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CCB Flute

About Columbus Concert Band

The Columbus Concert Band performs throughout Toronto and the GTA, performing in Vaughan for the Italian National Day Celebrations at Vaughan City Hall, in Mississauga during the Italian Heritage Day hosted by MICBA and for Carassauga 2013 & 2014.

The band has also performed in Toronto at Beth David Synagogue, as well as at St. Clare of Assisi (supporting the church’s fundraising initiative for South Sudan, Africa) and St. Roch’s Parishes.

 

The Columbus Concert Band also does annual performances at Famee Furlane and at St. Wilfrid’s parish for their annual Christmas celebrations. Lastly, the band performs regularly at the Columbus Centre for various events and special occasions. The Columbus Concert Band is always in high demand and enjoys performing on average about 8 concerts each performance season.

 

We are an award-winning band, proudly placing Platinum in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Kiwanis Festival of Toronto, and placing Second in the OMFA 2017 and 2023 Provincial Finals Recorded Competition.

 

Want to join us? We rehearse at Villa Colombo (40 Playfair Avenue, North York, ON) every Tuesday from 7:30-9:30pm.

 

Contact us for more information.

Our Leadership

Annamaria Mazzaferro

Annamaria Mazzaferro

Conductor/Music Director

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Annamaria is a highly experienced, passionate musician and retired educator with a remarkable 40-year career in music and 31 years in education. Conductor of concert bands, choirs, string orchestras, and a few guitar ensembles, she has done it all.  Specializing in flute and piccolo, Annamaria is recognized for her talent and dedication to her craft and has established herself as a prominent figure in the music community, both as an educator and  performer.

Annamaria joined the CCB in the Spring of 2013 and served as assistant Conductor from 2014-2018.  She currently serves as the Conductor and Music Director of the Columbus Concert Band since 2018.  She brings her expertise and enthusiasm to every performance, captivating audiences with her dynamic musical leadership. She has led the ensemble to one Silver and two Platinum awards at the esteemed Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival, as well as earning a well-deserved second-place finish at the Ontario Music Festivals Association.  Annamaria also showcased her talent as a member of the Enchanted Flutes, is currently a member of the Markham Concert Band in the 1st flute section, and also serves as the band’s President.

Annamaria holds a Bachelor degrees in Fine Arts and  Education from York University, and holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Toronto, further demonstrating her commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. She studied flute with Judy Schenkman and Barbara Ackerman, and with Professor Patricia Waite for her performance master classes at York.  Her conducting mentors were the W. Bramwell Smith, Jr. and Livio Leonardelli, both well-known and esteemed educators and trumpeters. Her extensive education and training have equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in both music and education, allowing her to inspire and mentor countless students and musicians throughout her career.

Known for her energetic and enthusiastic approach to music education, Annamaria is dedicated to fostering a love of music in  the community, her musicians and audiences alike. Her passion for music is evident in everything she does, and she continues to inspire others with her enthusiasm and unwavering dedication to the art form.  

Filomena Silva

Filomena Silva

Assistant Conductor

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Filomena is the current Assistant Conductor of the Columbus Concert Band (CCB). Joining the CCB in November 2012, she began as a clarinetist under the direction of Maestro Livio Leonardelli.  In 2021, she moved to her current standing of Assistant Conductor leading under and alongside Music Director and Conductor Annamaria Mazzaferro.  When not conducting the CCB in various arrangements during their many performances, she remains one of the first chair clarinetists with the CCB and she greatly enjoys playing alongside her fellow band members. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Music and has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto Ontario Institute of Studies in Education.

Filomena studied clarinet and piano with the Royal Conservatory of Music since she was 10 years old. At a young age, she started her performance career in the Banda do Sagrado Coracao de Jesus as a clarinetist where she advanced quickly to their principal clarinetist and performed in many parades, festivals, competitions, solos, albums and tours (Acores and U. S. A).  In high school at Parkdale Collegiate Institute, she was principal clarinetist for the junior and senior concert bands, stage band and orchestra winning many school awards. She conducted the church choir of Santa Cruz Roman Catholic Church for several years and won awards in the Portuguese community.

 

Filomena's professional music education career began in 1991 with the Toronto District School Board where she was a math and music teacher and conductor of various ensembles at Westview Centennial Secondary School and North Albion Collegiate Institute. In 2001, she transitioned into being a guidance counsellor then head of department and is currently Assistant Curriculum Leader of Student Services and Co-operative Education at John Polanyi Collegiate Institute; she has been with the Toronto District School Board for 33 years.

Outside of her professional career in education, Filomena has found other ways to keep her passion for music close. In addition to joining the CCB, from 2013 to 2015, she was the Music Director and Conductor of the 892 Snowy Owl Air Cadet Squadron Brass and Reeds band where she led them in performing at many cadet events such as annual parades and competitions

 

Filomena’s long standing love and passion for music throughout her life continues to hold strong and she cherishes every experience she has. She continues to be an advocate for younger generations to have access to every opportunity possible to further their success in life. She will continue to be a beacon for her students and provide beautiful music to her community for years to come.

Livio Leonardelli

Livio Leonardelli

Founding Conductor and Music Director (2010-2018)

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Livio Leonardelli was born May 2, in Spormaggiore, in the Province of Trento, Italy. In 1954, he emigrated from Italy to Canada with his family. A letter of recommendation from Monsignor Scalvini was instrumental in Livio receiving acceptance to St. Michael’s College School. His interest in music began at St. Mike’s, where he immediately joined the band and played the trumpet under the direction of Mr. John Guerriere (who later became his lifelong friend and mentor). Livio was promoted to first trumpet after completing his first year with the band.

After graduating from St. Michael’s College, he was accepted at Ryerson in the Business Administration Program, but decided, after completing his RCM exams, to forego the business program and focus entirely on his studies in music. In 1967, upon completing his degree at the Ontario College of Education, Livio was offered a teaching position with the Toronto Board of Education. After a ten-year stay as Head of the Music Department at Lakeview Secondary School, he decided to transfer to the Metropolitan Separate School Board and began teaching at Chaminade College School. During this time he obtained his Music Specialist degree and was offered the headship of the Arts Department.

While teaching at Chaminade he entered his bands in a variety of competitions, most notably the Kiwanis Music Festival. Receiving high accolades and many gold awards, Livio quickly became known as Maestro Leonardelli, a title he wears proudly today. With an incredible amount of work and passion, Maestro Leonardelli organized trips for his bands to many cities across the United States. Their success in the States drove the Maestro to go farther, taking his bands across the ocean to Europe on concert tours a total of six times, including Italy where they toured under the name of “Youth in Concert Symphonic Band”.

Livio retired from teaching in January 2001. However, eight months later, Livio accepted an opportunity to start a music program at Villanova College, where once again he led the Villanova Concert Bands to achieve gold at a variety of competitions. He planned a European trip for his students and brought back with them numerous accolades and awards. Finally, in 2009 Maestro Leonardelli “retired”. In the fall of 2010, he accepted a request from Mr. Anthony Fusco Sr. to form and conduct the Columbus Concert Band. This was an offer too illustrious to refuse, allowing Livio to keep his passion for music ignited.

CCB Trumpet

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