The Guelph Concert Band is hard at work preparing for our next concert: "A Sentimental Journey". Come join us on February 24th at the River Run Centre for an afternoon featuring music from the 1940s to 1970s from the Golden Age of Swing to R&B and Rock and Roll!

We are excited to welcome special guest performers Andrew Craig and Michael Austin Harris.
​

Join us for a great set of traditional Christmas music. With special guest performances from Mitchell Woods P.S, John F. Ross C.V.I, St. John’s-Kilmarnock School. 

Also joining us for a special performance is world renowned jazz piano prodigy Alex Padureanu. Check him out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaU2c-0_k9E  

On February 25, 2018, Guelph Concert Band hits the River Run Centre Main Stage to bring you Broadway Showstoppers. You'll forget you're not in New York as our local musicians and guest artists perform selections from some of the top musicals of all time!

Under the direction of our energetic artistic director and conductor Chris Cigolea, the band can't wait to get on the main stage with our guests to perform this one-time only show at the River Run Centre.

Guest singers and professional theatre artists Kelly Holiff and Jeigh Madjus will be featured on several pieces, with backup vocalists helping to bring lyrics to life. A stunning cast of local dancers will perform original choregraphy on select pieces. One of our own members, Patrick Stiles (tenor sax) is himself a musical theatre professional and has put a ton of work into coordinating this fabulous show.

We invite you to read on below about a few of the musicals we'll be performing selections from, written by band member Steven Oliver (alto sax).

Be sure to pick your favourite seats - buy your tickets to Broadway Showstoppers now!

Funny, sexy and bold, the musical is set in prohibition-era Chicago. The story of  corruption, criminal justice, and the concept of the 'celebrity criminal', is inspired by actual crimes reported on by journalist Maurine Dallas Watkins, who wrote the 1926 play on which the musical was based.

Debuting in 1975, Chicago first ran for 2 years.  It was revived in 1996 and is now the second longest running musical program from Broadway, after Phantom of the Opera. The musical brought in 6 Tony Awards and a Grammy in 1997, whereas in its initial inception, it only ever received nominations for Tony Awards.

We are excited to perform music selections from Chicago which reflect so much of its namesake city, from the big band swing sounds of And All That Jazz to the Cell Block Tango, or the Vaudevillian savvy of We Both Reached For The Gun.

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

The Jersey Boys musical features music from late songwriter and record producer Bob Crewe, who alongside pianist Bob Gaudio and singer Frankie Valli, would be instrumental in producing 11 Billboard Hot 100 singles with The Four Seasons. Crewe would be a part of 35 Top 100 singles as a songwriter or producer between 1957 and 1975. The closing credits feature Gaudio's December 1963 hit (Oh What A Night), co-written by future wife Judy Parker. The Four Seasons were one of the biggest Top 40 acts of the late 50's and 60's and would incorporate different genres into their music over their career. Feel free to sing along if you know the words to any of the songs in this fantastic medley!

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

Can You Feel The Love Tonight? The tandem of Elton John and Tim Rice joined in the early 1990s to create possibly one of the most iconic singles to come from a film, and one that would further cement the Disney Company's footprint in animated films with incredible musical scores.

The Lion King was adored by critics and film viewers alike and won a number of accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song going to Elton John and Tim Rice, as well as Best Original Score, to composer Hans Zimmer. Elton John also received a Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance.

Our rendition of this piece will feature the wonderful Jeigh Madjus on vocals.


Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

Let It Go – From the movie Frozen, this song became a chart topping and Oscar winning pop single. Rolling Stone magazine reported a rumour that a polar vortex in early 2014, not long after the inspirational soundtrack's initial release, helped skyrocket it to popularity.

No one can say for sure, but in addition to covers by popular artists, tens of thousands of fan covers have been uploaded to YouTube, and kids from toddler age to, let's face it, their parents, still sing this unforgettable song.  

We're pleased to feature guest vocalist Kelly Holiff on this melodic piece, as it flows from somber ballad to an energetic and powerful ending.

Adapted from the original novel by Victor Hugo in 1862, Les Miserables premiered in Paris, France in 1980 as a sing-through musical of the book. Les Mis, as it has become popularly known, is set in 19th century France and the famous song, I Dreamed A Dream, is performed by the female lead Fantine. On February 25, we will perform I Dreamed a Dream featuring Kelly Holiff on vocals.

 We are thrilled to be joined by local dancers who will perform original choreography with the band on the 42nd Street Overture, Audition & Finale Ultimo. We're very grateful to Affinity Dance Arts for partnering with us and providing much needed rehearsal space!

 Debuting in 1980, producer David Merrick's 42nd Street musical adaptation of the 1933 film (itself adapted from the 1932 novel by Bradford Ropes) made its debut on Broadway.

The musical follows the story of a dictatorial director (Julian Marsh) as he tries to put on an extravagent musical production at the height of the Great Depression.

Featuring music by recording industry heavyweights Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer who were a staple in film music for much of the 1920's until the 1940's. 42nd Street would see 3,486 performances during its initial run before ending in 1989.

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

The Phantom of the Opera was based on a 1911 book about the Phantom, a secretive and disfigured opera lover who has an amorous obsession with a talented and naive young soprano, Christine.

Composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber is synonymous with Broadway musicals as a composer. From Cats to Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and of course, The Phantom of the Opera, Lloyd-Webber has been behind some of the most prominent Broadway performances of the last 40 years.

The medley we will perform consists of five main themes from the musical, including the title piece, All I Ask of You, Think of Me, Angel of Music and The Music of the Night.

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

Mambo (Dance at the Gym) – West Side Story is certainly one of Leonard Bernstein's most prominent works, and Mambo demonstrates the up tempo dance routine between New York gangs the Jets and the Sharks that accompanies this piece in the film. The 1961 film is a winner of 11 Academy Awards.

This piece will keep everyone on their toes, including the musicians playing it, so feel free to shout along to Mambo!

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

 
Don't Stop Believin' – If there is one song that everyone knows by American rock band Journey, it's Don't Stop Believin'. This 1981 hit has been a karaoke staple since its inception and continues to this day. Written by former Journey frontman Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon, this song has seen numerous covers over the years and has become more popular in recent years due to its use in both the Glee musical. It is the closing number to the Broadway rock/jukebox musical Rock of Ages.

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

Beauty and the Beast – This is another of Disney's gems that has since spawned countless musical productions for stage and film as well as earned numerous awards. Beauty and the Beast, originally performed by Canadian pop icon Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, won 5 Grammy Awards and the film took home two Oscars for its music. 2017 would see a live action iteration of the film starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens that incorporates musical elements from the Broadway production to great success at the box office.

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

Welcome to the land of Oz. We aren't in Kansas anymore and Dorothy is no longer the character of importance.

WICKED tells the untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West, based off the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. With almost 6,000 performances on Broadway and no signs of slowing down, Wicked has become the 8th longest running show, surpassing Mama Mia.

This arrangement features excerpts of Defying Gravity, Dancing Through Life, No Good Deed and No One Mourns the Wicked.

Get tickets for Broadway Showstoppers (Feb 25 at the River Run Centre Main Stage)

LINKS: Press Kit & images | www.guelphconcertband.ca | info@guelphconcertband.ca | @GuelphCB

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  11/14/2017

City Band Kicks off Holiday Season with Film-Focused Concert

On Sunday, November 26, at 3 p.m., Guelph Concert Band will celebrate the start of winter season by performing a selection of music from beloved Christmas and holiday films.

The members of Guelph Concert Band are truly excited for this opportunity to invite the public in Guelph and beyond to attend the Christmas at the Movies concert in the beautiful E.L. Fox Theatre of John F. Ross Secondary School. Under the enchanted baton of their fearless leader, artistic director and conductor Chris Cigolea, they will conjure up fond memories and joyous feelings that the sparkling winter brings.

"We all have a favourite Christmas movie or two that we just can't wait to hunker down and watch again at this time of year," says Angela Taborda, artistic committee chair.  "For me, it is comforting to reconnect with the characters, but what truly makes Christmas movies special are the memorable songs.  Who doesn't love the scene with Buddy and Jovi singing "Baby it's Cold Outside", or everyone's childhood favourite "You're a Mean One Mister Grinch"?  I look forward to seeing families out for a feast for the ears - where technology is set aside and the mind is freed to conjure up those magical memories."
 
More on the music:
The Nightmare Before Christmas – A medley from the 1993 Tim Burton musical stop-motion animated film. The score was composed by Danny Elfman, who has worked with Tim Burton since 1985 on films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990),  Planet of the Apes (2001) as well as writing music for the long running animated TV show The Simpsons. This medley is comprised of 5 pieces from the film, the opening Overture, What's This?, Christmas Eve Montage, Sally's Song and This is Halloween.
 
Mele Kalikimaka – Written by Robert Alex Anderson in 1949, the title simply means 'Merry Christmas' in Hawaiian. This song was recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1950 and is one of the earliest known renditions of the song. This song can be heard in the 1989 Chevy Chase classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
 
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – This Christmas classic was written by Johnny Marks and debuted at No. 1 on the U.S charts a week before Christmas in 1949. The song is based off the Robert L. May book of the same name, released in 1939, which has seen numerous renditions of since the books release. Most notable among them is the 1964 stop-motion animation Christmas special.
 
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – This Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane classic has seen its share of renditions since the original performance by Judy Garland in 1944. Even Garland's performance does not include the original lyrics, and Frank Sinatra's rendition in 1957 also has some of the lyrics changed. This song can be seen in classic films such as The Godfather (Al Martino), When Harry Met Sally (Bing Crosby) and Home Alone (Mel Tormé).
 
Gremlins Suite – This 1984 cult classic was one of the earliest films to combine horror with comedy alongside Ghostbusters, which debuted a few weeks earlier the same year. The Gremlins Suite is arranged for concert band, while the original score was written for a string ensemble with wind accompaniment. Written by Jerry Goldsmith, the original film score is darker, while this arrangement is a medley of the main themes from the film.
 
How The Grinch Stole Christmas – This classic score comes from the original 1966 animated film, adapted from the Dr. Seuss book. This arrangement features the melodic Welcome Christmas theme and the skulking theme of the films antagonist, You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.
 
Hallelujah Chorus – Composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, Messiah is one of the most well known classical compositions to come from religious text. Derived with scriptural text from King James Bible, Hallelujah Chorus is the staple theme of Handel's famed oratorio.
 
Somewhere In My Memory – From the 1991 film Home Alone, this feature piece was written by John Williams (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Somewhere In My Memory features both an ensemble variation as well as a children's choir.
 
The Polar Express – This 2004 animated film screenplay by Robert Zemeckis marks the 11th film that he has produced with the films composer, Alan Sylvestri. Despite criticism for the animation aspect of the film, The Polar Express earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Song for 'Believe' which is the opening piece of this moving and dynamic medley.
 
Helping Guelph Concert Band bring the show to life are some fabulous guests.

The angelic young voices of the Mitchell Woods Public School Choirs will make sure you have yourself a merry little Christmas as they perform with the band on four selections. The Junior and Senior Choirs are made up of dedicated and enthusiastic students in grades 3 to 5, and 6 to 8, respectively.  They rehearse once a week and perform at school assemblies, concerts and music festivals in the community.  They are thrilled to be given the opportunity to perform with this high calibre band in front of such a large audience!

You may know Jayme Armstrong as a top 3 finalist on CBC's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, or from her many musical theatre credits. Along with one of Guelph Concert Band's members, the very talented Patrick Stiles, the audience will be dazzled into warmth as they perform Baby It's Cold Outside - with a tap dance feature to boot.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite and at the door. In addition to regular and discounted senior/student tickets, the band is pleased to announce a new "Family" ticket option for $30. This single ticket admits two adults, and up to four children under the age of 12.

Get tickets now and enjoy this unique performance of magical movie music on Sunday, November 26 .
 
About Guelph Concert Band: Formed in 1878, the Guelph Concert Band has evolved into a concert symphonic band and registered charity, bringing live music to various venues throughout the year. Membership is made up of a mix of professionals and community members passionate about music, led by Romanian-born conductor Dr. Chris Cigolea. A musical leader extraordinaire, Cigolea is recipient of the 2016 Mayor's Award and founder of the new CIG School of Performing Arts.

Guelph Concert Band is grateful for the support of the City of Guelph, Musagetes Fund of the Guelph Community Foundation, the Oak Tree Project, The Woolwich Arrow, Norfolk Manor, and 20% Solutions.

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For further information contact:
Catherine Masi
info@guelphconcertband.ca
519-362-6013
 

Originally published in ArtsBlast on guelpharts.ca
By Katie Wilde

Today is Halloween, and prior to 1993 it was no doubt widely agreed upon as simply too early in the year to get excited about Christmas. However thanks to Tim Burton's iconic film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, we now have a built-in excuse to celebrate two holidays at once.

And that's not even the best news.

Four short weeks from now, just before we head into December, Guelph Concert Band will celebrating the season by performing a selection of music from beloved Christmas and holiday films!
As a member of Guelph Concert Band, I'm truly excited for this opportunity to invite readers of ArtsBlast to attend our Christmas at the Movies concert on Sunday, November 26, at 3 p.m. in the beautiful E.L. Fox Theatre of John F. Ross Secondary School.


Think back to your childhood. What movie meant Christmas to you? What film captured the magic of winter, the adventures and misadventures of family, or marked the timing of the season for you?


Maybe How the Grinch Stole Christmas makes your heart grow three sizes. Or The Sound of Music recalls an annual tradition of cozying up with some microwave popcorn and ginger ale in front of the TV with your mom (ok, that's me). Something more offbeat like the theme from Gremlins, more traditional like Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, or more claymation-Rudolph might make it for you too.


Music is a powerful magic. It transports us in time and space, flooding minds with memory, emotion and mental imagery. For you, our audience, we hope to conjure up fond memories, as well as all those feelings of adventure, mystery and joy that the sparkling winter brings.
Helping us bring the show to life are some fabulous guests.


The angelic young voices of the Mitchell Woods Public School Choir will make sure you have yourself a merry little Christmas as they perform with us on four selections.
 

You may know Jayme Armstrong as a top 3 finalist on CBC's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, or from her many musical theatre credits. Along with one of our members, the very talented Patrick Stiles, they will dazzle you into warmth as they perform on Baby It's Cold Outside - with a tap dance feature to boot.


Tickets are available on Eventbrite and at the door. In addition to our regular and discounted senior/student tickets, we're pleased to announce a new "Family" ticket option for $30. Not just for mom, dad and the kids, we think family is what you make it, and so this ticket means admission for two adults, and up to four children under the age of 12.


And yes, we will be playing themes from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Thank you, Tim Burton.

Get tickets now and we'll see you on November 26!
 
 

You may know Jayme Armstrong as a top 3 finalist on CBC's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, or from her many musical theatre credits. Along with one of our members, the very talented Patrick Stiles, they will dazzle you into warmth as they perform Baby It's Cold Outside - with a tap dance feature to boot.

See below for more on the Mitchell Woods Public School Choir!

Get tickets online

Date and Time
Sun, 26 November 2017
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST
Add to Calendar
Location
E L Fox Auditorium
21 Meyer Drive
Guelph, ON N1E 4H1
View Map

Courtesy of the Mitchell Woods Public School Choir

The Mitchell Woods Junior and Senior Choirs are made up of dedicated and enthusiastic students in grades 3 to 5, and 6 to 8, respectively.  They rehearse once a week and perform at school assemblies, concerts and music festivals in the community.  They are thrilled to be given the opportunity to perform with this high calibre band in front of such a large audience!

Kelly Stronach (Senior Choir) is the music teacher at Mitchell Woods.  She wakes up in the mornings excited to get to a job where she gets to teach singing, ukulele, recorders, glockenspiels and band instruments from flutes to tuba to an incredibly diverse and talented group of kids.  She has been known to play the occasional jazz and rock gig, but now is more likely to spend her free time with her 2 boys, aged 6 and 10.  ​

Cindy Brown-Leigh (Junior Choir) is a Grade 2/3 teacher at Mitchell Woods. She is new to Mitchell Woods school this year, but has previously directed both primary and junior choirs at other schools in the city of Guelph. She loves to sing with a group and is a member of both the Guelph Community Singers and the Guelph chapter of Shout Sister.​

Hear their beautiful young voices on November 26!                Get tickets online

Date and Time
Sun, 26 November 2017
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST
Add to Calendar
Location
E L Fox Auditorium
21 Meyer Drive
Guelph, ON N1E 4H1
View Map

Somewhere In My Memory – From the 1991 film Home Alone, this feature piece was written by John Williams (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Somewhere In My Memory features both an ensemble variation as well as a children's choir.

The Mitchell Woods Public School Choir will join us on this piece!

Get tickets online

Date and Time
Sun, 26 November 2017
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST
Add to Calendar
Location
E L Fox Auditorium
21 Meyer Drive
Guelph, ON N1E 4H1
View Map

By Steven Oliver, Alto Sax

Hallelujah Chorus – Composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, Messiah is one of the most well known classical compositions to come from religious text. Derived with scriptural text from King James Bible, Hallelujah Chorus is the staple theme of Handel's famed oratorio.

Get tickets online

Date and Time
Sun, 26 November 2017
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST
Add to Calendar
Location
E L Fox Auditorium
21 Meyer Drive
Guelph, ON N1E 4H1
View Map