Each of the three ensembles that make up the Sunshine Coast Community Orchestra Association (SCCOA) will have their chance to shine in the coming weeks.
Last week it was the turn of the Suncoast Concert Band with Modern Masterpieces for Wind Ensemble, a repertoire of challenging "programme music," as it was termed by conductor Janice Brunson. It was music that had been annotated by its composer to alert us to its significance; the pieces, full of texture and colour, paint a musical picture.
"Each piece has a different shape," Brunson said, and she commented on each one - from the exquisite lakeside pastoral piece Ammerland by Jacob de Haan to the galloping, rhythmic Iditarod by Robert Buckley, named after the northern dog races. The band shone on the second half, two contemporary pieces by Frank Ticheli, An American Elegy written after the Columbine school slaying, and Angels in the Architecture in which guest vocalist Sara Douglas soloed.
In a move that's becoming a popular trend, two artists, inspired by the pieces, painted spontaneously while the music played. Donna Swain produced her abstracts on one side of the orchestra while Paula O'Brien created her two pieces on the other side. Both are local artists with tremendous vitality working in what appeared to be an engaging collaboration of mediums.
This Saturday, May 4, it's the turn of the Youth Orchestra, 10 students between the ages of 13 and 18, who will perform A Little Night Music in the good acoustics of St. Hilda's Church in Sechelt.
They did well at the recent festival of the Performing Arts, said their coach, violinist and conductor Kathleen Hovey, where they played Mozart and Debussy, two pieces that they will reprise on Saturday.
"Their music is not written for high school level," Hovey said. "I'm trying to offer them professional classical music."
Yes, the kids are amateur musicians, but Hovey does not like the term. People think it means a beginner, she points out, but it actually comes from the Latin for lover. These music-loving kids are dedicated; they recently attended a workshop coached by the Canadian award-winning Afiara String Quartet.They manage to fit in hours of practice and rehearsal while balancing music with school life and other activities.
Hovey has taught the ever-changing group since 1995 with a break in 2002 until her return in 2008. Three will graduate this year and move away, plus two German exchange students will return home, but that doesn't mean the students will abandon their music. Many of the Coast's professionals have come through the Youth Orchestra, including Serena Eades, violinist with The Rakish Angles, and Mark Andrews, concert pianist.
The Salix Strings, an adult ensemble of nine experienced players, will also put in a rare performance on Saturday. A fine group of amateurs, they enjoy working on standard chamber music repertoire, and they combine music-making with friendship and gourmet lunches.
"It's a nice connection for the kids, and both groups benefit," Hovey said.
The composer Corelli will be a highlight. The program includes the music of Mendelssohn, Dvorak and Rimsky-Korsakov.
All three groups will perform at the SCCOA's grand gala on May 26 when the association celebrates their 20th anniversary. Titled Twenty Years is Just the Beginning, the concert will include all three ensembles under the artistic direction of Edette Gagne, along with guest pianist Mark Andrews and soprano Elizabeth Currie-Buono. Both have learned their art by being part of the Community Orchestra. The May 26 gala starts at 2:30 p.m. and tickets for $25 can be had at Laedeli and Gaia's Fair Trade in Gibsons, Strait Music in Sechelt and Bluewaters Books in Madeira Park.
