As is usual with the beginning of a new year we expect to hear of the spring concert plans and other initiatives by community bands. While there is lots of information on such individual plans in the in-basket, this is also the season in many quarters for news of much broader initiatives promoting banding in this part of the country.
CBA (Ontario): The most notable of these is an initiative by the Canadian Band Association (Ontario). On Thursday, February 6, the Ontario chapter of the CBA will announce a bold campaign to promote public awareness of the activities of wind bands in Ontario. Their pre-announcement states: “The event is the formal launch for our campaign to promote public awareness of the activities of wind bands in Ontario, including, especially, adult concert, swing and brass bands, and the role they play in the arts, in life-long learning and in supporting community-building.” The slogan for this Concert Band Celebration is “If You Play, You Rock.”
This province-wide campaign celebrates the rich tradition of community bands and the important role they play in enriching community life. In the words of Graziano Brescacin, president, Canadian Band Association (Ontario), “Community bands are great to hear and rewarding to play in. This new campaign is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diverse music of our bands and highlight their role as contributors to the culture and vitality of communities across Ontario.” Several provincial and city politicians, among them the Honourable Brad Duguid, the local MPP and Ontario Minister for Training, Colleges and Universities, as well as dignitaries from the world of bands, have been invited to the launch ceremony which will take place Thursday, February 6 at noon at Wilmar Heights Centre, 963 Pharmacy Ave., Toronto. The launch will be followed by a one-hour free concert by the Encore Symphonic Concert Band under the direction of John Edward Liddle.
Here is the CBA(O) manifesto in support of this initiative:
1. Contribution to community-building. Wind bands take live music, for free and/or very affordable prices, to people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to hear live music played by a large ensemble. Wind band concerts can be a big support to individuals, both in the bands and in the audience. It is not uncommon for audience members to speak to friends who are band members to say how personally important and moving it was for them to hear these friends play. They state that listening to music makes us better citizens by giving us a common cultural understanding, and that listening to music together has been scientifically shown to increase how empathic we feel toward our fellow human beings. Making music together is about being friends and family on the same team; it’s the only team sport in which the entire family can play together.
2. Contribution to the arts. Wind bands have a unique sound, different from any other ensemble. It’s a great sound, and there is lots of music being written for them including much by Canadian composers. Wind bands perform the classics as well as music from the popular repertoire. These bands also innovate what and how they perform, in true artistic fashion.
3. Contribution to lifelong learning. Playing music is good for our brains. Playing music lets us learn about the particulars of the pieces being played, as well as the technical requirements of the instruments. For students, playing music with adults sets them up for success at school and later in life. Many young people have had the experience of playing in a wind band, giving them a productive focus at a time in life when, otherwise, they might have drifted.
New Horizons: Over the past few years I have mentioned many times the activities of the Toronto-based New Horizons bands. This month, I had the good fortune to receive an email message from Harlene Annett who is in charge of membership for the New Horizons bands in Peterborough. While I had known that there was an active group in Peterborough, I had no idea of the extent of their activities.
Since its inception this organization has grown significantly. They now have five bands, all with distinctive names, performing at different levels with the Odyssey band as the highest. They also have at least ten regular small ensembles. The Green, beginners’ band started in September 2013 and has 45 members, with 40 people waiting for the next band to begin next September. Membership in the bands is not limited to very basic instrumentation. In fact there are oboes in all bands and bassoons in three. All five conductors are university-trained in music and all perform regularly in other bands.
With the aid of a Trillium Grant they have been able to purchase several instruments including two tubas and two bassoons. They also have the distinction of having the only conch shell band in Canada!
Far-fetched? Well, I went off to the internet and can report that I have now received my first lesson on “how to blow a conch shell.”
There is so much to learn about their operations. If you are involved in the organization or administration of any band, a visit to their website at nhbpeterborough.com would be well worth the time spent.
Experienced beginners: While there is certainly healthy interest on the part of beginners, there also seems to be a growing interest in some band members to take up another instrument and/or to join another band. I have recently spoken to a baritone player taking up bassoon, a French horn player going for the euphonium, a violinist starting on trumpet and a saxophonist trying out the French horn. Are you considering a new instrument or looking for a second band? Let us hear from you.
Definition Department:This month’s lesser known musical term is Cadenza: Something that happens when you forget what the composer wrote.
We invite submissions from readers. Let’s hear your daffynitions.
Jack MacQuarrie plays several brass instruments and has performed in many community ensembles. He can be contacted at bandstand@thewholenote.com.
