Hannaford Street Festival of Brass

Following three busy days of recording, the Canadian Staff Band (Bandmaster John Lam) was the featured band for the Saturday evening concert held on 10 April 2010 in conjunction with the Hannaford Street Silver Band 7th Annual Festival of Brass. The program was the culmination of a day of performances entitled the “Community Showcase”, featuring seven brass bands.

Items from the Staff Band during the evening concert included Hallelujah! (James Curnow), Festive Overture (Dmitri Shostakovich, arr. William Gordon), Lowell Anniversary (Stephen Bulla) and Morley Calvert’s classic Canadian Folk Song Suite. Soloists Steve Pavey (euphonium) and Leigh Rowney (xylophone) presented A Joy Untold (Terry Camsey) and Joyous Rhythm (Grainger), respectively.

The featured guest for the Festival of Brass weekend was renowned trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizzutti. During the Saturday concert, Vizzutti played his own composition, The Rising Sun, accompanied by the Staff Band. The performance was awe-inspiring, leaving both band and audience breathless. Vizzutti’s flawless renditions on piccolo trumpet, flügelhorn and standard trumpet – including some very impressive cadenzas – left everyone spellbound with what seemed like a completely effortless presentation, leaving no doubt as to why he is considered one of the greatest trumpeters of our time.

At the conclusion of the program, the Staff Band was honored to have Mr. Vizzutti sit in with the solo cornet section for the performance of Vitae Aeternum, a tour-de-force conclusion to a night of music that will be remembered for years to come.