Last Tuesday, the Woburn Wind Ensemble and Monday Band once again showcased Woburn’s magnificent musical ability at the Ontario Band Festival. Amidst the chaos of bands entering and exiting Le Parc Conference and Banquet Centres, beautiful music could always be heard. OBA is one of Ontario’s finest musical experiences, allowing some of the best bands in Ontario a place to grow and experience music at its highest quality.
Although the Wind Ensemble was given only a short span of time to perfect two very difficult and famous pieces, their dedication, commitment, and sheer talent earned them a well deserved Silver Plus. Being in the only B500 band of that day, felt like an absolute honour. Marvellously played were all three pieces of the Woburn Wind Ensemble. To This Heartbeat There Is No End was a piece beautifully played through emotion, while Lincolnshire Posy brought a classical touch to the day. The performance was brought to an end with the upbeat trills and ringing excitement of Gandalf.
Following the performance was a fun yet educational clinic that helped highlight details that would the Wind Ensemble could work on. The clinic focused mostly on perfecting dynamics, tone, and blend, and ended with a leadership award given to Jacob Plachta; a talented musician but more so a wonderful person.
As the day came to an end, the crisp white shirts and red ties, black pants and skirts boarded the bus to go back to Woburn. With wonderful soloists, and beautiful musicianship, the day was definitely one to remember. For some, this will be their last time attending OBA, but for many this experience will last a lifetime. As Aaron Copland once said, “To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.”
By Geetha Selvam
