Although COVID-19 means that we can’t stay together, that doesn’t mean that we have to be apart. The Saskatchewan Band Association (SBA) has just released a Virtual Christmas Concert with musicians from throughout the province sharing the holiday spirit and their love of band.
The traditional holiday concert is a major time of celebration in the band community, but public health orders prevent band members from gathering. The virtual band concert enabled band musicians as well as those who normally attend holiday concerts the opportunity to still safely experience the joy of music.
“We are very pleased to have this unique opportunity to bring band musicians ‘together’ to showcase the wonderful contribution they make to culture in our province. Students, parents and seasoned community band musicians openly expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to participate. It was pure joy putting this concert together,” said SBA CEO Suzanne Gorman.
The concert features five virtual bands with participants from 19 different communities, more than 30 schools and 12 community bands. Musicians were of all ages with the youngest students participating in the Grade 7-9 Virtual Band.
The concert also features the Prince Albert Concert Band in a socially-distanced performance and musical stylings of the Prairie Winds Community Band Saxophone Quartet. Another highlight is the presentation of the SBA Lifetime Membership Award to Larry Pearen of Yorkton in recognition of his years of volunteer service in developing band programs in the province.
“The SBA Virtual Christmas Concert really warmed my heart, and made me stop and consider how appreciative I am to be able to make music and play in a band, especially during a year when the opportunities are fewer than we’d all like,” said SBA Chair Jan Michael Bourgeois.
The concert can be viewed at www.saskband.org. The SBA gratefully acknowledges the funding support of the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund in making this project possible.
