Community Band looking for a few more members

band campBy Stephen Dafoe

Morinville – With a core of four solid musicians working on a repertoire of pop numbers, the Morinville Community Band is looking to take the show on the road this summer – at least around the community. The present problem is if the drummer gets sick or the bass player takes a holiday, the band loses a chunk of its groove. A missing vocalist means an instrumental set. A missing guitarist means the band is down to bass line and percussion.

Started last fall as a beginner’s band, the partnership between Morinville’s Community Services Department and Smith Music has resulted in two successful 10-week sessions that have spawned an advance band looking to do some gigs around town. For that to happen, the number needs to grow to about double.

“Getting more members for the band is crucial to be able to have enough musicians to make it self-sustaining and also to be able to cover the amount of events for the band,” said Community Band facilitator Paul Smith. “We need to be able to have a band that functions year round. We’re wanting eight to 10 members.”

Smith said the band meets Wednesday nights at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre from 7 to 9 p.m., and the group is hoping to see plenty of musicians show up to show what they can do. “We’re looking for musicians with a good team spirit, a decent command of the instrument, and that are willing to learn,” he said. “We’re kind of looking for people that are at the level that they can have a band in their garage. My job is to get the band off the ground.”

The band is playing pop tunes and currently has guitar, bass, drum and a violinist. Smith said the band is in need of a couple of vocalists and a second drummer but all are welcome to come out to one of the Wednesday night sessions to audition. Cost of the program is $15 per week.

But there is more to the idea of the band than some local musicians playing some local gigs. For the town, the concept forms part of the social fabric of the community. Morinville’s Cultural Services Manager, Laurie Stalker, said the Community Band is a great thing because it gives residents an opportunity to participate in an artistic activity. “It’s wonderful to have shows to go to and be an audience member, but I think the real value of arts and culture is being able to participate in it,” Stalker said. “By extending this program, we give that opportunity to the members of the band (and the potential members of the band) to not only learn a repertoire that’s at a fairly high calibre but also to perform.”

For more information about taking part in the Community Band, contact Paul Smith at 780-862-0340 or Laurie Stalker at 780-939-7838.

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