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About the Ayr-Paris Band

2022 Executive


back row, from left: 1st year Director Irene Adeney; 1st Vice-president Dan Kocher; 3rd year Director Jim Kennedy; President Dawna Ward; 2nd year Director Kathy Zammit; 2nd Vice-president Calvin Ostner.

Front row, from left: Past President Greg Stroh; Conductor Merry Schmidt; Secretary Heidi Ostner; Treasurer Ruth Ireland.

The Special Events Committee is Derrick Ostner, Jamie Rossignoli, George Schmidt, and executive liaison Irene Adeney.




In 1999, the band donated 25% of the cost and raised the remaining funds to build the Centennial Park Pavilion (shown below) in downtown Ayr. The Opening Ceremonies featured the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra from Ayr, Scotland.

 

Located in Southern Ontario, Canada, the Ayr-Paris Band performs in concert, in parades at local festivals, churches, Remembrance services, and other special events. The band also performs a series of free concerts at the Centennial Park Pavilion and other locations. (see the schedule).

The band is a diverse group with has members from all walks of life, age groups and musical skill levels.

Members come from towns surrounding Ayr, including Paris, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Drumbo, and St. George. 

Some members grew up in the band and are now watching their own children learn an instrument.  It's a positive environment for young learners as many of the adults take on the role of mentor/teacher to the Junior band, then as those students become more advanced they help the newer members. 

The Junior Band is a free service which encourages good playing techniques, mentored by senior band members and have several performances through the year. It's not all kids in the Junior group! Adults use it as a place to learn an instrument or to get comfortable with a horn after not playing for a while.  When they're ready, Junior band members are welcomed to the senior group.

The band is fortunate to receive several grants and donations throughout the year, but are mostly self-funded. Thanks to the help of many volunteers within the band and members families, they manage everything the band wants to do by rolling up sleeves and getting to work.


Merry Schmidt
Conductor

Merry (Brunton) Schmidt has been conductor of the Band since 2001 and previously a long-time member of the Band. She grew up just outside of Paris, Ontario at Etonia. She holds her Bachelor of Music Degree from Laurier University, a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Western Ontario. She is also accomplished on violin and clarinet and teaches music at Cedar Creek School in Ayr. Merry is a member of the K-W Community Orchestra.


Richelle Kocher
Jr. Band Conductor

Richelle Kocher is from Ayr, Ontario.  She has been conductor of the Ayr-Paris Junior Band since 2002 and a member of the Band since 1993. Her educational background includes an Honours Bachelor of Arts, Wilfrid Laurier University; major in English, minor in Music.  She received her Bachelor of Education from Brock University in 2001. Richelle is an Elementary school teacher for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. She is the recipient of various musical awards and has worked at National Music Camp of Canada during the summer.

Ayr-Paris Band 25-year membership plaque

In memory of Ed Webster (1938-1998) for his 45 years of dedicated band service.

Schmidt, Jim - 1973 Brunton, Ann - 1998  Brown, James - 2012   
Webster, Ed* - 1978  Brunton, Steve - 1998  Kerr, Ron - 2014 
Meggs, Dennis* - 1980   Schmidt, Michael - 1999  Stroh, Greg - 2015 
Cornford, John - 1983  Black, Barbara - 2005  Ostner, Derrick - 2016 
Robertson, Doug - 1987  Clement, Lorna* - 2001  Adeney, Geoff - 2016 
Janzen, Kathleen - 1991  Clement, Keith -- 2002  Kocher, Richelle - 2017 
Schmidt-Adeney, Irene - 1995  Schmidt, Janet - 2003  Berry, Deb - 2018
Schmidt, George - 1996  Schmidt, Merry - 2003  Cain, Beth - 2019  
Brunton, Ed* - 1996  Sippel, John - 2003  Emberson, Lillian - 2019  
Brunton, Jeff - 1996  Ostner, Heidi - 2005  Read, Tim - 2019  
*deceased

Our 50th Anniversary Celebration

The Ayr-Paris Band held a Tattoo in 2006 to celebrate our 50th Anniversary.  On June 17th, we invited alumni and present band members to join us for an afternoon of food and fun in Ayr, and in the evening everyone is invited to our Musical Tattoo.  Everyone enjoyed three pipe bands, three brass bands, Scottish and North Dumfries Dignitaries, Irish/Scottish Dancers, Singers and Scottish Pipers as we celebrate and have a Twinning with Ayr Scotland. 

On Sunday morning many joined us for an outdoor church service in Centennial Park at the pavilion.  Guest minister is Rev. Doug Willis and music was provided by the Ayr Paris Band and Ayr, Scotland Pipers. 

There are still a few of the anniversary books and CD. Contact Heidi, theayrparisband@hotmail.com.

Photo Album

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Ayr-Paris Band prior to their first trip to Scotland in 1969

Before the first overseas trip to Scotland -- 1969

Ayr Band Beginners Class -- 1975

Ayr-Paris Band -- 1977

Ayr Paris Band in Drumbo -- 1977

     
1981 Anniversary Souvenir Sing-Along Book

Anniversary Souvenir Sing-Along Booklet Cover -- 1981

 

Ayr Paris Band -- Straus Monument in Vienna, 1985

Strauss Monument in Vienna -- 1985

 

Ayr Paris Band -- in the Rural Ontario Series, Circa 1986

Rural Ontario Scenes -- circa 1985

     
Ayr-Paris Band -- group photo at the practice hall, circa 1995

At the Practice Hall -- circa 1995

Ayr-Paris Band at the Watson Dam -- June 1997

Watson Dam -- 1997

Ayr-Paris Band

Canadian Embassy in Rome -- 1998

Email is theayrparisband@hotmail.com

This page was last updated May 16, 2022