The Sisters of St. Joseph Concert Band began as part of the Centennial Program for the London based Sisters, which lasted from December 1968 until December 1969. However, the Concert Band lasted well beyond the Centennial year, and was quite successful, playing at ecumenical concerts, music festivals, and performance venues from Quebec City to Edmonton and many places in between.
The instruments first arrived on March 17, 1967, and the Sisters began practicing. Their first concert was on March 19 (St. Joseph's Day) in the Mount St. Joseph Academy Auditorium in London, Ontario.
The Concert Band first officially performed at Catholic Central High School on March 15, 1968. On July 14, 1968, the Band was taped for a radio broadcast. On October 1 of the same year, they played at the Kiwanis Convention on the ground floor of Centennial Hall in London, receiving a standing ovation from the audience of 900 men. Another significant performance included the 1968 Waterloo Instrumental Clinic on April 27, 1968, when they laid down their instruments and performed as a choir and received a standing ovation from their audience.
From March 1968 to June 1970, the Sisters of St. Joseph Concert Band performed in 15 cities, at 35 public concerts, traveled 8,000 miles and performed for over 23,000 people. Its conductor was the well-known and respected Mr. Martin Boundy, until 1971 when Mr. Donald H. Jones became the Band's conductor.
On November 8, 1969, an Ecumenical Concert was presented by the Salvation Army and the Sisters of St. Joseph at the Centennial Concert Hall in London. It was televised on Cablecast, and proceeds went to the Salvation Army building fund.
On March 15, 1970, the Band played at the Stratford Festival Theatre. Its 2,258 seats were two thirds occupied. The position of the stage was a new experience for the Sisters.
On February 26, 1971, the Sisters' Band performed a joint concert with the Salvation Army at Centennial Hall, London. There were 1,900 people in attendance.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada Archives