Westwinds 20th Anniversary Celebration 1988-2008

1988

   » 130+ members for 3 bands. Directors are Rod Pauls, Dennis Orr and Dennis Jackson.
   » All Westwinds bands play a Christmas Concert at Market Mall, and hold their first fund-raising casino at the Stampede Grounds.
   » Two Westwinds groups play in the festival at the Jubilee Auditorium.
   » The Heritage Park Concert is May 24 and the Year-end concert at Lord Beaverbrook High School is on June 2.
   » Diana Howell attends the International Band Camp at Minot in July.

   » After 5 plebiscites over 34 years, the City finally adds flouride to its water

   » 223 members, thanks to the organization of Michael O'Reilly, John Simonot and President Rick Carnduff.
   » Name changed to Westwinds Concert Band Society.
   » Ross McIntyre is hired replacing Dennis Jackson, and he is now  director of Blue Concert Band.
   » We have our first Benefit Concert at Jack Singer Concert Hall and donate all proceeds to the Alberta Children's Hospital. Special Guests at this concert are the Foothills Brass, Calgary Choral Society, Joe and Karma Lawlor, organist Terry Fullerton and Jens Lindemann. Judy Hamell from CBC Radio is MC.
   » Westwinds Red and Gold Concert Bands enter the Southern Alberta Music Festival at the Leacock Theatre, Mount Royal College and Gold Band (directed by Dennis Orr) wings Gold at the Alberta Stage Festival.
   » Westwinds Hosts its first annual Band Workshop in March 1993 at Crescent Heights High School.
   » All three bands play at Heritage Park in May; in June the two senior concert bands, Red and Gold, end their 1992-1993 seasonplaying 40 minutes each at Spuce Meadows.

   » The Calgary Stampeders win the Grey Cup.
   » Ralph Klein is sworn in as Premier of Alberta.
   » The Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre is opened.
   » A severe hailstorm, resulting in an estimated $22 million in damage, hits Calgary.

   » 260+ members
   » Mike Sakatch leads the new  Green Concert Band (with 45 members) and Kevin Willms is hired to direct Westwinds first choice, with Marie Lewin as accompanist.
   »  All three bands perform at the Stage and Concert Band Festival in March and all three capture Gold.
   » Marketing chair, Michael O'Reilly organizes and all Westwinds groups perform at "A Salute to the Forces" held at the Jubilee Auditorium on May 15, 1994.

   » Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev visits Calgary.
   » Calgary hosts the Grey Cup.

   » 350+ people register for Westwinds on Orientation Night at Crescent Heights High School, with the largest growth being in choir groups.
   » Jim Finkbeiner is hired as clinician and Assistant Director of Green Band.
   » Barb Higgins is MC of our Christmas programe at Jack Singer Concert Hall and guests are Jens Lindemann, Cindy Church and organist Mel Kirby. Over 1,500 people attend the concert and the donation to the Children's Hospital Foundation is $10,000. Special thanks to roganizers of the event, Sue Craig, Michael O'Reilly, Cathy Snelgrove, Rick Carnduff, Pierre Gosselin, and to Shelly Ketcheson for the monstrous job of distributing ticket orders.
  » At the festival held at the Convention Centre, Westwinds Red Band directed by Rod Pauls wins the Outstanding Community Band Award of Excellence.
   » In February, the organization's name was changed to Westwinds Music Society to reflect the changing organization.
   » By September 1995, two jazz bands under the direction of Dennis Orr and Mike Sakatch begin rehearsals.
   » Westwinds member Ed Luinstra constructs our first website

   » Calgary celebrates 100 years of its incorporation as a city.
   » The Calgary General Hospital is closed.

   » Weekly rehearsals of bands and choirs move to new  locations - Ernest Manning High School and Lord Beaverbrook High School.
   » Marie Lewin is Director of the Green Choir and Kevin Willms directs Mixed Choir. Bev Monro is accompanist for choirs. The Jazz bands, Junior and Senior are now  directed by Mike Sakatch and Ross McIntyre.
   » In spring 1995, Sue Craig (Miller) contacts the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra regarding a performance with Westwinds. They agree, and in the summers  of 1995 and 1996, Wind Ensemble directed by Dennis Orr performs with the CPO at "Mozart on the Mountain" in Nakiska.
   »  Led by Dennis Orr, Westwinds' Pumpkin Blitz raises over $11,000 for the Children's Hospital.

   » Christine Silverberg is appointed Chief of Police, the first woman to head a major Canadian Police Force.
   » Calgary gets it's first Police helicopter.

   »  Westwinds has grown to five concert bands, four jazz bands and two choirs and a membership of 370+, thanks  to a huge recruitment drive spearheaded by Sue Craig, Brian Lewis, Shirley Evans and Jan Sills.
   »  Jim Finkbeiner becomes Director of Green Band and the newest Jazz Band.
   »  Westwinds hosts its first annual Choir Workshop at Knox United Church and its first Annual Big Band Dinner and Dance (BBDD) at the Coast Plaza Hotel.
   »  Under the direction of President Sue Craig, Westwinds conducts a Policy Forum in February 1997 in Canmore.  The agenda includes items related to Conducting our Future.
   »  Dennis starts Westwinds beginners in lessons on percussion as well as an Accordion Ensemble.
   »  In April, the Wind Ensemble performs at Dennis Orr’s conducting recital (a requirement for his Master’s Degree) at the University of Calgary.

   » Calgary's population exceeds 750,000

   »  399 members.
   »  Dennis Orr moves to Jasper, after serving 10 years as a founding music director of Westwinds.
   »  President Sue Craig (Miller) moves to Ontario and Peter Paulson finishes the year as Interim President.
   »  Westwinds Office moves from Horton Road to 1A Street SW and our first Administrative Assistant is Cindy Holt (now a member of Bronze Concert Band).
   »  Ross McIntyre becomes our first Artistic Director.
   »  Mike Gardner becomes Director of the Green Concert Band and Lorna MacLachlan becomes accompanist for Women’s Choir.
   »  Members are introduced to the concept of “placements”.
   »  In February, Westwinds under the coordination of Special Events Chair Ildi Paulson, sponsors the Canadian Brass Master Class at Grace Presbyterian Church.  Jazz groups celebrate with a Jazz Cabaret in December and the Big Band Dinner and Dance in May 1998.
   »  The first Summer Band programme, organized by Dave Philpot and directed by Jim Finkbeiner is at the Queen’s Park Full Gospel Church.  Summer groups play concerts at Lord Beaverbrook High School, Orientation Night, Festival on the Bow and Calgary Zoo Conservatory.
   »  The Westwinds Music Society has now  raised more than $50,000 in the last five years for the Calgary Children’s Hospital Foundation.

   » Military units are relocated from CFB Calgary to CFB Edmonton.
   » The World Police & Fire Games are held in Calgary.
   » The award-winning Stoney Trail Bridge and Stoney Trail are opened.

   » The Bow Valley Centre (General Hospital) is demolished through implosion.
   » The Calgary Fire Department reverts to "fire-engine-red" for its equipment.
   » The Calgary Stampeders win the Grey Cup.

   » Construction begins on Shaw  Millennium Park

   » The Centre Street Bridge re-opens after an extensive restoration.
   » Shaw  Millennium Park is opened.
   » Calgary hosts the World Petroleum Congress

   » Dave Bronconnier becomes Calgary's 35th Mayor.
   » The South LRT is extended to Canyon Meadows.
   » Calgary's population jumps to 900,000

   » The NW LRT is extended to Dalhousie.
   » Calgary holds its first International Fireworks Competition.
   » The South LRT is extended to Somerset/Bridlewood.
   » Calgary's population exceeds 950,000 making it the fifth largest in Canada.

   » The Calgary Flames are defeated in game seven of the Stanley Cup finals.
   » 17th Avenue SW is overtaken by fans and renamed "The Red Mile".
   » The Calgary Zoo marks its 75th Anniversary.

   » Both the Bow and Elbow rivers flood their banks creating the most expensive natural disaster in Alberta history.