Winter Concert Poster

Holiday Pops! Concerts are Coming to Town

Holiday Pops! 2016 Poster

Now is the time to make your reservations for the Concord Band’s annual Holiday Pops concerts, to be held at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street in Concord on December 9th and 10th at 8:00 PM. There’s no better way to begin the holiday season than to enjoy an evening of great music and fun in the festive 51 Walden holiday atmosphere!

The Concord Band's Holiday Pops concerts have become a popular tradition. This year's program includes new music, as well as many favorites and a little something for everyone.

These concerts sell out early, so order your tickets as soon as possible. Adult seats are $25 each; seats for children (under 12) are $15 each. Seating is at Tables for 4 (a few tables for more than 4 are available on the drama stage). The tables are set up "Pops"-style, with complimentary snacks and beverages provided.

The musical program includes:

• Overture to a Winter Festival, by James Curnow
• Suite on Celtic Folk Songs, by Tomohiro Tatebe
• Rhapsody for Hanukkah, by Stephen Bulla
• Home for Christmas, arr. by John Higgins
• Heaven's Light, by Steven Reineke
• A Charlie Brown Christmas, by Vince Guaraldi; arr. by Carl Strommen
• Bugler's Holiday, by Leroy Anderson, transcr. by Michael Edwards
• The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), by Mel Torme & Bob Wells; arr. by John Higgins
• Sleigh Ride, by Leroy Anderson; arr. by Michael Story
• Auld Lang Syne, trad.; arr. by William Toland
• Great Songs of Christmas (sing-a-long), arr. by Bob Lowden

Tickets may be reserved by phone at (978) 897-9969 or by email at: tickets@concordband.org. To pay by credit card, visit www.ticketstage.com/concordband. Placing orders online allows you to select your table. Ticket orders and payment must be received by Nov. 25. Mailed tickets will be sent approximately 2 weeks before the concert. Tickets can be held at the door or mailed to your address; if you prefer tickets to be mailed to you, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: The Concord Band, P.O. Box 302, Concord, MA 01742.

Snow date for this concert is Sunday, Dec. 11, 2 PM. (Call 978-897-9969 after 4 PM on day of concert in case of inclement weather.)

Concord Band Performs to Nearly Full House

Review by Grant Anderson

To a nearly full house on October 22, the Concord Band gave a very musical and unusual concert at 51 Walden in Concord center. Musical because of the skill of the band’s Music Director Jim O’Dell and the band’s many skilled musicians. Unusual because the marches were both embedded within larger compositions: the Third Suite of Robert Jager and the Suite on Celtic Folk Songs of Tomohiro Tatebe. I missed Sousa, but these two movements tapped my feet and tickled my ears—including the unmistakable bagpipe sounds in the Celtic march.

The concert started with Boston Liberties, a band commission from 2002. Many band members were featured here by composer Julie Giroux—especially Ken Troup on orchestra bells, Carol Messina on trumpet, David Southard on alto sax, and Dave Purinton on clarinet. The entire brass section really bounced in the final movement, "A Penny a Ton."

David Purinton
clarinet

Being a clarinet player myself, von Weber’s Clarinet Concertino was my favorite of the program. That’s biased, isn’t it? Dave Purinton bravely attacked and performed this difficult solo piece. I admire him for that. Bravo, Dave: lyrical and musical playing throughout.

Dan Diamond
percussion

The night’s second soloist was Dan Diamond, on snare drum in Ravel’s Boléro. Ravel once said that his Boléro theme has an “insistent quality,” and Dan’s snare drum emphasized that insistence. Dan’s forty-seven years in the band have not reduced his percussion stamina, that’s for sure. Bravo, Dan. In addition to Dan’s overarching snare, the whole composition was beautifully played by the full band, especially the solo licks that start it out and the rousing full-band conclusion.

La Fiesta Mexicana of H. Owen Reed was another audience favorite. The entire percussion section played with full confidence to start the composition’s "Prelude and Aztec Dance." The joint solo by bass and contra-bass clarinets had a chilling and throaty blend to it. Cam Owen performed well on French horn in the "Mass" section, while the "Carnival" section was bouncy, syncopated and fun.