Shall we dance?
That is the name of the concert the Campbell River Community Band is presenting on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and it’s a fitting name, indeed.
Under the direction of Kolya Kowalchuk, the 30 member group will perform dance music from Broadway to the Beatles, from Scott Joplin to Michael Jackson, and from around the world – it’s a safe bet you will feel like dancing.
The concert, which begins at 7:00 at the Maritime Heritage Centre, is short enough to please children, their parents and their grandparents, with refreshments prepared by band members as a bonus.
There’s nothing on this program that isn’t an audience pleaser, but music from Grease and Mama Mia will have everyone tapping their toes. A selection of music by the Beatles includes heavy rock, swing, bossa nova, Dixieland, and a lovely ballad with a solo by Roger Kirk on flugel horn.
Colourful traditional dances were source of inspiration for European composers, like Brahms and Dvorak. Dances from Hungary, Bohemia and Bulgaria will be featured, as well.
Three teenagers make up the band’s percussion section and they will certainly be busy during the Michael Jackson Spectacular. Other items on the program include the soulful Blue Mambo, Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance, Joplin’s The Entertainer, Chattanooga Choo Choo, and Offenbach’s Can–Can.
The Campbell River Community Band is celebrating its twenty-second year. The founding director, Celine Ouellette, now plays in the horn section, and another earlier director, Phil Cassidy, is in the trombone section.
Current conductor Kolya Kowalchuk is well known in the Campbell River area, where he grew up. He is the music teacher at École Phoenix Middle School and École des Deux Mondes.
Admission to the concert is by donation at the door, to help defray the considerable cost of rental of the band room at Carihi, insurance, and music.