Selkirk music faculty ready to pump up the volume
By Contributor
It’s an all-star musical line-up brought together in a special venue for a very special person.
On October 18, Selkirk College’s Music and Technology program instructors will bring together an eclectic night of entertainment at a special Faculty Concert. It will be the first time the multi-talented instructors play together at the Shambhala Music and Performance Hall on the Tenth Street Campus.
“You will have every style under the sun and that’s what makes it really cool,” says keyboards instructor Gilles Parenteau, one of the organizers of the event.
Faculty regularly put on concerts, but this is the first event in three years. Parenteau says it’s important to showcase the talents of the instructors to those who are with them in the classroom learning on a daily basis.
“It’s overdue… it’s nice to show our students what we can do,” Parenteau says.
The concert will feature instructors Steven Parish (drums), Mark Spielman (bass), Darren Mahe (guitar), Paul Landsberg (guitar), Laura Landsberg (vocal), Melody Diachun (vocal), John Tucker (guitar), Nikko Forsberg (guitar), Kiyo Elkuf (saxophone), Don MacDonald (violin/vocal) and Parenteau (keyboard). They will play as an entire group and split off in different formations during the evening.
“It will be packed with different styles from one song to the next,” says Parenteau.
The hour-and-a-half concert will feature everything from R&B to funky Celtic to jazz.
Adding to the special vibe of the evening will be that the concert is a fundraiser for Selkirk College employee Pat Henman who continues to recover from a serious car accident this past summer.
“Pat has been really connecting with our department over the years, she has a real heart for alumni and for music,” says Parenteau.
Henman is the Community Liaison/Alumni Coordinator for Selkirk College. She is also a vocalist with several recordings to her name and a well known local theatre director/actress.
Parenteau is not making any promises, but the hope is to have Henman at the show.
“It would be great to have a full house for this very special evening,” says Parenteau. “Music is an international language and it’s one easy way for us to reach out to the community.”
The MCs for the evening will be Kate Pelletier and Barry Auliffe.
The event is by donation and seating is limited. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.
For more information please email Gilles Parenteau at 250-505-5739 or gparenteau@selkirk.ca.
