In its mere two years of existence, the Wallaceburg Concert Band has shot up from a mere idea, to an overwhelmingly successful organization.
If you haven’t attended one of their concerts yet, you are missing out on a professional-level presentation that will likely shock you.
While the actual ‘band’ is what people come to hear, the organization has multiple levels and a hard-working executive that has helped steer and control its rapid growth.
Successful organizations are always concerned with ‘what’s next’, and the WCB is no exception.
Its long-term viability depends on developing new musicians for future needs and has developed a feeder program to do so.
The organization has three levels of musicians. Those who are Competent, trained musicians with previous experience, an intermediate level for musicians who are relatively new at their craft, and a beginner level for those who have never played a wind instrument before.
Interest in the beginner program is at an all-time high, no doubt inspired by the success of the very public Concert Band.
As the organization begins it’s third season of operation, they will be holding an Information Night for those interested in learning to play an instrument or those simply curious.
The evening will feature in-depth explanation of the program, demonstration of the instruments offered and the chance to ask questions of those involved.
A ‘Concert Band’ has a relatively standard instrumentation that includes: flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba and a wide variety of percussion instruments.
Concert bands do not typically use guitar, keyboards or string instruments. Where concert bands vary, is in the balance of the instruments.
While a symphonic orchestra has a very standard instrumentation in terms of numbers, the concert band does not.
The most common question is ‘who can join?’
The program is open to youth from Grade 7 on up to senior citizens.
The reasons for the minimum age is two-fold.
First of all, we will be learning to read music notation and youth in Grade 7 should have little academic difficulty in learning this new ‘language’.
Secondly and perhaps most importantly, physical size is very important in learning to play many of the instruments.
For example, hand-size is critical in handling a saxophone, finger-size is important in sealing the tone holes on a clarinet, arm-length is a factor in controlling a long trombone slide, and height is important in playing a tuba.
Anyone interested in exploring their options is invited to an Information Night on Monday, September 24 at 7 p.m. in room 184 at WDSS.
The actual program will begin on Monday, October 1.
Once the program begins however, new members will not be invited until this time next year as the group does not employ continuous intake.
For more information, visit the Wallaceburg Concert Band Facebook page, on the web at wallaceburgconcertband.ca or call 519-627-9803.
