Hi all,
First of all, I would like to say a great big hello to the entire Halifax Concert Band family and to express my hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. My family and I are all fine and we have all been hunkered down like everyone else.
I have managed to get to a number of long overdue music projects in my home studio in the past few weeks which feels rewarding and now some outside gardening work and hopes of maybe even a golf game or two in the near future is very encouraging.
A lot has happened in the time since we were able to all be together and the events of the last two months have challenged us all to cope with some unfathomably difficult circumstances and events. In our own community band and music-making world, we are feeling the loss of being able to connect in a tangible way to create music together and to have those personal interactions that our HCB “club” has always enjoyed. I’m sure it will come back but as to how and when, it’s anyone’s guess.
Within our own region, there have been some interesting initiatives to liaison with community and school band organizations to see what various groups are doing to connect and educate in alternative and creative ways. Chris Ward of the Seconds Chances Community Band Program of Nova Scotia recently organized a Zoom meeting with directors and conductors of a number of organizations from Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and both John Underhill and myself attended that video meeting last Saturday with over 40 participants.
As part of this ongoing sharing of ideas and initiatives, the Nova Scotia Band Association has created a contest called “I Love Band”. Please see the following outline of the contest and I would be super happy if any of you would care to send in a little video clip of your reasons for LOVING BAND!
Take care, stay safe and and stay tuned!
All my best! Dave
Contest from Nova Scotia Band Association
Do you know someone right now in your music program or community band that loves band and could be a great spokesperson? Do you have other great supporters in your community, like band parents/grandparents? Administrators? Community & professional musicians who support what you do? We want you to invite you and your band boosters to record a 30-45 second clip telling us why they love band so much. The clip can be funny, factual, or simply heartfelt.
The NSBA will host the best of these clips at our website. You can then send current and prospective band members to look at and listen to some of the many many reasons why being in the band is such a meaningful activity in Nova Scotia. The success of this effort is dependent on us receiving MANYsubmissions quickly. Please reach out TODAY to invite your strongest supporters to share their passion for band programs with our band community.
Did we mention that Long and McQuade will be donating some MUSICAL PRIZES? Thanks to the support of Long & McQuade, we have prizes for student entries, adult entries as well as a BONUS prize that will be awarded to one lucky school or community band..
Contest Entries close at 11:59 pm on Friday May 29, 2020
For more information on the contest contact: Hope Gendron at: nsband@eastlink.ca
To formally enter / register and submit your video click on the link below:
“I LOVE BAND” novascotiabandassociation.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bf410468e37fd59a937d6684d&id=d09ed9df30&e=dfd7cd7c3e
We all know how great band is… Now we have a chance to share our enthusiasm with potential band members, friends and relatives in a new way. Be creative, have fun … and encourage others to participate.
GO BAND!
NSBA Executive