Sequim Gazette staff
A trio of free concerts has been announced by the Sequim City Band. The 2014-2015 Winter Concert Series begins with a concert themed “Music for a Darkened Theatre” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at the Sequim High School Auditorium. The band will perform several pieces of wonderful, eerie music that invoke the feeling of fall moving into winter including Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” “Lord of the Rings” and selections from the musical “Sweeney Todd.” In a compilation of music by Danny Elfman, you will hear the themes from “Tales from the Crypt,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Beetlejuice” and “Spider-Man.” The band continues the tradition of having a community member introduce each piece and provide some interesting facts about the composer or the piece. Dick Hughes will provide the program notes.
Music of the Christmas season will comprise the 2nd Annual Holiday Concert on Sunday Dec. 7. The concert will begin at
3 p.m. with the Sequim Community Orchestra as guest performers. The Sequim City Band will complete the full afternoon of music that celebrates the season. Amanda Bacon will be joining the band as the concert announcer and she has agreed to provide her vocal talents in song form. A special guest who will lead the band and audience in greeting Santa Claus also is anticipated to be in attendance.
The band plans to celebrate music from around the world in its March 15 concert and the band will be in rehearsal from mid-January to prepare an entertaining mix of music for that mid-winter concert.
“It is very rewarding for the band and myself to be able to present concert band music from both traditional and modern composers that have come to be standards in the repertoire of concert bands worldwide,” said director Tyler Benedict. “We are able to present music challenging each section of the band during the indoor concerts that comprise the Winter Concert Series. With the acoustics found in auditoriums we can highlight small sections and soloists to the best advantage with some very evocative pieces.”
With its Music in the Park Series during the summer months the band celebrates the best of American music and concentrates more on marches, Big Band, swing music and musical scores from Broadway and Hollywood.
“We strive for a variety of musical styles and provide a mix of familiar music with the introduction of a piece or two in each concert that the listener might not have heard before,” said Benedict. “We hope each audience member leaves our concerts humming strains from their favorite piece.”
The Band invites community members who are interested in serving on the board of directors. The band has been providing free public concerts for over two decades and contributes to the community spirit by greeting Santa Claus to downtown Sequim on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, playing at the Seniors’ Holiday Lunch sponsored annually by the Sequim Sunrise Rotary and by playing at the opening ceremony of the Clallam County Fair. The band wishes to expand its outreach to the community and also involve more community members in the functioning of the band. Community members interested in volunteering in any capacity with the band are asked to call 360-207-4722 or e-mail scb@sequimcityband.org. To obtain more information about the band visit www.sequimcityband.org.
Musicians with high school level musical experience and beyond are encouraged to join the band. It rehearses on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at Swisher Hall, a part of The James Center for the Performing Arts at 563 N. Rhodefer Road. This location is in the Water Reuse Demonstration Site just north of Carrie Blake Park. Contact the band with your interest so that a music folder might be prepared in advance of rehearsal.
The Sequim City Band is a 501(c)3 corporation for the purposes of taxable deductions.
Sequim City Band 2014-2015 Winter Concert Series
• Sunday, Nov. 2
• Sunday, Dec. 7
• Sunday, March 15
All concerts begin at 3 p.m. in the Sequim High School Auditorium, 533 N. Sequim Ave.
