Keeping Us Connected -- Weekly Questions for Members

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  What Concert Band piece reminds you most of winter?
  • gordon  

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  I love "In The Bleak Midwinter" even though many of the lyrics refer to Christmas. Good job Mr. Holst!
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  What concert band piece best captures your wish for the New Year?
  • gordon  

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  After much deliberation, I have settled on "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow", from Annie.
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  What Christmas/New Year's message would you like to send to your fellow BCB members?
  • gordon  

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  I certainly want to wish everyone the best of the festive season. I'm sure many of us, even if we were not somewhat isolated, would be scouring YouTube for some seasonal favourites. Such is my poor education, it's only recently I discovered Schoenberg's Weihnachtsmusik. Basically variations on Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming, with a little bit of Silent Night. Old German stuff. I believe the term "Weihnacht" goes back before Christian times. There are funny YouTube links where people say: Schoenberg! You mean that master of dischord wrote something melodious? Yes. Here it is for a kind of one-man trombone ensemble. Day 25 - Weihnachtsmusik (Christmas Music) by Arnold Schoenberg: Trombone Arrangement
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  What is your favourite Christmas Concert memory?
  • gordon  

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  I always have fond memories of every Christmas concert; mostly because my grandparents would come to literally every one of them (from high school all the way to now). They have always had a huge influence on my musical life--particularly my grandpa. I will always hold last year's (2019 BCB) Christmas concert fondly next to my heart as the music we played was so much fun, but I went into it knowing it was going to be his final concert. In his final month (at hospice), he kept asking for me to play him the videos I had recorded of the BCB
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  What is your favourite Christmas piece to perform?
  • gordon  

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  @Kamara @Pualanasn @joanner I think I heard Hamilton Concert Band play "Minor Alterations" last year, and I found it interesting. Thanks to @wjerome for his comments, otherwise one might think that nobody but the people on the executive have opinions on this question! Jane P.S. I know there are people in this band who really don't like CHristmas Festival...
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  Which bucket list concert band piece(s) have you had the chance to perform?
  • gordon  

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  HM....I would say the aforementioned Pictures at an Exhibition. Although it was with the DVO...still counts! There are many in the que, however!
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  What piece of difficult band music brought you the most satisfaction to perform?
  • gordon  

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  I played the trombone solo in a band arrangement of Ravel's Bolero once. It was terrifying, but what a payoff when it went well!
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  What piece of Band music really makes you want to get up and dance?
  • gordon  

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  Any medley of Showtunes is usually enough to get me dancing after rehearsal. I particularly like music by Lerner and Loewe and Gilbert and Sullivan.
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  What is your greatest accomplishment as a member of a band?
  • gordon  

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  @gordon Since you said "Of a band"... For me, it would be a "Youth Ambassador for Canada" , a title given to the members of the Burlington Teen Tour Band. I remember the first year that we did the Baltimore gym tour. Marching and hearing many people in the crowd saying "thank you" (I marched end, 2nd row - so I could hear them), referring to the Canadian Embassy rescue in Iran. As well, taking part in the 1987 Rose Bowl Parade. Practising in the early morning at the Burlington Transit bus depot (6 am start! And the only place we could play our instruments that early!!) before school, to perfect that one turn which occurs at the camera area. That is the year which I appreciated the benefits of Coffee! There are many other Tours, Parades and Events that I could go on about - local, Interprovincial and International, but for me, my greatest achievement is being a part of BTTB. I am grateful for all the support I received from Mr. Allan, Mr. Garnier, as well from all my "other" parents (aka Band Chaperones, BTTB Boosters, and fellow members' parents) and my friends from that time, which after 30 years are still around. I rediscovered the love of music (after being discouraged in the high school music program) and was instilled with the philosophy of discipline and dedication. I am glad to have been a part of "Canada's Musical Ambassadors".
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  Which band piece most represents you and why?
  • gordon  

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  Percy Grainger's Londonderry Air. I've always thought the trombone was a very beautiful sounding instrument, but not many composer/arrangers can write in a way that make it so. Grainger does this for this piece. It is a deceptively difficult piece that requires intent listening, but if done right, gives the trombone's a chance to be beautiful.
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  What makes a piece unfun to play?
  • gordon  

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  Anything that is beyond the capability of a group that is made up mostly of hobby musicians to play flawlessly. We will never all get it right at the same time. Another peeve is ridiculous key signatures. I realize I do not have any music education beyond experience but by the time I figure what the heck C flat is it is too late!
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  What makes a piece fun to play?
  • gordon  

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  Glisses, wah wahs, falls, flutters, mutes. Toys are fun!
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  What is your favourite piece to play as an encore?
  • gordon  

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  @gordon A James Bond Medley. Have always loved the theme songs from JB films
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  What is your favourite piece to play to open a concert?
  • gordon  

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  @lisa-yl ah... There is no mention for the choice to be BCB specific... so these are pieces which I played with RHLI Regimental band (although I did manage to get several pieces in our repertoire... and hopefully more).
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  Which Concert Band piece reminds you most of autumn?
  • gordon  

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  I wasn't in BCB when Don Allan was conductor, but Gary and several of my friends were. "Autumn Leaves" is a very nice piece, but it was such a predictable part of BCB's repertoire back when I was in the audience!
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  With the BCB looking at doing small group clinics this fall, what would you most like to learn?
  • gordon  

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  Not a musical answer, but would anybody be interested in a fall perennial plant swap or sale in the music centre parking lot sometime in September? I have a bunch of extra plants I need to take out of the beds. Jane
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  Who is your favourite musician that plays your BCB instrument?
  • gordon  

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  A little tribute here to Darryl Eaton. One of Canada's great trumpet players. He played with us for about 5 years through progressively worsening Alzheimers disease. I paired with him on a stand most of that time and got to know him fairly well. Even to the end his playing seemed effortless and he could do things like pop a high D out of nowhere if the score asked it. At first I simply followed his lead (he never made mistakes) but as the years went by it became necessary to show him where we were after tacet breaks for the section. Once we got going, he did seem able to read even at the end but some times lapsed into what I am sure was playing from memory and not what was in the score. Never once though, even when he was improvising did he play a note that did not fit.
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  Which piece of BCB music do you find tends to get stuck in your head?
  • gordon  

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  Hawaii Five-O and English Folk Song Suite, both without fail .
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  Other than the BCB, what's been your favourite group that you've ever played with?
  • gordon  

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  I have fond memories of the McMaster Concert Band. Matthew Airhart was the conductor in the mid 80s. It was audition only and I didn’t study music. I learned so very much musically from the challenging repertoire and it brought me to a higher level. The parties and the social side was amazing as there were regular social activities. (Hint hint!) People from that band went on to become well known musicians within the community. Laura Thomas, Glen Brown are a couple of examples and of course our very own Mary Sobota and Paul Romanow.
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  What has been your go-to piece of music during the pandemic?
  • gordon  

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  @shewis one of my favs too!