One of Canada’s most renowned brass bands will be performing an assortment of unforgettable music from the British Isles at the Imperial Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 5, as the Weston Silver Band inaugurates the Sarnia Concert Association’s 87th season.
Under the baton of music director Larry Shields, the Weston Silver Band – a 28-member, Toronto-based ‘British-style’ brass band which is celebrating its 100th season – consists of some of the country’s most gifted and accomplished brass players, virtuosos as technically adept as entertaining to watch.
Known for their captivating stage shows and dazzling soloists, the band is set to perform a variety of familiar favorites along with some hidden gems – as well as some beautifully re-worked classics from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
General manager Theresa MacDonald said the band is honored to be kicking off the Sarnia Concert Association’s 2022-23 season and thrilled to be making their first-ever appearance in Sarnia.
MacDonald said audiences will thoroughly enjoy both the music as well as the stories behind the songs, which will include everything from Penny Lane to the Welsh classic Men of Harlech to the Weston Silver Band euphophonist extraordinaire Robert Miller’s take on Rule Britannia.
“It’s a little bit of a musical tour through the British Isles – we’ll be performing music from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We’ll be performing some very recognizable pieces and we’ll be putting some new spins on some familiar tunes as well,” she said. “I think they’ll be entertained with the stories behind some of the unfamiliar tunes from specific countries.
“The band is a very specific kind of ensemble – it’s called a British brass band, so there’s a very strict instrumentation. I think that’s an unusual thing for people to hear as well. The instrumentation is very unique and makes a unique sound – most people who hear the band for the first time are pretty amazed by the colorings that it has,” MacDonald added. “It has no trumpets and no French horns and no strings attached, as we say.”
Along with getting the chance to listen to some great music, audiences will also get the opportunity to experience the band’s storied sense of humour, MacDonald said.
“It has lots of audience involvement, we have some virtuoso soloists who perform as well – that always brings gasps from the audiences,” she said. “And it’s a lot of fun – we have a reputation for our sense of humor, so it’s going to be a fun night.”
With the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II, the British Isles-themed show takes on an added significance. The band is also proud to represent a band that has been entertaining national and international audiences for a century, MacDonald said.
“It’s our 100th anniversary this year – technically it was last year, but (we couldn’t celebrate) because of COVID, so we’re very happy to be representing this ensemble that has been around for such a long time,” she said. “We’re also very excited to perform in Sarnia for the first time.”
Tickets for the Weston Silver Band’s Oct. 5 show are available at the Imperial Theater Box Office (168 Christina St. N.), by phone at 519-344-7469 or online at www.imperialtheatre.net. The show begins at 7:30 pm
For more information about the Sarnia Concert Association, its upcoming shows or to purchase a subscription for the 2022-23 season, visit www.sarniaconcertassociation.ca.