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Neil McKay Orchestras

After the war he joined Johnny Downs orchestra and arranged much of the music the band played in the summer resorts and local dance halls that year . In the summer of 1946, he joined CFPL to produce a new radio program called “The Don Harding Show” a fifteen minute musical show featuring the Neil McKay Octet and showcasing Neil’s vocal and instrumental arrangements – see examples below in “Audio” section. The CBC broadcast the show coast-to-coast on the entire Trans-Canada Network.

In 1947 Neil and CFPL station manager Don Wright organised a studio big band, called “CFPL All Stars” to broadcast a weekly program "Invitation From Dominion" on the entire coast-to-coast CBC network from London. Vocalists joined the group – Ginny Mitchell and Joe Maycroft ( stage name Gayle Gordon) - and London Arena became the venue for the Saturday night broadcasts by the CBC.

From 1948 – 1954 Neil wrote for many music disciplines. During this time CFPL Radio produced a program called "Silverwood Serenade" and for this show Neil added a five piece string section and French horn to the studio band. The show had a thirteen week run and Neil wrote about 90 arrangements in all - in later years he was to say that this was the hardest he ever worked!. He fronted a small group in another CFPL show "Search For Songs" - amateur songwriters sent in original songs and listeners chose the winner each week. He continued to lead his band and play in the summer resorts and dance halls in the London area, keeping the front row of five swww.neilmckaymusic.com/catalog.html#CHMusic axes intact so that the Glen Miller sound would be maintained. He also found time to play clarinet with London’s Civic Orchestra.

Neil then left London for Rochester, NY to earn M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in composition at the Eastman School of Music. His master's thesis, "Festival Concertino", won first prize in the Ottawa Symphony competition for Canadian composers and was premiered in Canada's capitol city. His doctoral dissertation, "Symphony No.1", was published by E.F. Kalmus and is widely performed in the U.S. and Canada.

From 1957 – 1964 he taught at the University of Wisconsin-Superior then joined the University of Hawai'i, retiring from the latter in 1987 as Professor Emeritus. During this time he composed many orchestral works, his music influenced by the sounds and concepts of music of the Pacific Basin, and jazz. A full list of his compositions can be found here

In retirement Neil McKay led a composite life of composing, travel and golf.

Neil McKay died December 8th 2016. Obituary.

Neil McKay Octet

The Neil McKay Octet was comprised of core members of the CFPL Studio Orchestra and played weekly broadcasts, with Don Harding as vocalist, from c1947 to c1952. Neil McKay wrote all the arrangements.

If audio does not play on clicking forward arrow use the arrow on right hand side of the player

Neil McKay Orchestra

Neil McKay & The CFPL Studio Orchestra

The CFPL Studio Orchestra was comprised of the Neil McKay dance band plus horn and strings. In 1950 they played a weekly CBC show called "Silverwood Serenade" sponsored by Silverwood Dairies. Neil McKay was Music Director and wrote all the arrangements.