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members of some of these groups will
compete in the band’s annual Slow
Melody contest. The winner of this
competition will perform with the HSSB
on Sunday. On Saturday evening, the
Canadian Staff Band of the Salvation
Army, under the direction of bandmaster
John Lam returns to the festival.
As soloist, tuba showman extraordinaire,
Patrick Sheridan, will dazzle the audience
with his virtuosity .
As in past seasons, the grand finale
will be the Sunday afternoon concert,
hannaford Street Silver Band.
“Dreaming of the Master.” Here, Sheridan will switch roles from
soloist, and make his debut as guest conductor of HSSB. In this
concert there will be two soloists. Canadian trumpet virtuoso, Jens
Lindemann, will return to the Hannaford stage in a performance
of Canadian composer, Allan Gilliland’s Dream of the Master for
Trumpet and Brass Band. The other soloist will, of course, be the
winner of the Youth Band’s Solo competition.
As if this were not enough, this year HSSB has added some new
features. On Thursday April 12 there will be “Education Concerts”
for students at 11am and 1pm at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.
We have heard rumours that the morning event is already sold out.
The other new event will be a masterclass on Saturday April 14 at
9:30am at the Jane Mallett Theatre. This will be a free public event
where Lindemann and Sheridan join forces to impart their wealth of
musical performance expertise to all in attendance.
The Hannaford Street Silver Band is to be congratulated for its
efforts in bringing the unique sounds of the brass band to a wider
audience, and for its outstanding contribution to the enrichment of
the musical lives of the participants in their junior bands.
For a very different kind of band music we have the Silverthorn
Symphonic Winds and their concert offering of “Ballet, Broadway,
and the Big Screen.” This concert
will feature the world premiere of
a new transcription of Sherwood
Legend, for solo French horn and wind
ensemble, by Canadian composer and
oboist Elizabeth Raum. This transcription,
commissioned by Silverthorn
Symphonic Winds, will feature artistin-residence
Christopher Gongos on
French horn. The concert takes place at
2pm, Sunday April 22 at the Richmond
Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. A
free pre-concert talk with composer
Raum and Gongos will begin at 1:15pm.
Another event of interest to band musicians offered by Silverthorn
Symphonic Winds is a free public music clinic, in conjunction with
the Westmount Collegiate Music Department and Arts Westmount
Music. Led by Gongos, “Brass Boot Camp and Beyond” will
provide tips on musicianship, technique and ensemble playing.
The clinic takes place on Thursday April 12, 7pm, at Westmount
Collegiate Institute, 1000 New Westminster Dr., Thornhill.
Brass musicians should bring their instruments to participate in
an ensemble led by Gongos. Other musicians will also benefit from
the clinic and are encouraged to attend as audience members. The
content of the clinic will be geared toward high school instrumentalists
and adult amateur musicians. It is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact pr@silverthornsymphonicwinds.ca.
This is the kind of effort which could, and should, be undertaken by
more community musical groups. It is the sort of initiative that will
frequently qualify for funds from granting agencies and will endear
the band to the community at large.
The Royal Regiment of Canada, the biggest Reserve regiment in
the Canadian Army, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year
(which they didn’t tell our listings department about, alas). In any
case, on Sunday, April 15, 2pm, the Regimental Band will present
its “150th Anniversary Gala Concert” at Koerner Hall at the Royal
Conservatory. The concert will feature the Band of The Royal
Regiment of Canada, emcee Jacquie Perrin of the CBC, and special
guests the Pipes and Drums of the 48th Highlanders of Canada,
singer-songwriter Jon Patterson, vocalist Danielle Bourré, and a
specially-formed Regimental Chorus composed of Afghanistan
veterans and other serving infanteers. To dovetail with the concert,
the Band of The Royal Regiment of Canada will be releasing a new
double-CD, Saeculum Aureum (Golden Age), their sixth recording in
the last 15 years. And there will be a pre-concert luncheon in Hart
House on the University of Toronto campus.
Who said that community bands were dead? Last month I reported
on the formation of the new Aurora Concert Band, and hope to visit
them some Sunday evening soon. Now, a few days ago, I heard from
a band that has been operating for over a year, but has just contacted
us. The Columbus Centre Concert Band, under the direction of
Livio Leonardelli was formed in November 2010 and has grown
to more than 40 regular musicians. They performed five concerts
in 2011 and have currently booked for five in 2012. Their diverse
repertoire ranges from Verdi and Puccini through Count Basie
and Sinatra, to Broadway musicals. They rehearse every Tuesday
evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at the Columbus Centre and are
particularly interested in attracting a few more low brass players.
For information contact Fred Cassano at fred.cassano@ca.pwc.com
or at 416-828-3733.
DEFINITION DEPARTMENT
This month’s lesser known musical term is The Right of Strings: The
Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Violists.
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.
34 thewholenote.com April 1 – May 7, 2012
pHOTO rOBerT diviTO