December 13, 2007
Thursday AM

Ketchikan, Alaska - The Ketchikan Community Concert Band will be performing their "Holiday Band Concert" this Sunday afternoon (December 16th) in the Kayhi Auditorium. The program will include traditional band literature as well as seasonal selections. Highlighting the program will be Alfred Reed's "Russian Christmas Music," a major work that has been a listener (as well as performer) favorite in Ketchikan for over thirty years.

The music begins quietly, with intense, beautiful lines in the woodwinds followed by strong brass statements which build to a climax several times. The powerful sections are connected by beautiful extended solos played by oboist, Kathleen Light. The piece then grows to a truly colossal finish.

The program will open with a bright, joyous piece entitled "Clouds That Sail in Heaven," which is based upon the hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King." Two other Christmas selections include "Prelude on Greensleeves," and "A Most Wonderful Christmas." The latter piece is a delightful arrangement of popular Christmas melodies such as "Winter Wonderland," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

The band tries to include at least one traditional march in its concerts - this year's is the popular Sousa march "Washington Post." "From Every Horizon" is a tone poem for band by Norman Dello Joio, describing musically the various moods of New York City. It was written originally as a film score by the same name. "Eire" is a charming and colorful musical portrait of Ireland, and "Poeme" is a quite, lovely ballad.

Some of the most recognizable tunes of our era are included in "Pop Culture," such as the "James Bond Theme", "The Magnificent Seven", "The Flintstones", "The Pink Panther", "Peter Gunn", "Hey Baby", "Scobby Doo, Where Are You?," "Wipe Out", and "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

The fifty-member concert band came together in the spring of 2002. They rehearse each Monday evening, presenting concerts in the fall and late spring each year, taking a break in the summer. A third "Lightweight" concert is planned for April 12th, this spring. It will be something quite different with "The Music of Disneyland," "Chillers and Thrillers," P.D.Q. Bach's "Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion," "76 Trombones," and a load of surprises.

The Ketchikan Community Concert Band's traditional spring concert is scheduled for Friday, May 16th, and will contain more outstanding music from all eras.

New members are always welcome to join the band and more information can be had by contacting any individual band member or Roy or Tina McPherson at McPherson Music.

Tickets are available at McPherson Music, Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council, Parnassus Books and at the door. Young people under the age of 18 are admitted free.

On the Web:

McPherson Music
http://www.mcphersonalaska.com/

 

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Ketchikan, Alaska