Archive » Arts and Entertainment

Orangeville Community Band gears up for Christmas Concert

December 7, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Bernie Lynch, member of the Orangeville Community Band, was happy to tell the Citizen that the Joyful Sound Gospel Choir, directed by Hannah, is joining OCB in their concert this weekend. The Christmas and holiday concert is being performed at the New Hope Community Church (690 Riddell Rd.), this Saturday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m. The Joyful Sound Gospel Choir will perform their selections by singing acapella, which is traditional with such groups.

All the hopes and favourites can be enjoyed with the Orangeville Community Band, conducted by their musical director, Joy Spencer. They will be playing and accompanying a number of performers, including another smaller group comprised of band members. The band is accompanied as well by band members singing as soloists and guest singers performing with the band.

“We will have a full program,” Mr. Lynch assured us, very pleased with the plans for the concert and telling us, “Part of the proceeds go to the church. The first half is mostly Christmas carols and seasonal songs like ‘Do you hear what I hear?'”

He promised that Santa will be there with some things to give out.

The Orangeville Community Band has grown from a stalwart group of eight musicians who were brought together by musical director Johannes (John) Wervers in 2007. The band’s members number over 40 now, coming from all over the region of Erin, Caledon, Shelburne and Orangeville.

Like many community bands, OCB encourages young people to learn to play a musical instrument, and their Beginning Band has its instruction and rehearsal time from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. before the band’s time to rehearse. The minimum age for the Beginning Band is 9 years old.

So, the Beginning Band takes its own turn during Saturday’s concert, which is always a great time for all, as learning to play a musical instrument is a wonderful experience for everyone.

Mr. Lynch said, joking, “They’re a noisy bunch,” adding more sincerely, “The community band before rehearsal there are teenagers learning musical instruments. We have fun and the opportunity to learn.”

After the break mid-concert, the heart-warming sing-along is wafting up memories of other churches and times of singing the much–loved songs.

One of the highlights of the second half is the OCB’s version of the Twelve Days of Band Camp, a humorous take on the traditional Twelve Days song.

As a soloist in this rendition, he said, “I will be soloist singing how we devised the 12 days of Band Camp. It’s fun and nonsensical. Each day takes how an instrument sounds. It’s funny.”

OBD’s concert is this Saturday, Dec. 9, at 3:00 p.m. at the New Hope Community Church, 690 Riddell Road. Tickets are available at BookLore (cash only, please) and from members.

www.orangevillecommunityband.ca ocb.publicity@gmail.com.

Readers Comments (0)