The Terrace Community Band is putting on three concerts in the months of June and July.
On June 17, the Terrace Community Band will perform at Terraceview Lodge. On June 28, it will perform at the Skeena Valley Farmers Market. Their performance for Canada Day will be at the firefighters' annual pancake breakfast at the Terrace fire hall.
The band includes people ranging from their teens to their 80s. The music they will play includes medleys from popular songs, music from movies and musicals, going all the way back to the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Notably, the band recently received a sizable grant of over $9,550 from the regional Four Rivers Co-Op to purchase a 20 by 30 festival tent for outdoor performances. They also have received donations in kind from SNT Mini Storage, Driving Force and Brian Lockhart.
"Given our climate, we need some sort of shelter for the band," said Mike Wen, vice president of the Terrace Community Band Society.
In the past, the band had borrowed smaller 10 by 10 tents, but they were not big enough for all the musicians.
"If you are in the seam between the tents, you might as well be standing under a faucet," added Wen of performing on a rainy day. Conductor Geoff Parr would be particularly subject to a soaking because of his position in front of the band and away from the tents.
"We really want to try it out for the first time outside at Terraceview," he said. "Normally they have groups providing entertainment for residents inside their common space, but we thought we'd try something outside now that we have the means to keep ourselves dry."
New members are welcome, Wen continued.
"Anybody who has an interest in playing an instrument. In particular, we're looking for folks who, for example, were band kids in high school who moved back to town and as adults want to play again. We're inviting them to come back and play with us."
"Often, these spring performances are like our showcase, so that more people in the public get to hear us and can think about joining the band," he said.
Terrace has a history of a strong of school band program.
"That's one of the reasons why I came in 1987," said Wen. "We have lots of kids who do well thanks to community support."
The region has several community organizations that are involved with music programs.
The Dare to Dream Foundation supports Terrace's school music programs in Terrace, and members of the Terrace Community Band assist with their functions, such as the elementary band retreat.
Kitimat Arts for Youth supports the school music programs in Kitimat, and their band members assist with their events as well.
The Terrace-Thornhill Band Parents Association supports school music programs in Terrace and Thornhill. Some of their band members are part of the organization and help run the Tri-School Band Telethon.
"Yeah, this is part of what we do, these spring concerts. But there's a big picture that involves supporting the arts in our community. We're part of that, and we're encouraging people to come join us and see what we're about," said Wen.
