North Bay Symphony Orchestra to Perreault

North Bay has been home to a wide variety of talented musicians since its founding in 1882. This page lists musicians and bands from North Bay Symphony Orchestra to Perreault.

North Bay Symphony Orchestra

Formed in 1977, the North Bay Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-profit organization that has become an important part of our community. Since their founding, they have made many contributions to music, the arts, and education within the North Bay area, providing a range of programs and activities including a symphony season of four evening concerts and a matinee, educational outreach to implement the Ontario Music Curriculum objectives, a string school, as well as performances with local musicias and partnerships with other cultural groups. In 2013, the orchestra recieved the Vida Peene Award from the Ontario Arts Council for its artistic and organizational excellence.

James “Jim” Palangio. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Palangio, James “Jim”

James "Jim" Palangio was born in Montreal in 1898 and became the owner of the Empire Theatre in Cochrane. He was taught music by Mr. Egidio Virgili, learning to play the alto horn, and became a member of the Premier Band in 1926, as well as the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band. Jim passed away on September 19th, 1955.

John Palangio. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Palangio, John

John Palangio was born in Sault Ste. Marie in 1902 and later moved to North Bay, becoming a successful businessman as the owner of a taxi business, as well as the founder and owner of the Deluxe Transport and Transportation Co. As a musician, he was taught under the direction of Mr. Egidio Virgili and learned to play the slide trombone. John was a member of the Premier Band of 1926 and the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band during the 1930s. He passed away in 1969.

Michael Palangio. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Palangio, Michael

Michael Palangio was born in Brittania Bay in 1900. He was taught music by Mr. Egidio Virgili and learned to play the alto horn, becoming a member of the Christopher Columbus Band. Michael also lived in Cochrane for a time, becoming the mayor for eighteen years. He passed away March 17th, 1982.

Peter Palangio. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Palangio, Peter

Peter Palangio was born in St. Peter's in the Valley, Italy in 1877 and came to Canada in 1899 when he was twelve years old, settling in Lindsay. As an adult, he moved to North Bay and began working with the CPR. Like many others, Peter was taught music by Egidio Virgili and learned to play the trombone. He also taught himself how to play the violin, piano, guitar and mandolin. Peter was a member of the Christopher Columbus Band and was also one of the founding members of Harmony Hall, the present day 406 Wing building. He passed away on July 31, 1973.

Andy Parisien. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Parisien, Andy

Andy Parisien was a member of the Prophets. In 1973, he moved to Toronto to pursue his music career and spent twenty-five years in music production and performance, touring around North America and the Caribbean.

Howie Parker. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Parker, Howie

Howie Parker began his music career at age ten by singing in a choir. In 1946, he sang in Frank Chirico's band before leaving North Bay to attend university. Despite these early performances, Howie didn't professionally involved in music until 1974. During this time, he taught at the Northern College in Kirkland Lake, spending his summers and weekends performing in bars between Collingwood and Kapuskasing. In 1988, he moved to Windsor and began singing in supper clubs there and across the river in Detroit. The highlight of his career is when he performed at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto for a crowd of over two thousand. Howie returned to the north in 1995, spending four years and Kirkland Lake and six in North Bay. He is also a founding member of the North Bay Musicians and Entertainers Hall of Recognition.

Paul, Glenn

Glenn Paul was born in Perth on April 23rd, 1954 and by the time he was fourteen, he was performing with fiddlers such as Graham Townsend and Al Cherny as a self-taught pianist. His formal musical education started when he was eighteen, when he learned to play various styles of music. Of these, jazz became his favourite, and he went on to study it in Boston as well as at Humber College in Toronto. Glenn also toured with the folk group "Maple Sugar," who were asked by the government to represent Canadian folk music on numerous occasions, including a performance for the Queen Mother. He moved to North Bay in 1981 and began a piano business alongside performances as a soloist and with local jazz musicians.

Pedersen, Sven Arnold

Sven Arnold Pedersen became a member of Don Brose and the Chords in 1975 as a replacement for the former guitarist, Bill Baines. He has performed with multiple groups, including Centurion.

Perreault, Roger

Roger Perreault taught himself how to play guitar at age seventeen and soon after, began performing at local dances. He has toured with many bands, including the "Huckerman" and "Jalopy," a band that toured as the campaign band for politicians. In 1974, Roger and his wife, Reva, settled in North Bay, and Roger joined local groups "Studio V" and "Freedom." Although he began his music career playing rock n' roll and pop hits, he later switched to country music, playinf alongside musicians such as Moe Lavigne, Graham Nesbitt, and Harley Renaud. Roger and Reva purchased Music City in 1998 and began collecting pictures of musicians, a collection that they proudly display on the walls of the store. In 2011, Roger was inducted into the Country Music Wall of Honour.