William Aitchison

William Aitchison was appointed to the Ontario Arts Council Board of Directors in April 2010. Mr. Aitchison is based in Stratford where he has been involved in local community life for over 30 years.

He has served on the board of directors of Gallery Stratford, the first incarnation of Stratford Summer Music, the Stratford Family Counselling Service, and he was a campaign chair of the Perth District Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society. Mr. Aitchison also spent six years (one as chair) on the Stratford City Centre Committee and he was the founding treasurer of the AIDS Action Committee of Perth County.

Mr. Aitchison’s background in the arts includes his roles as pianist, actor and musical director with Stratford Community Players, and as pianist/accompanist for A Grand Night for Stratford in 2001 and 2002. He was a member of the Stratford Festival acting company in 1996, performing Amadeus that season.

While on sabbatical in Vancouver in 2003-2004, he was a pianist and vocal coach for Applause! Musicals in Concert. In 2005, Mr. Aitchison performed as actor/dancer in Stepping Out, produced by Toronto’s City Centre Theatre Productions.

Between 1993 and 2008, he was the pianist and musical director for Stratford's annual World AIDS Day auction/cabarets. Mr. Aitchison holds a law degree from the University of Western Ontario and was called to the bar in 1982.