Category: Member Info

Hi all,
I have been informed that there is a *concert of Halifax Schools Regional Arts groups tomorrow evening (Tuesday, May 13) in the Bella Rose Arts Center, starting at 6 pm.* Our HCB rehearsal will go ahead as usual (6:30-8:30 in the band room-green room not available) but parking will be a challenge in the high school lot. Please give yourself enough time to find parking in the area. Also, due to equipment use for the concert, I am asking everyone to *bring a folding stand* with you to rehearsal tomorrow evening.
Thanks Dave

Hi all,
Thank you all so much for such an excellent and musical performance at the Kiwanis Festival this past week. I was most impressed with the band’s range of expression and cohesive playing with Amazing Grace as well as the great energy and ensemble accuracy with Windjammer. Of course, a big shout out to all of the solo performances throughout both pieces. Well done!
Here are the rehearsal notes for Tuesday, May 13.
1) Chorales-More Assorted 2) Warm-up Piece-Planes 3) Wicked (all sections plus mock performance) 4) Kent Steerwell/Mark Cuming various selections (Popcorn specifically) 5) Maiden Voyage (Fiona) 6) Postcard from Pittsburgh 7) I Am The Doctor 8) (if time) El Choclo
Jacob Caines’ adjudication was also very well done, in my opinion, and it was very satisfying to hear how the band responded to his musical direction and ideas for improvement and interpretation. I have attached a jpeg of his written comments along with a photo of our Gold Award certificate.
Jacob has also recommended our band to participate in the Provincial Music Festival which is a very nice honour for the Halifax Concert Band and a first for the HCB in its long tradition of participation in this Nova Scotia Kiwanis Music Festival Community Band class. The following is the text of the email I received from the festival’s Executive Director, Christine Mader…
/Hi Dave./
/I’ve just heard from the adjudicator for bands that he would like to recommend the Halifax Concert Band to the Provincial Music Festival. I’ve attached here the website for this Festival, and you can have a look at the rules and at the Syllabus: fmfns.ca/. I am presuming the members would be considered amateurs./
/For bands, this is a virtual event, in that an audio recording must be made instead of taking the group to play live. Everything has to be the same as it was at the local festival event, and apparently, someone from the Kiwanis Festival has to certify that the recording meets the requirements (is done in one take, for example) of the provincial festival. /
/The deadline for entries is coming up fast: May 16 (next Friday) so there is not much time to create the recording./
/It’s very nice, though, to be recommended and I hope the magnitude of the task of preparing to register does not prevent you from going forward. Kiwanis pays for the band’s registration fee./
/Please let me know as soon as possible if you want to proceed./
/Christine/
In consultation with the HCB Band Executive, I have informed Christine and the Kiwanis Festival that we will regrettably not be able to put together the required elements to be able to participate virtually with this year‘s provincial festival. The logistics and timings proved to be too challenging and we also have a number of our band personnel away this week so any recorded performance would not reflect our best musical efforts. I also indicated to Christine that we really do appreciate the recognition and the support of the Halifax Kiwanis Festival and that it has been a pleasure to work with the Halifax Kiwanis Music Festival on this year‘s community band class. Also, thank you Becky, for your consultations and help with this.
Nice work, everyone!!
Thanks and see you Tuesday. Dave

Hi all, I have now been informed by the festival that there will be music stands provided for our performance at Seton Auditorium on Tuesday night. Although I have requested 60 stands, Debbie thinks it may be more like 50 stands that will be onsite from the Sackville Band program. With that in mind, I am asking that flutes, oboe and soprano clarinets please bring a folding stand of your own to make sure that we are covered. Thanks and see you Tuesday night. Dave

Hi all,
For our Kiwanis Music Festival performance on Tuesday night, May 6th:
1) We perform on the Seton stage at the Seton Academic Centre, Mount Saint Vincent University at 7:00 pm. The address is 166 Bedford Highway (see campus map for Seton Academic Centre) www.msvu.ca/en/home/aboutus/safety-security/campusmap.aspx
2) Our performance pieces are Amazing Grace and Windjammer, in that order. Also, I would like to include some chorales for our warm-up so please bring Assorted Chorales and Bride of Assorted Chorales for that. Our adjudicator this year is Emily Bellman who is currently with the Stadacona Band.
3) Meet time is 5:45 pm in the assembly and warm-up area (Rm 509) on the 5th floor of the Centre and the elevator and stairwell are to the left as you enter the lobby. When it is time to take the stage (which I hope is 6 pm), we will enter the performance venue together through Door C.
4) At this point, I have no confirmation from the Festival organizers that music stands will be provided at the venue so I ask all members to bring a music stand for this performance. That includes percussionists and front row woodwinds.
5) Dress is formal concert black.
6) Percussion-the Kiwanis Festival is providing three timpani (29″, 26″ and 24″), vibraphone, xylophone, bass drum, two snare drums with stands, a suspended cymbal and a concert bell set.Everything else will need to be brought to the performance.
7) The public is welcome to attend the performance and there is an admission charge of $5 at the door.
Thanks and see you on Tuesday night. Dave

Hi all, Here are the rehearsal notes for Tuesday, April 29th.
1) Chorales-Son of Assorted 2) Warm-up piece-Nimrod 3) Highlights from Planes 4) Windjammer 5) Amazing Grace 6) Kent Steerwell Titles      i) Whistlemania      ii) Mess Around      iii) Spiderman      iv) Theme from Sailor Moon      v) Universally Speaking 7) (if time) Wicked
Also, for this rehearsal we will be joined by 4 or 5 students from the Halifax West band program (instrumentation unknown)
Thanks and see you on Tuesday. Dave

Hi all,
First of all, let me thank you all again for our Tuesday night concert this past week in collaboration with the Halifax Regional Arts Wind Ensemble. I really did enjoy being in a new venue for this concert and I thought our performance there was excellent!
A special shout-out to Fiona for such fine work with her Wind Ensemble students and all of her other duties and playing that evening. Bravo!! Also, thanks for accommodating the downtown location and the challenges of parking and traffic.
Our next performance is Kiwanis on May 6th and we will be performing Amazing Grace and Windjammer.
Here are the rehearsal notes for Tuesday April 22nd.
1) Chorales-Bride of Assorted 2) Warm-up piece- Planes 3) Wicked 4) Earthdance 5) Kent Steerwell Arrangements (various) 6) I Am the Doctor 7) El Choclo (if time)
Thanks and see you on Tuesday. Happy Easter!
Dave