Maybe there’s some life left in that tuba, trombone, or trumpet that’s been gathering dust in the closet since high school after all.
Eddie Atherton, a trumpeter, and his wife, Mary, who plays trombone, are looking for brass, percussion and woodwind players seeking the kind of fun that comes with playing in a band.
The Athertons love affair with community bands dates back to the 20-plus years they lived in the Okanagan.
“The high school didn’t have a jazz band,” Eddie explained. “We wanted to expose our kids to that kind of music, so we started The Lake Country Big Band, which became a big success. We’ve been in Sooke for four years and still enjoy playing, so we decided to try and get a community band started here.
“We find many people who played in the past and have an instrument tucked under their bed who might like to join a band. Our focus is on concert band players who can play some jazz and a variety of other styles,” Atherton said.
There is no cost or other strings attached to joining, other than the ability to read music.
Band drop-in nights begin in April on Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The first three sessions are at Journey Middle School on April 6, 13, and 20. After that, sessions will move to Edward Milne Community School.
“Lorna Bjorklund, the music teacher at Edward Milne Community School, was extremely helpful in arranging rehearsal space,” Atherton said.
Anyone interested in attending should email the Athertons at etmg@shaw.ca.
news@sookenewsmirror.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
