VGCC Community Band concert takes audience from Italy to Broadway

The Vance-Granville Community Band will present its second concert, entitled “From Italy to Broadway and Beyond!” on Tuesday, March 3. The program will begin at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center on the college’s main campus in Vance County. Admission is $5, but free for children age 11 and under.

Michael Stephenson, the college’s music instructor and director of the band, said that the concert will feature several musical selections performed by the Kerr Lake Ensemble before it disbanded 20 years ago. From 6:15 until 7 p.m. and later for 45 minutes after the end of the concert, visitors will be able to watch historical video of the Kerr Lake Ensemble performing.

Selections will include The Golden Age of Broadway arranged by Warren Barker, Ballet Music from William Tell by Rossini, The Circus Bee by Henry Filmore, Beguine Festival by Glenn Osser, and an audience favorite, Bugler’s Holiday by Leroy Anderson. The concert will also feature Ritual Fire Dance by Manuel De Falla, directed by band member and J.F. Webb High School band director Clint McCaskill.

This concert will also feature the premiere performance of the Vance-Granville Brass Quintet. Members of this ensemble include band directors and former band directors from the Vance-Granville area: Bill Davies, Larry Webb, Jason Pulley, Chris Ham and Clint McCaskill. The five will perform selections made famous by the Canadian Brass.

Formed in October 2008, the community band is a combination of VGCC students and interested citizens. All four counties of the VGCC service area are represented in the approximately 45-member band, with some members who travel from as far as South Hill, Va. to participate.

For more information, call Michael Stephenson at (252) 738-3346.

Above: VGCC music instructor Michael Stephenson conducts the community band during its first concert, held in December. (VGCC photo)