The Athabasca Community Band and its SwingCats Orchestra jazz ensemble subdivision will be performing their annual Christmas concert Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nancy Appleby Theatre.
There are now approximately 22 members of the community band, now in its sixth year, and 11 members of the smaller SwingCats Orchestra.
Though many of the SwingCats also play in the community band, there are a few members exclusive to the jazz group.
“We have a piano player and a singer, and of course there’s none of that in the community band,” noted clarinet player Reg Silvester of the jazz group. He also highlighted a guitar player unique to the SwingCats.
“What I’m happy about this year is the community band is a lot better band,” said Silvester. “We sort of lost a lot of members, and our conductor moved away, and we worked through last year with not very many people and no conductor, and so now we have … at least five new people in the band.”
Silvester, who also plays the alto saxophone in the SwingCats Orchestra, noted there is a very strong trumpet section this year in the community band, and a number of flute players have joined.
After being without a group leader for a year, the community band took on a new conductor in September — Graeme Peppink, a high school music teacher and percussionist from St. Albert.
Peppink also conducts the Christian Music Society Concordia Concert Band in Edmonton, which he has done for 13 years. He has conducted the University of Alberta Summer Band for 25 years.
Silvester continues as the leader of the SwingCats Orchestra, with Peppink at the helm of the community band.
Peppink agrees the jazz division of the band speaks to the versatility and flexibility of the community band’s members.
“I think most of them are based out of the concert band, so they’re very versatile players,” said Peppink. “They can not only play the concert band repertoire, but also the jazz repertoire.
“That speaks pretty highly of (the SwingCats),” said Peppink, who said the organization of the Athabasca Community Band is unique in that way.
The new conductor said even in the limited time he has conducted the community band, its progress and development has been “going really, really well,” and musicians have demonstrated an aptitude for learning new skills he has brought to the table.
Peppink recognizes and appreciates that without a group conductor for all of last year, the community band was strong enough to persevere.
“We’ve already performed a few concerts in the short time we’ve been together this term, and the difference between the first few rehearsals and the most recent concerts is quite significant,” said Peppink.
Admission to the Dec. 16 Christmas concert will be free, but donations to the band will be accepted.
