It must be getting close to Christmas. The Sunshine Coast Community Orchestra Association (SCCOA) is preparing for the season with its always-popular Christmas concert, featuring all four SCCOA ensembles: The Coast Symphony, Suncoast Concert Band, Coast Chamber Strings and Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra. Featuring 90 players and three conductors, this lively offering appeals to audiences of all ages. The music (popular, nostalgic, upbeat, and classical), the lively singalongs with Alec Tebbutt, and even a Santa have guaranteed a sell-out crowd every year.
Conducting his second year with the Suncoast Concert Band, Tak Maeda hails from the North Shore where he directs three other large bands. With his artistry, four decades of stage experiences, and his infectious enthusiasm, Maeda inspires the musicians and charms audiences. The Concert Band is playing Christmas Time with Charlie Brown and Selections from Mary Poppins, traditional and modern selections chosen to get the audience cheering.
Cellist, teacher and director of the Coast Messiah Choir and Orchestra, Sarah Poon is in her third year with the Coast Chamber Strings, an ensemble made up of string players from all over the Sunshine Coast. Count on a taste of Handel from this Baroque-loving group, and some rollicking carols to put us all in the mood. This year Poon has taken on the direction of the Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra. Expect these players to draw you into their wintry fantasies of Nutcracker dreams and chilly Vivaldi scenes.
A change in conductors can be a perilous journey for a musical group, but the Coast Symphony Orchestra has found exactly the right person in new conductor José Cerón-Ortega. He brings a wealth of experience from Mexico, Venezuela, Russia and Argentina. In Vancouver he conducts the Youth Orchestras at St. James Music Academy. With his expressive baton and a Masters in violin, Cerón-Ortega brings great energy and determination to rehearsals and performances. The group is excited about new directions for 2018.
Come and see for yourself, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Sechelt Indian Band Hall. Tickets are $20 (children under 12 free, accompanied by an adult) at Strait Music in Sechelt, Laedeli in Gibsons and www.sunshinecoastorchestra.ca.
– Submitted
