Manitoba Honour Bands

The MBA's annual provincial honour band program (established 1976) provides an opportunity for outstanding junior, intermediate and senior instrumentalists to gather for an enriching and inspiring three-day concert band experience. Manitoba students are eligible to audition for Manitoba's Honour Bands. The applicant, their band director or private instructor must be a MBA member. Students are selected on the strength of their recorded audition which includes several scales and two etudes.

The Senior Honour Band (for students in grade 9-12) will be held on October 30 and November 4-6, 2010. The Junior Honour Band (for students up to grade 8) and Intermediate Honour Bands (grade 9 & 10) will be held April TBA and May 5-7, 2011.

Senior Honour Band Report

The 2009 Senior Honour Band was a great success, capped by an enthusiastically received concert Saturday evening, November 7, 2009 at Jubilee Place.  Cynthia Johnston Turner of Cornell University (New York) conducted the Senior Honour Band.  She was able to work wonders with the ensemble in a very short period of time and the results at the concert were very impressive indeed!  Cynthia was challenging, patient and inspiring and everyone learned a lot from his work.  Congratulations to Cynthia and to all the students! Repertoire rehearsed and performed by the Senior Honour Band (listed in performance order) included:

Cathedrals – Kathryn Salfelder
Lux Aurumque – Eric Whitacre
Colorado Peaks – Dana Wilson
The Hounds of Spring — Alfred Reed

The Brandon University Symphonic Band conducted by Wendy McCallum opened the concert with performances of Outdoor Overture by Aaron Copland, Concertino by Carl Maria von Weber with soloist Catherine Wood, and The Dragon’s Tail by Patrick Carrabré.

My sincere thanks to all the many volunteers who helped make this event the success it was, and especially to Cheryl Ferguson and the MBA members who helped with sectional rehearsals. Special thanks are also due to John Balsillie and St. John’s Music, Andrew Klassen and the folks at MBCI, and the U of M Faculty of Music.  Finally, a great thank you to Maestro Ken Epp for his efforts on behalf of us all. - Fraser Linklater, Honour Band Chairperson

Junior and Intermediate Honour Band Report

A successful 2009 Junior and Intermediate Honour Band weekend was capped by a public concert Saturday evening May 2 at North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church. Alexis Silver of Sisler High School in Winnipeg conducted the Junior Honour Band while Sharon Fitzsimmins from Barrie, Ontario conducted the Intermediate Honour Band.  Both conductors worked wonders with their young charges in a very short period of time and the results at the concert were very impressive indeed!  Alexis and Sharon were challenging and inspiring and everyone learned a lot from their work. Sold out concerts and standing ovations! Congratulations to both conductors and to all the students!

The Junior Honour Band repertoire included:
Pictures at an Exhibition — Modeste Mussorgsky / arranged by Michael Sweeney
A Shaker Gift Song — Frank Ticheli
African Spirit Dance — John O’Reilly
Colonel Bogey March — Kenneth Alford / arranged by Mark Williams

Repertoire performed by the Intermediate Honour Band included:
Overture for Winds — Charles Carter
Processional of the Aliens — Nancy Telfer (Canadian)
Linden Lea — Ralph Vaughan Williams / arranged by John Stout
Strike Up the Band! — George Gershwin / arranged by Warren Barker
When Angels Weep — David Shaffer

My sincere thanks go out to all the many volunteers who helped make this event the success it was, especially to Cheryl Ferguson.  Special thanks are also due to St. John’s Music, Andrew Wahl and the folks at Elmwood High School, Phil Corrin and the folks at Garden City Collegiate, to the U of M Faculty of Music and to Ginny Helmer for acting as MC. Finally, a great thank you to Maestro Ken Epp for his efforts on behalf of us all. - Fraser Linklater, Chairperson