Interview with Jon Law

Jon Law
Manager
Peterborough Concert Band

Vital Community Link

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I feel that such a group is a vital link to a community. It helps promote fellowship, economic strength and provides a forum for the community citizens and visitors alike. I asked Mr. Law if he thought the Peterborough Concert Band is an important part of our society today and what role do you see as its importance? He tells us that … “Concert bands like this one are vital. They provide a place for musicians to grow after formal education and can be a stepping stone to a fully professional career”. I asked him to tell us about the importance of youth today and their role of being in “the band”. He states that … “It is absolutely important and we encourage youth. We always include some music younger audiences will enjoy. We have several high school aged members, and when they go off to college or university, their place in the band is waiting for them when they are home for the summer or are finished their education”. As many of you know, I like to get THE INSIDE SCOOP! I asked Jon if he could us the “scoop” about the process of booking the Peterborough Concert Band’s performances …“Choosing a date, to the location, to the content for each Concert. Gigs come to me in many ways. The first are our annual dates like the St John’s Anglican Church Strawberry Social which the Band has done since the Strawberry Social started. The second is organizers contacting us; this could be a new festival or another group looking for a joint concert. The last way is the Band contacting events when there are important dates in our calendar not filled by the other ways. We need a space large enough for 40 people plus our percussion about 20 to 30 feet from the audience. The program is built by the person who will be conducting the show and will always contain as much variety as can be fit into the show. Inquiring about a date is as simple emailing me at jlaw8@bell.net or calling me at 705-876-8773”. You can also view the Peterborough Concert's Band website at http://www.peterboroughconcertband.ca/I recommend taking the time to hear the“Peterborough Concert Band – Celebrating over 150 of musical excellence playing music from Beethoven to Glee”.

Interview with Jon Law

Jon Law
Manager
Peterborough Concert Band

Band Manager Jon Law (Part 2)

Not only are “back up plans” important and “contingency plans critical”, it is also wise to have “layout reconfigurations” ready at hand. For many festivals and events, it is critical to have volunteers! I asked Mr. Law "how many volunteers do you require for your Concerts and do you have any systems in place to keep them happy”. He replies … “Our volunteers are our members. I make sure the truck is there and that our host has chairs out for us and they gladly take care of the rest”. With the exception of chairs, the band comes in a delivery truck. We also have our own sound system". I wondered if the Peterborough Concert Band Manager had any ideas about how to “keep things fresh” for the patrons and performers alike? As mentioned before, the Band can perform music from Beethoven to Glee. Jon states that … “Our folder is changed a lot during the winter months and contains enough music for about 2 completely unique shows”. I was wondering how many people were active with the Concert Band, we did mention the ages of the members, but I also wondered what the criteria was to belong to the Band. The Peterborough Concert Band … as Jon tells us is “currently have 40+ active members ranging in age from 15 to 80 and beyond. We accept anyone who can handle the level of music we play. There is a trial period for new members to make sure they fit well with the band”. We practice once a week from September to mid August”.
(Conclusion of this interview next week)

Interview with Jon Law

Jon Law
Manager
Peterborough Concert Band

Band Manager Jon Law (Part 1)

As Manager, and to share some SCOOP, I asked Jon to tell us about logistical challenges … dealing with outdoor elements, parking issues, band members not attending at the last moment, etc? He replies … “If the gig is to be outside, we like to have an indoor alternative if possible. We obviously cannot play if it is too windy or raining. We need to be able to get our truck close to the stage. Moving all our percussion equipment any great distance is very challenging. We also need enough parking for our members. Members not attending at the last moment are a very rare thing for us; we have a sufficient member base to cover anything truly unexpected”. When we had arrived at the concert, it seemed well organized. The band was up in the Gazebo playing and the audience was spread out throughout the park in lawn chairs, on blankets with umbrellas for shade or under the trees at picnic tables. There didn’t seem to any challenges. I wondered if there ever were some of the challenges that the “audience” does not see. In addressing Jon’s concern about the challenges of “moving all our percussion equipment any great distance” … we did notice that the Peterborough Concert Band’s van was parked beside the Gazebo. Jon told me other challenges …“The biggest challenge is usually space and making sure the band is set up for the best sound for the audience. The second biggest is instrumentation. Not all our members can make every concert. Luckily we have a large percentage that plays more than one instrument”. The SCOOP here the Manager says is saying …“We have a few preset layouts for the band that we pick from depending on the space and its acoustics”. This tip might help other organizers or coordinators!
(To Be Continued)

Interview with Jon Law

Jon Law
Manager
Peterborough Concert Band

The Peterborough Concert Band

Now that is some SCOOP that shows commitment to community involvement! Back to the Peterborough Concert Band. We were treated to a concert at the Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough. The highlight for me was a piece of music performed by the entire band that was composed by Jon Law. I wondered how he came up with such an amazing arrangement. Jon tells me, “The Otonabee March was written over ten years ago and didn’t really have a title and had never been performed. Our lead conductor Peter Sudbury was more than willing to have the band play it and it found its way into our concert folder”. I asked Jon if he had a favorite performance piece and why? He replies … “In this year’s folder it’s our big “wow” number “Malaguena” from the Adalucian suite. The arrangement we play shows everything that makes us a great band, dynamics, technical challenges, and soloists”. Jon also shares that his favorite composer is … “Hands down, Sir Arthur Sullivan, and not just for his well known works with W.S. Gilbert for the Savoy Theatre. He wrote some amazing pieces, including one for his dying brother”. As Manager of the Peterborough Concert Band, I wondered what Jon’s duties were prior to and during a production. Jon states simply … “As the manager I arrange for our gigs, negotiate fees, and make sure we have a large enough space for both band and audience. The day of the gig I make sure our truck arrives an hour ahead of the gig so we can set up and be ready to start warming up 30 minutes ahead of the gig”.
(To Be Continued)