The 2010–2011 season is now over for most community bands and orchestras. It would seem to be a good time to reflect on the past year and take a look into the proverbial crystal ball. While, as an audience member, I enjoyed several amazing performances, for me, the highlights of the past season were in following the developments of a couple of startup ensembles. It was not just the musical achievements of these groups, which were considerable. It was also so encouraging to see groups of total strangers coalesce into close knit social groups through the common bond of making music.
In last month’s column I reported on the achievements of the combined New Horizons bands from Long and McQuade and their concert at the Glenn Gould Studio. Shortly after that issue came off the presses I was equally impressed at a concert by Resa’s Pieces Strings at their Debut Gala Performance on June 5. Did their debut programme suggest that they were timid? How about a Bach Brandenburg Concerto, the ubiquitous Pachelbel Canon, Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory and Leroy Anderson’s challenging pizzicato Plink, Plank, Plunk for a beginners group?
As for plans for the future, the L&M New Horizons groups will be intermediate groups in the fall and two new beginners groups are planned. Resa’s Pieces Strings are seeking out new repertoire, and would welcome more violas with open arms. A few days after that concert, during a break in one of my own rehearsals, I mentioned the concerts of these groups to a friend that I have know for years. Surprise! He is the conductor and one of the founders of Grand River New Horizons Music, located in Waterloo. Founded in the fall of 2008, they started with 26 members, whose musical experience ranges from new (never played an instrument before) to symphony level.
They now have a busy performance schedule, as I learned from their very professional web site: www.grandriver-newhorizonsmusic.org.
Now for the summer season
What are my own plans? From the 1960s through the 1980s, my summers were dominated by outdoor concerts. For 15 of those years I acted as MC for the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation summer music program. In addition to that, I played in numerous concerts. Once the CNE began, it was a busy schedule of two or more concerts almost every day at either the Main Bandshell or the North Bandstand. When not playing, I would be listening to famous international bands such as those of The Royal Marines, The Grenadier Guards, The President’s Own U.S. Marine Band or the National Band of New Zealand. That all changed several years ago. Band concerts are no longer a part of the CNE programme. Outdoor band concerts are now rare in Toronto. We are now in the era of megaproductions, like those in Dundas Square, with elaborate staging, blazing lighting and systems where sound operators appear to hold sway as the stars.
With the advent of warmer weather, the major shift for most bands is to outdoor concerts and street festivals too numerous to mention. Unlike the town bands of old, few community bands participate in parades. Among the few exceptions that do parade, they are, almost without exception, the older bands which were formed in an era when bands were expected to participate in most parades in their towns. The few bands in this part of the country, which fall into that category and still parade are such as the Newmarket Citizens’ Band, the Ayr Paris Band and the Perth Citizens’ Band. The concerts listed below in Coming Events represent a small sampling of community music in our area. There is much more, but alas, those are the only ones to cross The WholeNote desk by press time.
Personally, so far I know that I will be playing at Black Creek Pioneer Village, the Orillia Aqua Theatre, Palmer Park in Port Perry, Fairy Lake in Newmarket, in at least two cenotaph ceremonies, numerous street festivals in communities surrounding Toronto and, yes, one solitary indoor concert in the dying days of August.
What can we look forward to in the fall?
This year the Markham Concert Band has set a new high bar for other bands. Last year they acquired and outfitted a first class enclosed cargo trailer emblazoned with their logo on the sides. With the hard work of a volunteer crew, they transport timpani, other heavy instruments, music library chairs and stands from band room to performance location. They are not dependent on the vagaries of venues with questionable facilities. With the exception of lighting, they became more or less self sufficient. That left only one potential variable to affect the quality of their outdoor performances; the questionable outdoor acoustics. The simple solution: bring your own bandshell! And that’s exactly what they have done. It has not yet made its public debut, but The Markham Concert Band now has its own portable, inflatable bandshell. Funded through a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, this bandshell will be given its debut during the band’s summer music festival. Look for it in and around Markham. (There’s also another great innovation made possible through that grant, but that will have to wait for the next issue.)
Now for another somewhat radical departure. This summer, The Markham Concert Band is hosting a new concert band series in Markham featuring not just their own music, but performances of other community bands, as well. On seven Sunday afternoons in July and August, five other bands, as well as the Markham Band, will participate in “Concerts, Cakes and Coffee.” The bands provide the entertainment and local family restaurants will be there to sell refreshments. These concerts have been made possible through a grant from the Celebrate Markham Grant Committee (a Town of Markham committee). See the listings below.
Definition Department
This month’s lesser known musical term is: ground hog: Someone who takes control of the repeated bass line and won’t let anyone else play it. We invite submissions from readers.
Coming Events, by Venue
Heydenshore Pavilion, 589 Water St., Whitby. 905-666-2049.
July 7 7:30: Whitby Brass Band. In Concert. Free. Bring lawn chairs or blankets; concert will be held indoors in case of inclement weather.
Markham Road and Robinson Street in old Markham (Look for the big band shell): July 10, 2:00: Markham Concert Band; July 17 2:00 North York Concert Band; July 24 2:00: Thornhill Community Band; August 7 2:00: Pickering Community Concert Band; August 14 2:00: Newmarket Citizens Band; August 21 2:00: Northdale Concert Band; August 28 2:00: Markham Concert Band.
Memorial Park (corner of John St. and Simcoe St. in Oshawa).
Oshawa Civic Band. July 13 7:30: A Gordon Langford Salute; July 27 7:30: Marching Down Broadway; August 10 7:30: Around The World With The Oshawa Civic Band; August 24 7:30: A Brass Celebration. Barrie Hodgins, director.
Jack MacQuarrie plays several brass instruments and has performed in many community ensembles. He can be contacted at bandstand@thewholenote.com.
