You've probably heard the Suncoast Concert Band at least once in the past few months, possibly without realizing it. Most recently, the group of adult musicians volunteered to play at Canada Day celebrations, both in the Sechelt parade and at Gibsons' Winegarden Waterfront Park, in their distinctive blue uniforms and caps, pumping out such show tunes as the theme from The Magnificent Seven.
Last school year, they played at Halfmoon Bay Elementary School and Pender Harbour and Elphinstone secondary schools in an effort to encourage younger members to join the band. Also, you may have heard them playing for residents of care homes or performing at last February's Festival of Wind Music. The 20 to 25 members of the Suncoast Concert Band are on stage regularly and have been together for 15 years now, but they suffer from what a marketing manager might call a visibility problem. Not many of the public could name the band or say what type of music they play.
A concert band strays away from classical, said Gordon Catherwood, volunteer and trombonist with the group for seven years now.
"We play more popular stuff: show tunes, musicals, jazz and swing," he said. The instruments include brass: trumpets, trombones, tuba and French horns; woodwinds from oboe to flute; and some percussion. Musician Val Anderson plays the five huge timpani drums, though you probably won't see them when the group is on the road. Moving the big timpanis around is the toughest part of moving an entire band and their instruments from stage to parade float to school gym. All the grunt work is performed by the musicians themselves in their own vehicles.Gregarious band conductor Joe Hatherill has probably had the most profile in the community, but next week he will be leaving the band to begin an adventure that will take him and his family to New York, across the Atlantic by boat to England, then on to Africa and possibly India.
The veteran performer, conductor and music teacher from Hertfordshire, England, moved to Roberts Creek five years ago, bringing with him musical experience on TV, live shows and cruise ships.He led the Pender Harbour Choir for a few years, and also conducted the Tuesday Chamber Players and a group called Sax Machine. He played saxophone with the Suncoast Concert Band under the direction of the late Lyle Carter, finally taking the reins when Carter died in 2006.
"It's a marvellous community, and we will come back at some point," he said. Many of the individual musicians play with the larger Sunshine Coast Community Orchestra. In fact, the concert band is only one of several different ensembles that are part of the larger organization that includes the smaller chamber ensemble and the symphony orchestra.
Kathleen Hovey is hoping to get the youth orchestra up and running again this year. Participation from junior members has been falling off, mostly because kids are involved in other musical ventures.
"There are excellent concert bands at Chat and Elphi, and Elphi even has a jazz group," Catherwood said.
Though summer is a quieter time for the band, the Suncoast Concert Band will perform again on Aug. 23 at Christenson Village care home in Gibsons and at Shorncliffe in Sechelt.
