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Orangeville Community Band to perform in two schools

February 29, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

The Orangeville Community Band has been invited to bring music back into two elementary schools next Friday, March 8. Band members love these mini-concerts for the opportunity to show youngsters the joy of making music and encourage them to learn about the individual instruments that combine to make that music.

“Everyone enjoys talking about music and playing for the kids,” said Maryann Guardhouse, Publicity Director for the band. “Some of us actually take a day off work or re-arrange our schedules to make time for these daytime performances.”

The band plays a variety of music in a concert that does not last too long but that also gives band members a chance to demonstrate the separate instruments and explain how each one contributes to the whole sound to the students. These appearances in schools are very much in line with the band’s mission statement of “teaching and performing music suitable for all ages” by which they hope to spark an interest in music for everyone at any age.

There is a genuine emphasis on introducing music to young students and there are many excellent reasons why. Across the board, educators declare the benefits of learning to play a musical instrument are very broad, along with all aspects of musical engagement. From expanding students’ imaginations to relieving stress, the cognitive and emotional benefits of playing music, singing, and dancing, all point to music education as essential, not merely an extra curriculum. 

American Scientist stated, “After two or more years of participation, kids in the [music] program have shown an increase in brain responses to sound and in language and listening skills. The authors think the benefits of music education go far beyond what can be measured.”

In the wider world, music is an international language; the common denominator across humanity.

Consistently, the young students in elementary schools are happy and excited to engage with the performance OCB brings to them and are interested to learn how those “big brass horns” can blend with the others to make music. This time around the band is going to perform at East Garafaxa Public School for an hour in the morning. The early afternoon will see the band for an hour at Spencer Avenue Public School. 

This community outreach program is exciting for the feeling of revival. Their last time visiting schools was in early March of 2020, which proved to be their last pre-pandemic performance. Not until this year have they been given a green light to assemble and play in the schools once more.’

With the importance of introducing and encouraging budding musicians to the joys of playing with a band, OCB has a Beginning Band, inviting people of all ages to come and learn. Instruction and rehearsal with the Beginning Band proceed with the full rehearsal of the OCB itself. This has seen many students through to people in retirement take advantage to enjoy the wonders of music in their lives.

This year, the band has scheduled a full ticketed concert in May to take place in the New Hope Community Church on Riddell Road. The theme is music from across Canada, the USA and Mexico.

They are hoping to participate in the Blues and Jazz Festival on the first weekend in June.

To learn more about the Orangeville Community Band, go to http://orangevillecommunityband.ca/


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