Rain or shine, the show will go on.
There will be a special edition of Music in the Park on July 3 when the St. Albert Community Band brings its sweet sounds to Gyro Park.
And even if Mother Nature drops another downpour on the region, the band will play on as scheduled in the Cominco Gym.
The band—a group of 50 musicians from a small town near Edmonton—was co-founded by Trail native Gerry Buccini, a member of the band who still plays clarinet with the group.
“The story isn’t about a local boy coming home,” said Buccini.
“It’s about having a band as diverse as this community band. We have a big mix of performers from all levels and ages that you don’t normally see—it’s diverse even for a community band.”
The group is well known to residents in St. Albert and surrounding areas, but has achieved recognition for its unique flavour from afar.
“Would you believe we played for Queen Elizabeth in 2005?” Buccini said. “We were in the museum—our local museum—and we did the music.”
Buccini was nostalgic about his history with music because it all started at “the old Trail Junior High,” but he preferred to highlight the group’s talent instead of tooting his own horn.
“We have a concert full of unbelievable stuff,” he said describing several genres of music that the group often performs.
“We have a play book that we’ll be bringing to Trail.”
The St. Albert Community Band has been on tour and the Trail District Arts Council opted out of doing its typical Canada Day performance in Gyro Park to secure a show with this band.
“Who thunk it would’ve been possible and we have some wonderful players who have brought their own unique stamp to the band,” explained Buccini.
The band’s motto is that “music is for life” and a series of tours throughout B.C., Alberta and Oregon amplify their ability to engage people from all walks of life.
“We even had a chance to go to Denmark a number of years ago, believe it or not,” Buccini explained. “But the costs were far too prohibitive and we weren’t getting any financial help from the government.”
The group is always practicing and performing and can’t wait to return to another tour in B.C.
“They’re a well established community band,” said Ray Masleck the president of the Trail District Arts Council.
“This (concert) will go rain or shine with the Cominco Gym as a back-up venue.”
Show your support by visiting the group in Gyro Park on July 3 or visit www.trail-arts.com for more concert information.
