James McDonald Gayfer (26 March 1916 – 7 April 1997) was a Canadian bandmaster, clarinetist, composer, conductor, organist, military officer, and music educator.
Although Gayfer's works remain unpublished, some of them have been recorded by a number of artists, including Howard Cable, David Mills, and the Edmonton Wind Ensemble.
Among his notable teachers were Jennie Goodman Bouck and Reginald Godden (piano), Maitland Farmer (organ), and Ettore Mazzoleni (orchestration), Arthur H. Middleton, and S. Drummond Wolff.
He served as the associate conductor of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra in 1963-1964 and was the leader of the Kitchener Musical Society Band in 1971–1972.
[2] After leaving the Canadian Army, Gayfer joined the teaching staff at Southwood Secondary School in Galt where he taught from 1966 to 1972.