There is a story I would like to share with you that has been heightened for Second Wind Community Concert Band (SWCCB) and myself, during this COVID 19 pandemic and I would like to share with you that something wonderful has happened.
As conductor of this community organization, SWCCB in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and the members, we were sadden that we were shut down very abruptly with lockdown, in March. The one thing that so many musicians and creative sorts from here and around the globe truly miss was creating their craft. They miss the energy of the room and the energy of creating together. Second Wind was no different.
SWCCB discovered Zoom, and we got started the very next week after our shutdown. We continued to meet on our regular rehearsal night. We soon discovered we couldn’t make music as we knew it because of so many different experiences with technology. So we decided to take one of our pieces of music for our next concert (which was slated for Thursday, June 18th at the Boardmore Playhouse at CBU) to see if we could make a recording. Each of us would record our part and send in the audio and also make a video of each playing to me, the conductor. One of our brilliant young members, Zachary Fraser, offered to receive these recordings and put them all together. We did it!! He DID it. It’s AWESOME!! and the experience was awesome.
There are so many things that came out of this and one is how this young 17-year old patiently worked with all ages working through their technology deficiencies and created a wonderful recording. I am so proud of this project and this young man, Zachary Fraser and hope you would consider sharing this with your adoring fans.
I have always told the story of Second Wind and the importance that this has for our community and for the lives of the members. Truly, we have been following our motto ‘Music For Life’ and out of this has come this audio and video recording of a piece of music based on a traditional folk song Let’s Fish off Cape St. Mary’s arranged by Newfoundlands own, Jim Duff. The chart is called Cape St. Mary’s. It has been one of our favourite things to help us through this pandemic.
I have included in this package the link so you can hear our recording, the document of Our Story and a short bio of this wonderful graduating high school student, Zachary Fraser and also an event he and two friends are creating for the graduates of the Cape Breton Victoria Regional Center for Education to happen in August.
I hope you enjoy listening to our recording as you reflect on our story and in honour of our band could you share this with your readers/listeners/circles and help us promote ‘MUSIC FOR LIFE’ Thank you again for your support.
Laura Mercer – Second Wind Community Concert Band
Conductor
902-578-9462 ljmercer57@gmail.com
www.secondwindcommunityband.com