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.
