Christmas concerts coming to a close

Each year at this time I write blogs promoting upcoming Christmas concerts that my wife Pat and I are involved in. In the case of the Timbre! Choir that Pat conducts, I typically write something about their program and tell folks where to purchase tickets etc. However, this year was different. No extra promotion was needed during the week’s lead up to the concert which took place last Sunday afternoon as the show was sold out a week in advance. 

Before the busy December concert season gets underway I usually put up all my Christmas decorations inside and outside our home a week or so after Remembrance Day. I seem to have started a trend in our neighborhood. This year some in our block had their Christmas lights on display before me. However, to be fair to myself, I did have a Halloween light display that had to be dismantled first. 

My December show commitments got underway two weekends ago with the Yellow Point Christmas Spectacular with 5 shows at the Cedar Community Hall. Then it was up to Courtenay to perform two performances at the Sid Williams Theatre. Returning to Cedar we performed another 5 shows. 

At this writing the cast is having four days off before moving the production into the Port Theatre in Nanaimo for 3 performances. This will be the largest venue the Yellow Point Christmas Spectacular has played in its 7 year history so the cast is quite excited.

Dec. 20 at 7:00 pm and Dec. 21 at 3pm and 7:00 pm Tickets available online www.porttheatre.com or by phone 250.754.8550.

Pat and my schedules overlap at this time of year. I haven’t been able to attend a Timbre! Christmas concert for the last 7 years as I’m always performing an afternoon matinee with the Yellow Point Christmas Spectacular the same day. However, I did get to hear the final rehearsal the day before (and the choir sounded magnificent. I’m sure those attending Timbre!’s performance last Sunday will agree. It was great to have our grandson Nathan running the sound board in the new theatre and son Cory involved as Timbre!’s Assistant Conductor. 

Christmastime always brings fond memories of my childhood and my love of trains. It all started with my first electric train set which magically appeared under our family Christmas tree in 1945. In the photo at above I’m vacuuming some dust off my display cabinets of railway hats and other assorted memorabilia. 

(Photo above): Some of my collection of railway dining car silverware.

(Photo above); My favourite Christmas photo shows my brother Terry and I looking over our new electric train setup on Christmas morning. 

(Photo above) I still have the steam locomotive from my first 1940’s era train set. It becomes part of my window ledge winter scene decorative display each December.

Over the years numerous musicians and singers who grew up in the Alberni Valley have carved out successful careers in the music business. Singers Tyler Duncan, Lisa Wallecki, Laura Langmead and, Los Angeles based recording engineer Jason Van Poederooyen, pianists Brent Jarvis and Danielle Marcinek, saxophonist Brock Miller, organist David Poon, drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen, and award winning TV & movie composer Andrew Oye are just a few names that came to mind. 

Actually, Pat and I started coming up with names of others, including those who became music teachers and began to realize we were barely scratching the surface and such a list could fill several pages. I’m sure readers of this blog know of many more. Perhaps together we could make this an online project and enlarge the list. E-mail me at barrysblog@hotmail.com.  

This month New York based bassist Lauren Falls is another Port Alberni grown talent who can be added to this list with her recently released debut avant-garde jazz album titled The Quiet Fight. I enjoyed listening to the album while driving over the hump several times this past week. If you’d like a copy of Lauren’s recording it can be downloaded on iTunes. Another name can be added as well. Lauren’s brother Trevor is the drummer on the album.

Photo above: The Alberni Valley United Church Handbell Choir rehearsing a combined number with Timbre! at Saturday’s dress rehearsal. The group performed 4 numbers on their own.

DR. A.P. MILLER MEMORIAL HANDBELLS

The Alberni Valley United Church Handbell Choir under the directorship of Michael Villette was one of the guest performers at Timbre!’s Christmas Concert last weekend.

The collection of handbells they used came about on the passing of my father Dr. A.P. Miller, who came to the Alberni Valley as a pioneer medical doctor in 1935. Under the auspices of the Kinsmen Club of the Alberni Valley, my mother Evelyn Miller set up a handbell fund to which citizens of Port Alberni could donate money to in memory of her husband. Schulmerich, the world’s largest and oldest existing manufacturer of handbells in the United States, made the bells.  

During my teaching years the bells were rung by groups of teenagers I recruited from the music program at Alberni District Secondary School. Upon retirement I had the bells stored in my basement. Three years ago I placed the handbells in the inventory of the Port Alberni Orchestra & Chorus Society and in agreement with the society, I have the responsibility of administering the loaning out of the bells on a yearly contract to an organization of my choice. Presently the Alberni Valley United Church are using the bells to develop the group of ringers who performed at Timbre!’s concert last weekend. Their director Michael Villette has done an outstanding job.   

Some weeks ago Michael asked if I could recall any humorous events from my years as director of the handbells. I emailed him the following: 

Hi Mike

This story was not humorous at the time but over the years has moved to that category.

The ADSS Handbell Choir, along with the ADSS Concert Band directed by myself and the Alberni Valley Teen Chamber Singers directed by Pat, was touring Nova Scotia under the sponsorship of a Canadian Government student exchange program. We had flown through Toronto to Halifax and then bused to the community of Truro in central Nova Scotia. It had been a very long day. The schedule called for a handbell concert on arrival for billeting parents. As we were setting up the bells the two students in charge of loading the buses in Port Alberni with our equipment to drive to the Victoria Airport informed me that the handbell music had not arrived and must have been left in the ADSS band instrument storeroom. I can't remember their names but I still recall the horrified look on their faces as they confessed. The look on my face? No comment!

What was I to do? My only option was apologize to the gathered audience that it would not be able for us to perform the program by memory and promised somehow we'd reprogram it later. The following morning I phoned ADSS (no internet in those days) and had the handbell music priority air-shipped to Nova Scotia. The good news is we were able to perform the program three days later. The cost of shipping the music was $150.00.

Prelude to Christmas

November has been a busy month. On the 14th I was in Courtenay performing withthe Michael Irving Quartet for the Georgia Strait Jazz Society at the Avalanche Lounge. After playing mostly Broadway musical scores for the last four months it’s great to get a chance to stretch out on improvised jazz solos for an entire evening.

PHOTO (above) - Playing with the Michael Irving Quintet is always a thrill. I appear to be mid-solo on piano as Michael (Trumpet) looks on. Other members of the Quintet are Michael Wright (Drums), Dan Craven (Tenor Sax) and Doug Gretsinger (electric bass). Photo credit: PRS Images

Last week I started rehearsals with the Yellow Point Christmas Spectacular cast. I’ve had the pleasure of being part of the production as the rehearsal and orchestra pianist for the past seven Christmas seasons. This year the production includes a Queen tribute, James Bond and Sound of Music medleys, plus Michael Bublé showstoppers, a nostalgia tribute, as well  as many classical hits and Christmas favorites.

The spectacular will be performed in three different venues. The show will open in the Cedar Community Hall south of Nanaimo with 3:00 pm performances Dec 7, 8, 14 & 15 and 7:00 pm performances on Dec 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, & 15.

During the Cedar run the production will move to the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay for two performances - Dec 10th & 11th at 7:00 pm.

Closing out the season will be three shows staged at The Port Theatre in downtown Nanaimo on Dec 20 & 21 at 7:00 pm and a matinee at 3:00 pm on Dec 21.

Tickets for the Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular performances in Cedar and Nanaimo can be purchased through the Port Theatre Box Office (250.754.8550 - www.porttheatre.com). The Courtenay shows are handled through the Sid Williams Theatre Box Office (250.338.2430 - www.sidwilliamstheatre.com.

Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular’s website is www.yellowpointchristmasspectacular.ca

PHOTOS (above) Turning the Cedar Community Hall into a seasonal wonderland for the Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular is a massive undertaking.

PHOTO (above) - Another gig I played in November was with the Arrowsmith Big Band based in Qualicum. The band is made up of musicians from Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach and Courtenay. The dance is held annually at the Parksville Legion on the afternoon of Remembrance Day and features music from the swing era of the 1940’s.

PHOTO (above) - My wife Pat has been busy as well preparing for the Christmas Season driving over the hump to Port Alberni every Monday to rehearse the Timbre! Choir.

My December Blog will feature more about this popular seasonal event.

“Arts Groups reeling from lack of  gaming grants” headlined a recent article by Alberni Valley Times reporter Stewart Burnett. The Port Alberni Orchestra and Chorus Society and member groups, the Alberni Valley Adult Band, Harbour City Big Band, Phil’s Harmonic Orchestra, Echo Centre Youth Recitals and the Timbre! Choir appreciated having our concerns spotlighted.

However, for the record I’d like to clarify a few points relating to Mr. Burnett’s interview with me for the article. The interview was by cell phone as I was in the midst of a rehearsal for the Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular south of Nanaimo. Not the best time for me to explain clearly how our gaming grants are applied for and dispersed.

Since the interview I’ve rethought some of Mr. Burnett’s questions and my answers. For example, without a yearly gaming grant would our society cease to operate? Possibly. The core function of the PA Orchestra & Chorus is to act as an umbrella organization for our member groups. The society through the gaming grants helps with the cost of liability insurance, purchases of musical instruments such as the $50,000 grand piano currently stored in the new ADSS Theatre, buys sheet music, sponsors workshops and covers portions of hall rentals for rehearsals and concerts, to name a few.

As independent identities, would our member groups be able to carry on, depending wholly on ticket sales and perhaps some corporate sponsorships? Optimistically, I believe they would but with reduced expectations. Ticket prices would need to rise substantially, the danger being audience numbers could fall.

Sadly it appears the BC government has decided that community arts groups in this province are expendable as ever increasing gaming funds are diverted to general revenue. The latest Vancouver Island based performing arts group casualty of this policy that I’m aware of is Nanaimo’s Western Edge Theatre Company, who also had their gaming fund application turned down. Last week the professional theatre group cancelled the remainder of their 2013/14 season and refunded all subscriptions .

Under the current gaming rules, our society is allowed to apply for a grant in the spring of 2014, which if successful, would be available for September 2014. If our application fails a second time, some sobering decisions regarding the society’s future will need to be made.

I recently read a disheartening article in McLean’s magazine that David Suzuki, after a lifetime trying to persuade politicians to look after the planet, felt he’d failed miserably. I must confess after decades trying to convince decision makers that arts and culture are the heart of our communities., that on occasion I have similar thoughts.

Did recording have some political spin?

This past summer I made a protracted assault on what can only be described as a lifetime of accumulated hard-to-turf memorabilia cluttering every corner of our basement. Carted off to the landfill went my classroom daybooks, something most teachers toss as a celebratory act of passage the day they retire. Following them were dated computer software disks & manuals, dozens of promotional demo recordings of school band arrangements, broken tools, and a trailer load of bits and pieces of scrap lumber I’d squirreled away, thinking it might come in handy someday. 

However, remaining untouched was my boxed record collection which includes volumes of weighty 78 rpm recordings of entire symphonies and decades of popular single hit material that had belonged to my parents, plus hundreds of 33 rpm jazz recordings purchased with gig money I earned playing weekend dances during my high school years. Picking my way through the collection, I came across an album released in 1969 titled British Columbia Suite - composed and arranged by Nelson Riddle. Riddle was a Hollywood based Grammy award winning composer best known for his orchestral arrangements during the 1960s and 70’s for legendary crooner Frank Sinatra. He also wrote material for other celebrated vocalists of the era including: Rosemary Clooney, Billy Eckstine, Keely Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and later Linda Ronstadt. 

Peaking my interest in the Riddle LP recording was a testimonial printed on the backside of the colourful multi-paged sleeve jacket written by W.A.C. (Wacky) Bennett, the premier of British Columbia at that time. It read: “It is singularly appropriate that a name as famous in the world of music as Nelson Riddle should be linked at last with a place in this world as well-known and well-loved as British Columbia, Canada.” Bennett went on to say that Nelson Riddle was a very special visitor to BC, a “personality able to convert what he saw in British Columbia into music.  The delightful result is a tribute to our Province and a credit to the composer and his fine musicians, as I am sure you will agree when you hear Nelson Riddle’s British Columbia Suite.”    

Opposites do attract so the saying goes. In this case, a celebrated American musician and an iconic western Canadian politician appear to have collaborated on a record album released in 1969.  Investigating further I was reminded that 1969 was also an election year in British Columbia. Could this elaborate recording in any way have been connected to premier Bennett’s bid for reelection?  Was any taxpayer’s money spent on producing the album, perhaps under the guise of tourist promotion? Interesting questions I’ve not been able to verify. 

British Columbians of my generation remember W.A.C. Bennett as a one-of-a-kind character. From the summer of 1952 to the fall of 1972, W.A.C. Bennett ruled British Columbia winning seven elections in a row. During his 20-year tenure, Bennett nationalized the province’s hydroelectric industry and put together a ferry fleet scornfully dubbed by the media of the day as Bennett's Navy. 

My favorite recollections of Bennett were the humorous cartoons drawn by Len Norris that appeared weekly in the Vancouver Sun. One of the best remembered was called “Now here's the Deal. ” It was published Sept 16, 1964, the day of a border ceremony held at the Peace Arch in Blaine to celebrate the implementation of the Columbia River Dam Treaty. The cartoon depicted Bennett’s lead-footed highways minister Phil Gaglardi at the wheel of a speeding convertible. Cringing on each side of the premier in the convertible’s back seat were Prime Minister Lester (Mike) Pearson and U.S. President Lyndon Johnson. 

Cartoon caption: 

BC Premier W.A.C. Bennett is explaining to Lester (Mike) Pearson and U.S. President Lyndon Johnson: “Now here's the deal, Phil blacktops the road from California to the Aleutians. Mike gives up the Yukon and Lyndon gives us Washington and Oregon." Pearson and Johnson appear so terrified they seem prepared to cede the territory to get out of the car.

Also I recall watching the ceremony on TV, which was staged at the Peace Arch. A great deal was made of rushing the multimillion dollar cheque handed to BC by the Americans for the downstream benefits of the treaty, to a Canadian bank to take advantage of the institution’s daily interest rate.  However, I digress.

Inside the record jacket of British Columbia Suite are twelve unaccredited photos tagged with extensive text. The photos coincide with each cut on the record.  Side One - 1. Route of the Haidas shows a BC Ferry plying the Inside Passage, 2. Peace River has the northern BC river meandering its way through the adjacent prairie, 3. Victoria shows the capital city’s Inner Harbour and Parliament Buildings 4. Cariboo - we see a cowboy sitting abreast a horse as he lights up a cigarette akin to the Marlboro Man, 5. Valley of the Swans portrays the bird sanctuary at Creston Flats in northeastern BC, 6. Government House highlights the baronial Victoria residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of BC. 

Side Two – 1. Vancouver Nights shows the city’s evening skyline, 2. Okanagan features a fruit laden peach tree high on Penticton’s east bench, 3. Buchart Gardens displays its famous Sunken Garden, 4. Barkerville has a stagecoach making its way down the town’s dusty main street, 5. Garibaldi Mountain shows a skier carving his way down the mountain, and in conclusion, 6. Moving Ahead has a photo of the Vancouver Planetarium with a radiant yellow Jaguar parked in front. 

The photo captions are all written in the syrupy touristy descriptive style of the era. For example the text of the final cut Moving Ahead reads: “As a climax to his musical impressions of Beautiful British Columbia, composer Nelson Riddle has caught and compressed the spirit of its people into melodic phases and moving rhythms of memorable quality. Here is the tempo of the times in Canada’s burgeoning West Coast Province, vibrantly alive, urgent with ambition, bright with self-confidence and warm with the hospitality of the good life shared with good friends ----a fitting finale to the series of unique emotional experience so eloquently expressed in British Columbia Suite.” 

Although it’s purely speculation on my part, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that the recording had taxpayer support in some disguised way and was likely released to coincide with the summer electoral campaign of 1969. Supporting the hackneyed notion that the best in musical arts has to come from outside our borders, the album’s instigators appear to have looked south to Tinseltown for an American big name to give the project more credibility, at least in their eyes. However that said, British Columbia Suite is a brilliant piece of program music and Nelson Riddle’s compositions do depict our province in a very special way. Understandably, being a musician my only criticism is I wish a Canadian had got the gig. Incidentally, Bennett won the election, his seventh and last. 

More musical memorabilia 

During my massive clean up of our basement I found this tiny booklet of Tariff of Rates for the Winnipeg Musicians Association dated 1921-1922. The pamphlet had belonged to Pat’s grandfather George Albert Dobbs who was a professional pianist and organist. It was interesting to read the wage rates for playing in Winnipeg’s moving picture theatres before “talkies” made silent films obsolete later in the decade. Along with the new sound technology the jobs of thousands of musicians also became outmoded. Playing from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm or from 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm netted a pianist or organist $40.00.  Those musicians performing as a substitute got an extra $2.00. Playing an evening concert or dance at the classy Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Fort Gary Hotel in downtown Winnipeg brought in $45.00. Taking into account inflation, 1 dollar in 1922 would be worth $13.70 today. Musicians were making good wages in those days.

Timbre! Choir of Port Alberni announces concert season

Patricia Miller

Timbre! Choir with musical director Patricia Miller will present two concerts this season. Both concerts will held in the new ADSS Theatre on Roger Street.

The first, titled A Christmas Celebration, will take place on Sunday, December 15 at 2:30 pm and will feature a diverse selection of seasonal music. The concert has traditionally been one of the Alberni Valley’s most popular musical events of the holiday season. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. 

Piano accompanist for A Christmas Celebration will be Vancouver pianist Sarah Hagen. Hagen is a sought-after soloist and chamber musician who has performed in concerts across Canada as well as in the United States, France, Italy, Germany and Sweden.  Closer to home, she has been on faculty at the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre for over 10 

years and is also well-known for her intimate lecture recitals in smaller venues such as the lobbies of Nanaimo’s Port Theatre and the Sid Williams’ Theatre in Courtenay. Audiences learn what inspires and drives each composer. They also gain insight into the pianist's perspective and enjoy a discussion over a cup of tea or a glass of wine. Sarah promotes a relatively informal ambiance, providing opportunity to ask questions, or voice opinions if one so desires!

Sarah Hagan

This year, musical director Patricia Miller has chosen a potpourri of both old and new carols. Excerpts from Messiah by Handel will hold their traditional place in the program alongside such new compositions as Benjamin Britten's A New Year Carol and songs by the famous British composer, John Rutter. On the lighter side there will a special guest appearance by the Russell Cripps Vocal Quartet from Vancouver who will perform the Drifters’ doo-wop version of White Christmas. 

Tickets will be available beginning in early November at Rollin Arts Centre, Echo Centre, Somass Drugs, Salmonberry’s and at the door. Ticket prices are  Adults and Seniors $15, Children and Students $5. Ticket reservations: For those not living in Port Alberni who would like to attend this concert please send a cheque made out to Timbre! c/o Barry Miller, 6601 Golden Eagle Way, Nanaimo, BC, V9V 1P8. Your reserved ticket can be picked up at the box office on the day of the performance. For further information check out Timbre!’s website at www.timbrechoir.com.

Timbre!’s second concert is titled The Peacemakers and is scheduled for May 11 at 2:30 at the ADSS Theatre. Featured will be compositions by Karl Jenkins, The Beatles, and others. Accompanying the concert will be pianist Danielle Marcinek, who has just returned from the United Kingdom, along with the Barry Miller Jazz trio. More details in the New Year.

Instead of being part of the audience - Why not sing? 

Timbre! encourages singers who would like to join a group dedicated to producing a fine choral sound to contact them. The choir is a four-part ensemble and welcomes choristers of all voice types - soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Teenagers are also most welcome.

For information, please phone Karen Sparrow at 1-250-724-5244 (Port Alberni) or the musical director Patricia Miller at 1-250-390-7508 (Nanaimo). The musical director will set up a time with you to meet privately to determine your range, pitch and tonal control. Be prepared to sing a short solo of your choosing. It doesn't need to be elaborate, anything from O Canada to Silent Night will do. You may then be asked to join with the choir for two or three rehearsals after which the musical director will call you to fill a possible opening.

Timbre! Tenors

Timbre! Sopranos

Timbre! - A Christmas Celebration 

Music Director - Patricia Miller

ADSS Theatre in Port Alberni 

Sunday, December 15 at 2:30 pm

Advance Tickets on sale during November at the regular outlets and at the door (if available). Concert capacity is limited to 500 seats. 

Patrons are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance.

Adults and Seniors $15, Children and students $5 

Concerts, movies and skiing crowded in to city visit

My wife Pat has been in Vancouver the last couple of weeks adjudicating piano examinations for the Toronto Conservatory. Not one to turn down staying in a fancy hotel in the big city I tagged along.

The Vancouver Canucks were playing their first game after the infamous NHL strike. Having never seen the Canucks play live, I thought it might be great to attend a professional hockey game. That is until I went online to see if there were any tickets available. Talk about sticker shock. Cheap seats in the nosebleeds started at $95. Sitting anywhere near ice level was priced at $206.00. Really! Do families actually attend NHL games? I decided to skip the hockey and take in a concert instead. 

The Vancouver Symphony with their musical director Bramwell Tovey was doing a launch concert before heading out on the road for a Western U.S. two week tour to Washington, California, Nevada and Arizona. I went online and got an excellent seat at the Orpheum for a fraction of the cost of watching the boys of winter, skate around the Rogers’ rink. Just as well, the Canucks got dumped by the Ducks.    

                                                                               Pianist Jon Kimura Parker 

Soloist for the VSO concert was pianist Jon Kimura Parker. For the tour Parker had selected the Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor. He was dazzling and if the concert I heard is any indication, U.S. audiences will be greatly impressed with this British Columbia raised Canadian export who currently teaches at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Unfortunately Pat was unable to come with me to hear him. Adjudicating is not easy work. The hours are long and Pat needs to spend evenings going over all the marks and comments given during the day before Purolatoring everything off to Toronto. 

Specially written for the U.S. tour was a piece called Totem by VSO composer in residence Edward Top. My ears can handle some very far-out contemporary harmony but I’m afraid nothing could have prepared me for such a mish mash of sound. Pounding percussion, wailing sirens, gut wrenching brass and edgy string sounds that seemly led nowhere. I found the composition a tad painful to listen to. However, in fairness, the work did in the final bars morph to a very beautiful closing. I can’t imagine what the U.S. audiences will make of it. 

Wrapping up the concert was Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major by Prokofiev. The score for the symphony is complex and it was a demanding workout for both the conductor and the orchestra who played the work brilliantly. 

 I had some excellent skiing on Grouse Mountain. There was a weather inversion with sun on the slopes and the city below encased in thick fog. 

The outdoor ice rink on Grouse Mountain.

With oodles of movie theatres scattered around the lower mainland I was able to see all the Academy Award nominees. The late night TV talk shows had been raving about a flick called Zero Dark Thirty so I started with that one. 

In the running for 5 Academy Awards, Zero Dark Thirty is a chilling thriller concerning the CIA’s decade-long search for Osama bin Laden. Jessica Chastain is outstanding as the single-minded CIA analyst who figures out where bin Laden is holed up. Her portrayal garnered her a best actress nomination.  It’s always been puzzling to me, if a movie has been nominated for best picture, shouldn’t the director be automatically nominated as best director? Case in point. The director of Zero Dark Thirty Kathryn Bigelow was completely ignored. 

Although not a blockbuster academy award nominee, one of the most enjoyable films I saw this week in Vancouver was called simply Quartet. I heard about the film after listening to an interview with the film’s director Dustin Hoffman on Jian Ghomeshi’s morning talk show “Q,” on CBC Radio One. 

Quartet is set somewhere in Britain in a retirement home for performing artists and named after the famous conductor Sir Thomas Beecham. The film is loaded with great music played by actual retired musicians who perform as extras throughout the film. Playing a quartet of retired operatic stars are famed British movie stars Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay and Billy Connolly. As you may have surmised, the target audience for Quartet is, shall we say mature, like myself. 

Quartet is currently playing at the Galaxy in Nanaimo. If you do attend be sure to wait until the credits run at the end showing photos of the musicians and singers in their heyday. As they say in the film, getting old isn’t for wimps. Having just seen Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Last Stand and Jason Statham’s Parker, it was a relief to sit through a film without scads of violent gunplay and perpetual car chases. 

Before I forget, while attending a film at the Metropolis Theatre at Metrotown , I slipped into the theatre showing Les Miz to have a second look. When I saw the movie a few days after Christmas in Nanaimo I felt the balance between the singers and the orchestra left a lot to be desired. However, the sound was much improved at the Metrotown venue. I could hear the orchestra very clearly right down to the deepest bass notes although the voice mix continued to be tweaked on the loud side for my taste. 

A few days after this second viewing, a colleague emailed me an interesting review written by Emma Gosnell that had appeared in the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper. The critique was titled Why I walked out of Les Miserables. Echoing my sentiments, Gosnell had been very excited about seeing the movie ever since the trailer screened that had “Anne Hathaway sob-singing her way through I Dreamed a Dream.”  

Her review paralleled the thoughts I expressed in my last blog about my lack of an emotional connection through the music as presented in the film version. I’ve read so many outstanding reviews of Les Miserables (with its 8 Oscar nominations) I was beginning to think I had a chunk of defective genetic material wedged in my cranium for even suggesting the highly nominated film has some musical flaws. 

The bottom line, unbalanced sound track aside, is that most of the actors in the film version are brilliant actors first, not singers. This is not live theatre and I need to acknowledge that’s likely why I found little emotional connection to the film. However, this was not the case with the three weeping women sitting in the row in front of me at my second viewing. 

Reviewer Emma Gosnell, as part of her article for the Daily Telegraph, had interviewed Marni Nixon an 82-year-old Hollywood musicals veteran. I quote: Nixon “is known in the industry as the ‘ghostess with the mostess, having been a singing double for everyone from Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, Deborah Kerr in The King and I and – without her knowledge – Natalie Wood in West Side Story.”  In Nixon’s opinion, “the Les Misérables film was misconceived. If you’re making a musical, you should hire singers who can act. In a musical, you want singing that’s technically good. It’s cruel to make people who can’t sing, sing,” 

Enough said. I confess, my love for live Broadway theatre taints my opinion about filmed musicals.

For those interested, the link to Gosnell’s complete review in the Daily Telegraph can be read at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/9812939/Why-I-walked-out-of-Les-Miserables.html

I don’t like to be away from the piano too long so when possible I bring my digital keyboard along with me. I use earphones so the hotel guests in the next room don’t start complaining. 

Another film I viewed in Vancouver was the Life Of Pi with 11 Academy nominations. The film should only be seen in a big-screen 3-D format in a good theatre. Life Of Pi has to be the most beautiful film of the year. It is unquestionably a technical marvel. There is a Canadian connection with Winnipeg born composer Mychael Danna receiving a nomination for best musical score as well as best song.

In support of the performing arts I’ve been asked by readers to post the following information for anyone in the mid-Vancouver Island area who may be interested.

BARD TO BROADWAY THEATRE COMPANY

Summer 2013 – Village Theatre in Qualicum 

General Auditions for the 2013 Summer Season are being held in Parksville – Shelly Road Centre, 186 Shelly Road on Sunday, Feb 03 (1:00-5:00 pm & 6:30 to 9:00 pm). Nanaimo – St. Paul’s Hall, 100 Chapel Street on Saturday, Feb 2, 1:30-5:00pm.

Singing and non-singing roles for males and females aged 13-70. Open auditions for all three shows at all audition sessions. Please prepare a 1-2 minute monologue, and about 16= bars of a song (if auditioning for musical). No appointment necessary but please be prepared to stay for about 2 hours.

The shows:

SEXY LAUNDRY – A marital comedy-poignant and funny, Special Guest Director Norman Browning.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE – A terrific, tuneful, toe-tapping tribute to the Twenties. Directed by Gary Brown & Eric Gow. 

LITTLE WOMEN – The timeless classic by Louisa May Alcott. Directed by Eileen Butts.

Role descriptions may be found in B2B’s November newsletter online at www.b2btheatre.com. For further information contact: Eileen Butts (ebutts@shaw.ca or 250-248-3782). Gary Brown (stageguy@shaw.ca or 250-468-9545). Don Harper (doncharper@hotmail.com or 250-752-3502).

NANAIMO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC presents pianist Krzysztof Jablonski – Sunday, March 17, 2013

Nanaimo Conservatory of Music presents its annual gala concert featuring international piano superstar Krzysztof Jablonski. Fresh from a touring engagement in Japan, Mr. Jablonski will present an afternoon of Frederic Chopin’s greatest hits. Program highlights include the Polonaise in A flat major (Op. 53), the Prelude in E minor (Op. 28 No. 4), and Andante Spianato & Grand Polonaise in E flat major (Op. 22).

For tickets and more information, please call Nanaimo Conservatory of Music at 250.754.4611

A diary of memories - The Holiday Season

Happy New Year to all my faithful blog readers. The email list is now approaching 400. Last week the Port Alberni Community Website (alberni.ca) added a link to the online version. I see the link has received 89 reads so far. Welcome to those readers.

The Holiday Season is without a doubt my favorite time of the year. The years during my working life as a teacher were filled with music, my favorite event each December was the Candlelight Concert that featured my wife Pat’s Teen Choirs with my school bands and handbell choirs.

The handbell set used by the student groups was purchased through the Dr. A.P. Miller memorial fund set up by the Kinsmen Club of Port Alberni and endorsed by my mother when my father passed away. When I retired I placed the bells in storage.

Photo: The bass bell section of one of the handbell ensembles I directed at ADSS performing at the annual Candlelight Concert. Unfortunately I didn’t date the photo. However, I do remember the names of the students in the photo. (R to L): Gordon Mosey, Luke Mayba, Steven Gregory, Alan Beauregard and Joanne Marshall. 

Photo above: Pat’s Alberni Valley Teen Singers performing in the ADSS Auditorium at our 30th Candlelight Concert in December of 1995.

However, several years ago I put the bells on the Port Alberni Orchestra & Chorus Society’s instrument inventory list as the Dr. A.P. Miller Memorial Handbells. Currently the society has the bells on loan to the Alberni Valley United Church where Michael Villette has been training a group of ringers. A few days ago Mike emailed me a YouTube video of his ringers performing Unto Us a Child is Born at the church’s recent Christmas concert.   It’s wonderful to hear the bells being rung again in memory of my father. 

Here is a link to the AVUC Bell Choir video for anyone who’d like to see it.         http://youtu.be/RBHzKvA0chA

Celebrating our 30^th Anniversary Candlelight Concert

The Boxing Day sales mania saw us switching over to an HD television set. To a movie addict like myself the conversion to an outsized TV screen has ushered in a feast of films through the online video streaming site Netflix. I’ll need to be vigilant and spread out my expanded viewing options to avoid becoming a couch potato. 

Living in Nanaimo with 14 movie theatre screens just moments away from our home, the holiday season means indulging in one of my favorite pastimes, viewing the latest film releases that traditionally play theatres during December. A few days after Christmas, I took in the new movie version of the musical Les Miserables. Over the years I’ve seen at least a half dozen live productions of the musical, including a wonderful production of the 25^th anniversary concert beamed last year from London via satellite into movie theatres. I’d been looking forward to viewing the new film ever since learning of its Christmas day release date. 

Sadly, I was extremely disappointed with the screening I attended. The balance between the voices and the orchestra was unusually poor, something I didn’t expect from the Dolby sound system at the Nanaimo’s Galaxy Theatre. I’ve seen many opera presentations via satellite in the theatre complex and all, with the exception of one which had an equipment breakdown, had superb sound. With the orchestra tracks barely audible and the voices excessively strident, I had difficulty connecting to the musical on any sort of technical or emotional level.

I know that the studios insist that theatres set their Dolby speakers at certain volume levels. Perhaps someone at the Galaxy got the mix wrong. Returning home, I did listen to the film’s soundtrack on my computer through iTunes and the balance was excellent. I plan to be at the Galaxy seeing some other films in January. I think I’ll duck into the auditorium showing Les Mis and see if the pitiful sound was a ‘one-off’ situation. 

World War II had just ended and electric trains were once again to be found in toy stores. In the photo above my brother Terry and myself are playing with a model railroad that suddenly appeared on Christmas morning. The layout, set up by our father late on Christmas Eve, consisted of a 4X8 sheet of plywood painted green with an oval of “027" gauge railroad track tacked firmly to its surface. Our father being a medical doctor had even constructed a miniature pedestrian overpass out of wooden tongue depressors. That simple layout expanded over the years into a major model railway operation only to be torn down when my parents moved to a smaller home after I graduated from high school.

Boxing Day is traditionally the day for our family dinner. Pat and I always light a special candle after the meal. The huge candle was given to us at our final Candlelight Concert in December of 1997. It contains dozens of melted down candle stubs that were used over the years for rehearsals.

On Saturday evening Pat and myself with my brother Terry attended the Chemainus Festival Theatre’s Christmas musical The Gift’s of the Magi. The timeless holiday love story follows a down-on-their-luck couple who go to great lengths to find the perfect gift for each other. In the spirit of Christmas, they discover that the best gifts come from the heart. The Chemainus version of the venerable off-Broadway musical was outstanding. Jeff Hyslop was brilliant in the role of Soapy. The Vancouver born actor/singer currently lives in Campbell River. His most famous role was the phantom in Phantom of the Opera in which he played over 975 performances. Hyslop is also well-known internationally for his role of Mike in the London West End and Broadway productions of A Chorus Line. 

Pictured above is the British built Hornby steam locomotive from my first model train set. It now graces our living room Christmas window frame display.

New Years Day I hit the slopes for my first ski day of the season. Our grandchildren were on the hill as well. The conditions on Mt Washington were perfect, some new snow overnight followed by a sunny ski day.

It’s 3 am on Jan 3^rd as I wrap up this blog. It’s the 3^rd period at the World Juniors and Canada is getting blown out of the rink 5 goals to 1 by the USA. Canada’s Gold Medal dreams are shattered. I’m going back to bed.