Bruce Edward Holder Sr. (January 8, 1905 – August 27, 1987) was a Canadian composer, conductor,^[1] and violinist.^[2][3] He helped to conduct, teach, and found many music groups, including Symphony New Brunswick,^[4] the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra,^[5] and the Third Field Artillery Band,^[6] which earned him his nickname, Mr. Music of Saint John.

Holder was born in Saint John, New Brunswick.^[5] He took violin lessons as a child, and later studied conducting in Hancock, Maine, under Pierre Monteaux.^[7]

Holder worked at the Ocean Steel and Construction Company.^[8] In 1948 Holder was a volunteer with the Saint John Salvage Corps.^[6] For fifteen years, beginning in the 1940s, he led the CBC Radio orchestra for the programs Holiday for Strings, Music Styled for Strings, and Fanfare.^[7][9] 1945 he opened a record store in Saint John.^[7] In 1950 Holder became first violinist of the Saint John Symphony Orchestra.^[10]

In 1957 he began teaching music at Saint John Vocational School, and in 1967 he was assistant conductor of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra.^[11]

• Bruce Holder at The Canadian Encyclopedia