Sidney Concert Band
Every Monday evening, 35 – 40 musicians gather at Peace Lutheran Church in Sidney to share their love of music. This lively group of brasses, reeds, woodwinds and percussionists are members of the Sidney Concert Band, which has been entertaining the Peninsula for almost forty years.
These days the band members, who range in age from teenager to senior and in experience from novice to expert, are preparing for summer concerts in Sidney. The band will perform on June 28th at 2pm in the beautiful Beacon Avenue Band Shell at the foot of Beacon, where crowds can enjoy band music and ocean views from their own chairs or on the lawn.
The concert will offer show tunes, marches, toe tapping swing and dance favourites and gentle melodies such as the vocals Shenandoah and But Not for Me. Band director, Rob Bannister, who has taught, played, studied and conducted band music for almost sixty years, says, “We perform a variety of repertoire, always keeping our loyal audience in mind. Considering we are a community group, the talent abounds within the organization. Our task is to give the community ongoing support by participating at local events and promoting the need to keep music in our school system.”
Featured this season is Jason Gordon, a gifted young Victoria brass player who will perform a challenging solo on a unique instrument, the euphonium, which is a smaller version of the tuba.
The band will also take part in the Canada Day Parade down Beacon Avenue on July 1. For more information about the band come out to a Monday evening practise or check the website www.sidneyconcertband.ca.
Swiftsure Band
The Swiftsure Big Band is coming to the Charlie White Theatre at 7.00 p.m. on Friday, June 5 to play a benefit concert for the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation. “Concert sponsors are even covering the theatre’s ticketing fee so that 100% of the $28 ticket price will go to the foundation” says event organizer Jim Kingham, “the purpose is to give folks a wonderful evening of entertainment while supporting our local hospital.” The show, called A Salute to the Big Band Era, will feature renowned vocalist Miranda Sage. From time-to-time during the show dancers from Victoria area dance clubs will demonstrate dance moves on stage while the band plays.
The Swiftsure Big Band is a ‘classic’ big band with five saxophones, four trombones and four trumpets along with a rhythm section of piano, bass, guitar and percussion and a female vocalist. The music, made famous between the 1920s and the 1950s by such great composers and band leaders as Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw and the Dorsey brothers was a great source of comfort to troops overseas during the Second World War and a consolation to their loved ones back home. Professional musician and band Director Carl McLean leads the band through the unique tempos and harmonies characteristic of this music that was so popular before later styles of jazz and rock took over. In fact, one of the most popular beats in big band music was the ‘swing beat’ that has a delightfully unmistakable lilt achieved by slight adjustments to the lengths of adjacent notes. This beat became so associated with the style of music that to this day the expression “swing it” prompts musicians of all types to move to that particular syncopation.
Friday, June 5 offers an opportunity to support your local Hospital while enjoying and reliving this fabulous music form at the same time. Tickets available from the Mary Winspear Centre box office 250.656.0275 or online www.marywinspear.ca
