Star of the evening was undoubtedly Armas Maiste who brought out all the great qualities of the Yahama grand piano kindly provided by Ottawa Pianos for the evening concert.  Armas was for many years the principle pianist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the NACO in Ottawa.  Following a beautiful rendition of Chopin`s Fantasie Impromptu, Armas brought the house down with a selection of Blues and Jazz.  Other performers included the Barrhaven United Church Choir under the direction of Barbara Ackinson, Miriam Fitzgerald Celtic harp, Shirl Kennedy, Don McIntyre, Marlene Basarab, and The Illustrious Church Orchestra.   The evening was a grand success for a grand cause!

All the World Loves a Clown!

Buzzing is hard work

Having mastered buzzing on the mouthpiece the young students then got to play the fanfare trumpets.  In small groups of 5 or 6 students were given individual coaching by a member of Manotick Brass.  Everyone quickly learned to get a sound out of the trumpets and a number of students managed to blow several notes.  Having mastered the trumpet the students came together in groups of 4 to play their own fanfare.  Toy soldier hats added to the ceremonial atmosphere. 

Is that sound really me?

Following a question and answer period everyone put on some Mexican attire and was given a hand percussion instrument.  The lively Mexican Folk Song finale involving the entire class really brought home the message that music is fun!  Throughout the 2 workshops the hallways of the school resounded to the sound of brass music and drew a number of other class teachers in to inquire about presentations to their classes.

Music is Fun!

The visit is being arranged and coordinated by Manotick Brass manager, Martin Luce, who was born and raised in Jersey.  Several concerts are in the planning stage including the “Thursday Night is Music Night” concert at Georgetown Methodist Church, a Thursday lunch time concert at St. Helier Town Church, a fund raising concert at St. Martin’s Methodist Church and participation in a Sunday morning worship service at St. Helier Methodist Centre.  On Saturday September 22 the Manotick Brass will be playing at the Grand Hotel for a special celebration to mark the 30th anniversary of the La Ronde Concert Band. 

In preparation for the visit Manotick Brass has commissioned a number of special arrangements.   Two of these “A Walk By the Sea” and “The Wild, Wild West” were given their first public performance at a special fund raising concert at Barrhaven United Church at 7:30 pm on Saturday April 21.  A newly acquired piece for the Jersey trip “Who Let the Cows Out?” was also given its first performance at the concert and was an instant hit with the audience. 

Who Let the Cows Out?

During its concerts in Jersey Manotick Brass will be showcasing musical numbers from existing programs as well as a new program titled “Memories of Jersey”. This will be a musical journey down memory lane highlighting memories of a young child in Jersey during the post war years through the early 1950s.

The Manotick Brass members participating in the visit are Kazimier Samujlo and Chris Sandes, trumpets; Christine Hansen, French horn; Martin Luce, trombone and Harold Floysvik, tuba.  The group will arrive in Jersey from Canada on Monday September 17 and stay until October 1^st. 

Manotick Brass left to right: Martin Luce, Chris Sandes, Harold Floysvik, Kazimier Samujlo and Christine Hansen

Also participating in the program was the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Choir and The Intermittents, an entertaining group of male gospel singers.  The Manotick Brass was joined by Paula Lundrigan for two arrangements for organ and brass.  These were “Nun Danket alle Got by J. S. Bach and a rousing arrangement of the Easter Hymn from the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana”. 

The concert was well received by the audience with the Manotick Brass playing an encore.  Sales of the 2 Manotick Brass CDs were brisk.  

Listen to There’s No Business Like Show Business recorded during the Pembroke cocert.

Adding Cuban sunshine to the Pembroke concert

 Listen to: Brazil recorded live 2011 and join in the conga!   

Upon arrival in Varadero, our group was warmly greeted at the airport by our hosts – an auspicious omen of the hospitality we would receive throughout our visit. Among those receiving us was the pastor of the Dore Valentin Presbyterian Reform Church, who had volunteered to coordinate the visit through the Cuban Council of Churches.  He proved to be a true “man for all seasons” – inspiring religious leader, expert tour guide, chauffeur, gracious host and, perhaps most importantly, very good friend to the visitors. 

Donations of musical instruments (including trombones, trumpets, clarinets, violins, guitars, a French horn, saxophone and keyboard), musical accessories, as well as much-appreciated cash came from people throughout the area.  Instruments in need of repair were looked after by MUSICARE, usually free of charge.  Transportation of these gifts was a daunting task.  Seven suitcases full of instruments made the journey without extra charges, thanks to the generosity of Sunwing Airline and Algonquin Travel.  

Performances were staged in churches of various denominations in Varadero, Matanzas, Cardenas and Havana.  In Havana, we also played at a nursing home, run by the Roman Catholic Church.  The audiences were treated to a  repertoire of Latin and Canadian music, much of it with a gospel theme.  All of the music was received enthusiastically, but in every case, the strongest emotional reaction was saved for  El Mambi, a traditional Cuban melody arranged by Ottawa composer and arranger E.F. Lloyd Hiscock. A large number of the senior audience members sang along and many shed tears.  Listen to El Mambi recorded live in Cuba.

One of the main purposes of the trip was to visit the Matanzas School of the Arts.  The 398 students at this school follow a regular curriculum in addition to an intensive program of either music or dance.  Upon our arrival, the pupils, who were lined up along the outside steps and on the second-storey balconies, gave the visiting Canadians a reception of rock-star proportions.   

Reception on arrival at Matanzas Arts School

 The joy continued during an outdoor concert featuring staff and students, including dancers and musicians.  The Manotick Brass reciprocated enthusiastically with an assortment of lively music.   Later, in the office of the school’s director, we realized one of the main objectives of the trip:  the presentation of the instruments brought from Canada.  The director was moved to say that on that day they had received more instruments than they had been given over a span 27 years.  

Delivering the musical instruments

Leading up to the trip, fund-raising concerts received excellent publicity, with articles in the Manotick Messenger, EMC and the Ottawa Citizen, as well as a documentary made by a student at Algonquin College.  Interviews with trumpet player Kazimier Samujlo, which aired on CBC Radio One and North Country Public Radio in Canton NY, also helped boost attendance.

The above was reproduced from an original article by Theresa Kelly

For more pictures of Manotick Brass in Cuba go to Cuba Gallery