Band. Gayla was the first woman in SMB and has been a member for over 50 years.
“Despite my generation’s good fortune in experiencing a multitude of transformative music — living through not only the beginning but also the evolution (some might say revolution) of ‘rock and roll’, I clandestinely retained, even in the 50’s and 60’s, my affinity for ‘Big Band’ and swing music. How could the opportunity to honour Bruce, who moved so effortlessly and effectively through so many music genres, not be seized?” shared Don on his decision to honour Bruce and his beloved St. Mary’s Band.
Symphony New Brunswick is proud to honour Don’s wishes to name the Second Trumpet The St. Mary’s Band and Bruce Holder Jr. Memorial Chair to remember and celebrate Bruce Holder Jr. and his important contributions to music in New Brunswick.
About Bruce Holder Jr.
Bruce Holder Jr. was a key player in Saint John’s musical heritage. At his father’s urging, Bruce joined the fledgling Saint John Symphony Orchestra in 1952 as a trumpeter and remained with both the SJSO and the New Brunswick Symphony Orchestra until the latter was disbanded in 1968. But Bruce rejoined Symphony New Brunswick in 1983 and remained with the orchestra until his retirement in 2012. His long service to New Brunswick’s symphonies was recognized nationally by Orchestras Canada. Bruce’s father, Bruce Sr., was concertmaster of the Imperial Theatre pit orchestra during the final years of the silent movies. When talkies made the theatre orchestras redundant, Bruce Sr, formed his own orchestra which accompanied the many musical theatre productions of Fred Hazel in the 30s and 40s.
Both father and son became respected and much-loved members of the SJSO when it was formed. And both were active in the local and provincial band scene. Bruce made an impact for many years as the music director and conductor of the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment Band, St. Mary's Band, and several local dance bands including his own. Most recently, he enjoyed playing trumpet and conducting occasional show tunes in the Port City Second Chance Band.
More importantly, both Holders were a key part of the tradition which made it possible to establish Symphony New Brunswick in the early 1980s and Bruce Jr. remained supportive to the end, participating in the Symphony Foundation’s major fund-raising campaign two years ago.
About the St. Mary’s Band
St. Mary’s Band holds a unique position in the musical history of Saint John, New Brunswick and beyond. Formed in 1903 as an outreach program at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, it is possibly the oldest continuously operating brass/woodwind band in Canada. Among its many accomplishments, St. Mary’s Band is the only Canadian band to have performed at a Royal Wedding, that of Princess Patricia in 1917 and it has played for other members of the Royal Family since then. St. Mary’s Band also has had a long relationship with Canada’s military. Many of its members served in World War I and some, including Director C.H. Williams, were killed in service to their country. Since WWI, St. Mary’s Band has maintained an affiliation with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI).
About Symphony New Brunswick Foundation
Symphony New Brunswick Foundation is an independent charity that supports Symphony New Brunswick through an endowment that is held in perpetuity. As its largest single annual donor, we give SNB financial sustainability and, through its support, the Foundation enables the Symphony to deliver a more diversified musical program to the residents of New Brunswick. The Foundation’s endowment assets are held and managed by an independent Board of Directors.
The Foundation has ambitious growth objectives to support the creation of additional full-time jobs in the Symphony. To find out more about Symphony New Brunswick Foundation, contact Director Donor Relations, Gillian Gresh.