Buzz Brass, comprised of five musicians and their corresponding instruments, tours Canada, the U.S., and has even entertained as far afield as the Louvre in Paris.
Now they’re coming to Vernon.
The Quebec-based quintet features trumpets (Frederic Gagnin and Sylvain Lapointe), horn (Pascal Lafreniere) and trombone (Jason De Carufel and Sylvain Arseneau).
For their family show, The History of Music, which they’ll perform twice at the Performing Arts Centre on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., they’ll be joined by comedy actor Elis Arch. He will lead the audience through the ages, while the ensemble plays examples of music defining each period, donning relevant costumes, and baffooning with relevant antics and props.
“Sometimes you go to concerts and you’ll hear only some kinds of composers from a certain period, like Mozart or Beethoven. But with this kind of show, we can play other songs from our times, and it’s all connected by the actor on stage,” said Buzz Brass spokesperson and artistic director of The History of Music, Lapointe, speaking from the Queen Charlotte Islands during Buzz Brass’s 100-date Canadian tour of schools and concert halls.
Lapointe and his compatriots studied music together at university in Montreal. The curriculum included the history of music and inspired Lapointe to write this show, in an attempt to make history accessible and fun for everyone.
It can be adapted for different audiences: from school children to college students to adults to mixed. And it encompasses the history of western music, from the early caveman’s primal body percussion, through medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical and romantic, to modern theme songs and pop music.
“We want to make a really interesting show, not a show with too much information to catch. Yes, there is information, but not so much that the show becomes too heavy for people. It must be entertaining,” said Lapointe. “It’s a little crazy for the artists but this is what we have to do, and it’s fun!”
The History of Music has evolved since Lapointe wrote it in 2004, two years after the group first formed.
“Everyone throws in ideas, new bits of business, jokes and songs, and other bits are thrown out, so now the show is pretty good,” he said.
The group has three other shows for children, two of which are in French, and an adult oriented chamber music concert that features instrumentation only. Their 2010 album was nominated for the Quebec-centric ADISQ music award but it’s The History of Music that has won them most favour, including the Opus Prize for Production of the Year for Young Audiences.
“It’s because this is the most funny show and there’s a lot of different music. It’s pretty fun,” said Lapointe.
The North Okanagan Community Concert Association says it is pleased to host this group of young entertainers, and is offering a price concession and re-arranged seating plan for those who already have tickets, but would like to bring children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Students can also take advantage of the eyeGo program’s $5 tickets.
For information and tickets, call or visit the Ticket Seller box office in the Performing Arts Centre, 250-549-SHOW(7469).
