Our History

Northumberland New Ventures Band (NNVB) began as one community band, founded in Cobourg, Ontario. Founding Music Director Glenn Bailey initially proposed it at the Cobourg Mayor’s New Year’s Day Levee on January 1, 2014. Glenn announced the band’s formation and invited interested audience members to attend a meeting two weeks hence. The response was overwhelming! Over forty people turned up to hear Concert Band members demonstrate and talk about their instruments. By the end of the evening, Glenn had all the information he needed to create a new band, aptly named the Northumberland New Ventures Band.

Glenn brought over 40 years of experience in teaching instrumental music to youth of all ages, and adults, when he founded NNVB. He shared his experience across many communities in southern Ontario including Guelph, Brantford, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto, Cobourg, and Peterborough, enjoying success at every turn. After seven years of serving as our Principal Music Director, Glenn retired in June 2022 to pursue other musical interests, such as arranging music. We look forward to continuing our association with Glenn in the years to come and thank him for sharing his passion for music and his good humour, which created such a fun learning environment.