Nova New Horizons Band end of term concert coming up
On Monday, May 14, the Nova New Horizons Band program will present their New Glasgow-based end of term concert. The annual end of term concert will be staged at Christ Anglican Church in Stellarton starting at 7:30 p.m. and will feature the newly minted Beginner Band along with the Level 1 through 4 Bands and the Cobequid New Horizons Jazz Bands.
The admission price is $10 per person and $5 for young children.
Nova New Horizons Band program founder, administrator, composer, arranger and conductor Paul Barrett will share the conducting with well known local musician and music educator Robyn Alcorn – Martin. Truro Junior High School music teacher, arranger and musician Nick Fisher will front the Cobequid New Horiozns Jazz Band and current CEC Director of Music John MacLeod will lead the Cobequid New Horizons Junior Jazz Band.
The Level 4 Band will open the program with two Paul Barrett original compositions titled “Oakland Odyssey” and “My Beautiful Colleen.” The first selection is a spirited overture named after the amazing Honda Odyssey model van and the second was written for Barrett’s daughter whose middle name is Colleen.
The newly minted Beginner Band will offer the well-known Calpyso song “Mary Ann” and will really swing with “New Horizons Band Blues.” This group is larger than many previous years and will present an enthusiastic premiere performance. The Level 1 Band is the next step up the experience ladder as they perform Nova Scotian musical icon Ron MacKay’s infectious “Silly Samba.” Then it’s into famous classical music themes with John O’Reilly’s “Evening At The Symphony.”
Following that the band offers three Irish folk song favourites: “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” “Black Velvet Band” and “The Wild Rover.” As a great ender for this part of the program the band really swings with “Rock Around The Robin” – a medley of “Rock Around The Clock” and “Rockin’ Robin.”
For the Cobequid New Horizons Junior Jazz Band this will be their second concert performance. Director John MacLeod has chosen three jazz classics for the group – the first is Luiz Bonfa’s “Black Orpheus” which is a nice little Latin tune and the second is the well known ballad “Summertime” from George Gershwin’s famous musical “Porgy and Bess.” Lastly the group rocks out with herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man.”
The Level 2 Band continues the show with another Barrett composition titled Hyclass Overture which begins and ends in a moderately fast energetic style with a nice three-quarter ballad in the middle. Following is “What A Wonderful World” popularized by the inimitable Llouis Armstrong. To end this set Barrett has put together a medley of four familiar Newfounland folk songs: “Jack Was Every Inch A Sailor,” “The Squid Jiggin’ Ground,” “Kelligrew’s Soiree” and of course “I’s The B’y” – this is sure to get your toes tapping.
Level 3 will open their part of the program with a Barrett ballad titled “Maple Grove” named after the stands of stately maple trees indigenous to Nova Scotia. Next the band borrows from The Beach Boys songbook to present a delightful arrangement of “Kokomo” which will feature the percussion players in an open solo section. Following that is the fifth Dixieland medley Barrett has written for the New Horizons Bands with the well-known songs “My Blue Heaven,” “Pennies From Heaven” and “Mack The Knife.” This portion of the program concludes with a toe-tapping instrumental rendition of the very well-known Pharrell Williams mega hit “Happy” — and it will make you feel that way.
The Cobequid New Horizons Jazz Band will perform Keith Jarrett’s “Lucky Southern,” Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments” and the classic “Perdido.” These presentations are a real step up for the group and show the musical growth happening in the membership. Band leader Nick Fisher is an experienced musician and multiinstrumentalist who does the arrangements for this group which has its focus on jazz improvisation.
For the grand finale of this performance Barrett has arranged one of the best known and loved Blood, Sweat & Tears songs from early in the band’s impressive discography. “Hi-De-Ho” is a memorable Gospel rock composition by Canadian singer, songwriter and longtime lead vocalist for BS&T David Clayton-Thomas.
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