Hello Musicians,
In this email:
- Spring 10th Anniversary Concert!
- Spring Extension Bands
- Two Beats Ahead at MusicFest
- News from NHIMA
Spring 10th Anniversary Concert
This season, ONHB celebrates 10 wonderful years of learning and playing music together! Our 10th Anniversary Concert is on Sunday, April 15 at 2 pm, at Woodroffe United Church. All ONHB bands will participate. Besides great music, there will be special refreshments, a group photo and an anniversary cake.
The schedule includes:
- 2 - 3:15: Concert Bands
- 3:30 - 4: Intermission & Group Photo: 3:30 (some light refreshments for audience who are staying through)
- 4 - 5: Jazz Bands
- 5 - 6:15: Special Refreshments and 10th anniversary cake.
More details to come, and also check the website.
Spring Extension Bands
The standard Ottawa New Horizons Band (ONHB) season includes two sessions, a fall session from September to December and a winter session from January to April. In past years, a variety of spring extension sessions have been organized either by volunteers or by band leaders. These sessions have usually, but not always, been led by one or more of the ONHB band leaders and run about 7 - 10 weeks depending on the availability of band leaders and venues. The fee is set to cover the band leader, any music that may be purchased, any payment processing fees and rehearsal venue rental.
Here's the rundown for spring 2018:
1. Spring Extension Concert Band.
There will be two of these, an all-level band led by Laurie Hamilton, and a Tour Ireland Band, led by Cathy Wilcox, for ONHB musicians who are booked for the Ireland Performance Tour with Ellison Travel to work up repertoire for the tour.
Both bands are Tuesdays April 24 - June 12 from 6:30 - 8:45 pm at Brookfield High School, except for June 5 and an informal concert on June 12 which will both be at Woodroffe United Church.
Details on the website. Registration will be on-line from April 7 - 17.
2. Spring Extension Jumpin' Jazz Band (Beginner)
Led by Kyle Nurse. The band will maintain the winter repertoire and add 3-4 new pieces to play at a community event on June 12. All musicians with a minimum of two years of playing experience on their instrument will find the music challenging and fun, and can join and "play what you can" (piano and drum need proficiency at a higher level, around grade VIII conservatory for piano).
Tuesdays April 24 - June 12 from 6:30 - 8:45 pm at Brookfield High School (except for June 5 at Woodroffe United Church and a community concert on June 12).
Details on the website. Registration will be on-line from April 7 - 17.
3. Spring Extension Downtown Jazz Band (Intermediate)
Led by Paul Behne. For the intermediate jazz musician who wants to perform in a big band. The band will maintain current year's repertoire and add some new pieces for a concert on June 20 at Ravines Retirement Residence.
Thursdays April 19 - June 14 at 7 - 9 pm at Merivale High School (except for April 26, May 3 and May 24 at Woodroffe UC).
Registration by email and payment by cheque or cash once we know the numbers attending. To join, please email Prospero Vito before April 8.
4. Advanced Clarinet Bootcamp
Led by Angela Blackwell. You must be able to play happily in the top register and also (maybe unhappily) a bit of altissimo.
Will be Wednesdays May 2 – June 20, 6.30 to 8.30 pm, with a concert on June 20th or 27th, TBC. Registration by email and payment by cheque or cash, amount to be determined by the number of participants. To join or for further information, email Angela Blackwell.
Two Beats Ahead Rates Gold at Capital Region MusicFest
TBA's most recent gig was a late-night appearance at the CRMF Jazz weekend, held at Longfields-Davidson High School on March 2-3, 2018. While some members of TBA were right at home among the squealing high school jazz bands in the cafeteria, the silver-haired TBA members more resembled the parents and grandparents who had come to cheer on their kids. Once on stage, however, we were like all the other bands and combos—focused on the music and eyes trained on JF Fauteux.
Our adjudicators for the session were Billy Bouffard, a sax/jazz band specialist from Quebec; Lauren Falls, a bassist based in New York; and Paul Tynan, a jazz composer, recording artist and professor at St. Francis Xavier University. Following a brief sound check and warm up, we laid into our three pieces.
First up was Kris Berg's Fowl Play. Lauren Falls praised the bass and baritone sax on this piece when she met with us following the performance. Brian Carr and Carol Tenniswood turned in rockin' solos. Next, we smoldered through Back in Time, a Pat Metheny ballad that featured Mark Decloux on flugelhorn. Last up was Better Get Hit in Your Soul, a Charles Mingus marathon. Richard Linke and Ivan Dimitrijevic received praise for their flute and drum solos, respectively. In all three pieces, the rhythm section got props for their steady driving of the bus.
There are a few good reasons for participating in the Music Festival, beyond the satisfaction of pulling off a challenging set. The adjudicators point out ways to enhance the performance; the clinic is an opportunity to work with professional musicians at the top of their game; and who knows, you might get an invitation to go to Nationals. Which we did! We won't be going, but it felt pretty good to get that invitation along with our Gold ratings on each piece.
News from NHIMA
Band Camps
Check the NHIMA website for information on upcoming band camps. Of particular interest to ONHB members is the band camp at Chautauqua, NY scheduled for September 23 - 27, 2018. The brochure has now been posted, and registration will open in late April (date yet to be announced on the website).
Useful Articles
The NHIMA website also regularly posts articles that will probably interest many of our band members. Here are some recent examples:
Happy practising!
The ONHB Team
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