In June, Coast choral lovers heard the marvelous Slovenian St. Stanislav Youth Choir. Now the Sunshine Coast Music Society presents a different choral sound — a newly organized summer brass choir of already familiar faces — regulars or guests of local ensembles (Creek Big Band, Suncoast Concert Band, Coast Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Group of Seven, Whirlwind).
“Ten years ago I started a brass quintet on the Coast and have had many brass players sit in with the group — all telling me it’d sure be nice to have a larger brass group so that we could all play together,” said John Frederickson. “So this spring I assembled a 10-piece summer brass choir. We’d have some fun and perhaps wander down to the Sechelt pier to play an impromptu concert for the passers-by.”
Then Neal Andrews returned to the Coast and things changed.
“Suddenly we had a virtuoso soloist in our midst. Neal is an extraordinary trumpet player who just completed a master’s degree in trumpet performance from Boston University,” added Frederickson.
“Then I realized we had two: Danielle Stephens also holds a master’s degree in French horn performance from New Mexico State University. All the elements were in place for a proper formal concert. All we needed now was a sponsor.”
Enter the Sunshine Coast Music Society, whose mandate is to promote performances by local musicians.
“With their help and encouragement, we have put together what I think will be an exciting program of brass music covering over 400 years — from the Middle Ages to the 20th century: Persichetti’s Parable XIV (Neal), Arban’s wonderful Theme and Variations on Blue Bells of Scotland (Neal/brass choir), Marais’ Le Basque (Danielle/Neal piano), Mozart’s Fourth Horn Concerto’s Rondo (Danielle/brass ensemble), Pitoni’s Cantate Domino, Sullivan’s The Lost Chord, Elgar’s Sursum Corda and Gottschalk’s Tournament Galop as well as some pops and hauntingly beautiful traditional Irish ballads,” Frederickson said.
A concert is scheduled for this Saturday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Highland Centre, 657 Highland Road (intersection of Lower Road and Sunshine Coast Hwy.).
Tickets are $15 adults, $5 children 12 and under, available at Laedeli in Sunnycrest Mall and Strait Music in Sechelt.
