FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Presenting . . . 109 students performing in the Honour Band
May 12, 2005, Belleville, Ontario—Put together 1 piccolo, 20 flutes, 19 clarinets, 2 oboes, 2 bass clarinets, 3 bassoons, 18 saxophones, 11 trumpets, 4 French horns, 7 trombones, 5 baritones, 2 tubas, 8 string bass and 6 percussionists with incredible concert band music and you have the 2005 Honour Band of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board. The Honour Band is made up of students invited to participate by their music teachers from across the two counties.

Next week at Bayside Secondary School, the 109 students from seven secondary schools in the public school board will spend two full days rehearsing with Gordon Craig, conductor of the Quinte Symphony Orchestra. Each section of the band will have special clinics with Gordon and professional musicians from the Kingston area to work on their specific areas. John Palmer (Lower Brass), Wayne Tindale (Trumpet), Donelda Gartshore (Flute), Chris Alfano (Saxophone), Jasmin Bolduc (Percussion) and Gordon Craig (Clarinet) will conduct the master classes on both days.

The students will be preparing for a special evening concert for the public performing the music they have learned over the two day period. This special event on Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. will push students’ abilities and introduce them to the wider musical community. Mass band concerts were popular in the 1970's and 1980's under the leadership of Monty Emmerson, David Begg, Cliff Templer and other area music teachers, however an event of this scale has not taken place recently.

Selections will be chosen from:
• Acclamations by Ed Huckeby
• An Irish Ayre for Winds arranged by Barker
• Devonshire Overture by James Ployhar
• Falcon Ridge by Ed Huckeby
• Lord of the Dance arranged by Saucedo
• Regenesis by John Higgins
• To a Distant Place by Carl Strommen

Recent Stirling Festival of Sacred Praise winners, the Bayside Jazz Band and Saxophone Quartet, will also be featured at the concert.

This event is sponsored jointly by the Quinte Symphony and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board. It has been organized by the Board’s Arts Co-ordinator, Susan Davies, and Arts Department Heads Shawn Fairbrother and Greg Garrett.

The May 19th concert begins at 7:00 p.m. at Bayside Secondary School and is open to the public. Admission is free. For more details on the event, contact Susan Davies at 966-1170, ext. 2209.

For information, contact:
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, (613) 966-1170, or 1 800 267-4350, ext. 2354