(Top) Martin Boundy (holding trophy) cel- ebrates with the St. Paul’s United Church Choir in the late 1930s (Bottom Left) The Sisters of St. Joseph Concert Band conducted by Martin Boundy in London during the 1960s. (Lower Right) Stephen Choma talks with members of the Eastern Ontario Concert Orchestra.
Martin Boundy To the people of London, Ontario, Martin Boundy is an icon, a man who inspired generations of Lon- doners to play, sing and otherwsie enjoy music. However, long before Boundy found fame in the Forest City, he was tuning up the tenors in Tillsonburg. Born in Southwick, England in 1911, Boundy came to Canada in 1923. As a teenager, he trained in piano and organ, and played eupho- nium with the Salvation Army Band in Stratford. In 1933, Martin moved south to Tillsonburg, where he became or- ganist and choir director at St. Paul’s United Church on Ridout Street. Just 22 years of age at the time, Boundy’s youthful energy and passion for music proved positively infectious. Soon the church choir was not only wowing the congregation on Sun- days, but winning music festivals as well. During Martin’s six-year tenure at the church, the St. Paul’s choir brought home the coveted City of Woodstock Council Cup three consecutive years. He also gave leadership to the Tillsonburg Citizens’ Band. In 1941, Boundy enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and was commisioned to direct the Cen- tral Band in Ottawa. By 1942, he
was overseas serving as director of music for no less than seven RCAF bands. He even personally directed the Headquarters Band when it per- formed for the King at Buckingham Palace. When the war ended, Boundy re- turned to Canada and accepted an appointment as supervisor of in- strumental music for London’s pub- lic schools. He also took great joy in directing the London Tech Band and the Police Boys Band. In 1949, he became the first profes- sional conductor of the London Civ- ic Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra London). During his 20-year tenure in the position, Boundy successfully amassed a 500-voice choir and even had his own radio show, “Martin Boundy and the Band” on CBC. Later in his career, Boundy devel- oped an instrumental music pro- gram in London’s separate schools.
In 1964, he led the Catholic Central High School band as it performed for Pope Paul VI in the Pope’s pri- vate chambers in Rome. Other ex- curions followed, including a trip to Barbados and Trinidad, and a Good- will tour to Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. In 1969, Martin became Music Di- rector of Fanshawe College, a posi- tion he held until he retired in 1977. “Music filled Martin Boundy’s life,” his late wife Shirley wrote. “He was able to draw out the best musi- cally in everyone—and that was his legacy.” Boundy died in 1998. During his lifetime, he was honoured by the Ontario Music Festivals Associa- tion, the Canadian Music Adjudica- tors Association, the Musical Con- federation of France and both the Canadian and American Bandmas- ters Associations. (c ontinued on p. 16)
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