No
Strings Attached
Community Band
Sudbury
Ontario
Canada
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Join Our Band: Q & A... Q. Who can Join? |
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A. The No Strings Attached Community Band is always looking for new musicians to fill its ranks. Local amateur musicians from the Sudbury area who are at least of high school age, and who play (or in the past have played) a wind or percussion instrument are invited to join.
Q.
Are
there Auditions?
A. Although a low or minimal level of competency is normally expected in order to play in the band, there are no formal auditions required in order to join. In fact, some new members may prefer to just sit and listen during their first few rehearsals prior to joining.
(Photo above shows rehearsal at Churchill Public School, April 29/04).
Q. When & Where are the Rehearsals?
A. Practices are held on
Thursday evenings between
7:00 to 9:00 pm in the upper music room at
Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School.
The school is located on 275 Loach's Rd., just off of Regent St. (view
map).
It is expected that members should try to attend most rehearsals (if they can't make it on a particular night, it is recommended that they at least let the conductor or their section leader know of this ahead of time).
Q. How Do I Get to the Practices?
A. Depending on where you live, you can usually hitch a ride with somebody to get to the practices (the rehearsal location is also accessible by local transit). Usually after most practices, a few of our members like to gather together at the nearby Tim Hortons for a decaf and muffin and a bit of extra socializing.
Q. Is There a Membership Fee to Join?
A.
There is a modest (tax-deductible) membership fee of $40 ($20 for students,
$30 for seniors) to join the band. This membership fee helps to cover the
costs of sheet music & insurance (Note: the band will consider
waiving this fee in cases where the member must commute long distances from
out-of-town to make it to practices).
(Photo at right depicts Dec.14/02 Christmas concert at the Walford)
Q. Is There a Concert Dress Code?
A. The attire during concerts normally consists of black shoes & socks, black dress pants (or slacks), and a black (or dark) long-sleeved dress shirt. It is also recommended that members should try to bring their own folding metal music stands to most concerts, although often these will be provided at the concert location.
Q. Are there any other rules of "band etiquette"?
A. During rehearsals, members should attempt to watch and follow the conductor closely, and to cease talking or playing while the conductor is speaking. During breaks, members who wish to practice, should do so very quietly, or ideally, they should go to another room. Members should attempt to arrive on time to both rehearsals and concerts.
Q. Do I Need to Own my Own Instrument?
A. Owning your own instrument would certainly help when it comes to playing in any community band! However, if you don't already own an instrument, our conductor, Sandra, can provide you with advice on how to rent or purchase an instrument cheaply.
Local instrument repairer and LU faculty member Alan Walsh can also provide new members with useful leads when it comes to purchasing good second-hand instruments. As a temporary stop-gap measure, Sandra can usually provide new members with an adequate instrument on loan from the School Board for use during just practices and concerts.
Interested in
Joining?
For those who are considering joining our band, or who simply wish to find out more about the group, please contact Sandra McMillan at 523-5627 or at slkmcmillan@yahoo.ca. You may also complete our optional online form below if you are contemplating joining.
(Photo above shows No Strings playing at the Sudbury Public Library, Feb. 26/04).
If you are interested in joining the band, you may also complete our optional form below (Note: your personal information will not be published on this website):
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