Press Release

Concord Band to Get a Hand from Concord Players

Chuck Holleman (right) rehearses Walton's Façade with James O'Dell conducting.

Concord, Mass., October 11, 2009 — When Concord Band Music Director James O'Dell was selecting a reciter to perform with the Band, he needed to look no further than the other end of the hall. While the Concord Band and Concord Players share a home in The Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street, they rarely share the stage at the same time. But this time when the Band opens it 51st season, Chuck Holleman of the Players will be featured as the reciter for three songs from Façade by William Walton, as part of an October 24th concert with the theme "Music from Across the Pond."

Composer William Walton referred to Façade as "an entertainment" and the music is marked by parody, mock seriousness, and rollicking rhythms. The text is by British poet Dame Edith Sitwell, and she was the reciter when Façade was first performed in January 1922 at the Sitwell home in Chelsea, England. The band will perform three of the movements from the work: "Popular Song," "Jodelling Song" and "Polka."

Mr. Holleman, a resident of Carlisle, has been a member of the Concord Players since 1995, appearing in shows such as 1776, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and South Pacific. He is the current Treasurer of the Concord Players, as well as the Treasurer of the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters. "We are excited to be working with Chuck," said Mr. O'Dell. "Not only does he have the necessary musical skills for this challenging work, but he brings a great energy to the part and just the right humorous touch."

Also featured on the program will be the classic Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Philip Sparke's To A New Dawn, a lively celebration of the new millenium, and Mannin Veen by Haydn Wood, a tone poem representing the picturesque Isle of Man. In addition, there will be several marches with British connections, as well as Leroy Anderson's Irish Suite and Selections from "Cats" by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The concert begins at 8:00 pm in The Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street in Concord on Saturday, October 24. Tickets are $15 each ($5 for students and seniors) and are available at the door.

The Concord Band, founded in 1959, is one of the leading community concert bands in the United States. It is well known for its innovative programming and the exceptional quality of its commissioned pieces. It presents both formal and Pops concerts throughout the year. Thousands attend its summer concerts at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts each year.

For additional information, contact Peter Norton, Concord Band Publicity. Visit our website at www.concordband.org.