PREVIEW
A Festive Overture
Edmonton Schoolboys Alumni Band
Sunday, Dec. 2, at 2:30 p.m.
St. Albert United Church
20 Green Grove Dr.
Tickets: at door
When you have 55 musicians in a band, that’s a big, big band. But the Edmonton Schoolboys’ Alumni Band wouldn’t have it any other way.
The concert band continues a 73-year tradition of providing light, energetic music. This year, its winter schedule includes A Festive Overture on Sunday, Dec. 2, at St. Albert United Church.
At this concert, conductor Roy Townend substitutes for Taina Lorenz while she completes a two-year residency in music education at the University of Washington.
“It’s been a fun experience to meet and work with these people,” said Townend, a trumpeter and conductor for Edmonton Cosmopolitan Music Society.
Most of the band’s musicians are retirees eager to share their lifelong love of music.
“If you’re 70 or 80 years old and you’re still playing, you have a passion for music. As a former teacher, you always want to instil music is for life and these folks are a good example. It’s amazing they come out on a weekly basis and all have a great time,” Townend said.
The concert program is filled with marches, Christmas and Hanukkah tunes as well as a few British and Australian pieces for variety.
St. Albert’s Gerry Buccini and Dave Organ are among the musicians playing the new arrangements.
The concert opens with Maoz Tsur’s Rock of Ages, a well-known joyous Hanukkah song whose words were composed in the 13th century. The tune’s origins were never documented, however it is believed to be an adaptation of contemporary folk songs or hymns.
The concert shifts into a medley of Jewish tunes that includes the entertaining and traditional Spin, Driedel Spin as well as the sparkling and well-crafted S’Vivon.
“We also have a few marches. This band really likes playing marches. It was an important part of their upbringing. Concert bands came out of military bands. Originally they were the Edmonton Newsboys Band and that dates back to the ’30s. And marches were a prominent part of the era.”
Eric Osterling’s arrangement of Bandology is one of the favourites.
“It has rich full harmonies and an interesting fanfare rhythm and a lyrical trio.”
Next on the program is H.A. Vandercook’s composition Cincinnatus, a stylish circus march composed in 1890, published in 1914 and rearranged in 2010.
Also on the ticket are three Scottish tunes, three Celtic dances and Percy Grainger’s Australian Up-country Tune. Grainger composed the wordless tune to voice the Australian up-country feeling and it was first played at his wedding to Ella Viola Strom in 1928.
“This concert is fun and will help people get in the mood for the season.”
