Westben Barn opens June 3rd with 130 community members performing in Hynesight to Foresight

There is nothing like the sound of young people making music in The Barn, running around the meadow with their friends, having ice cream at the Concession stand, dashing over to the pond to check out the frogs, and seeing the joy on their parents’ faces as they make music.   It has always been an important part of Westben that The Barn be a place where community meets and performers get a chance to explore their creative ideas and this opening weekend will overflow with exploration and joy.  On Friday, June 3 at 7 pm at The Barn, singer song writer Ken Tizzard, along with Ken Grant on bass, will present a tribute concert to the great Ron Hynes, called Ron Hynes in Hynesight.  Ken toured with Ron and has many stories to tell about his fellow Newfoundlander, the Man of A Thousand Songs.  Ken’s own albums including his latest, No Dark No Light, tell real stories with such honesty and depth.  We are very lucky to have Ken living and performing in our community.   On Saturday, June 4 at 7 pm jazz will abound in The Barn (and three fields over) with CDHS Music Night.  The award winning junior and senior jazz ensembles will play with the vocal jazz ensemble.  Dave Noble continues to inspire these young musicians to perform at such a high level and still keep the joy of music making. It is truly remarkable what he has done for music in this community.  If you are counting, we are up to 52 performers but on Sunday, June 5 at 3 pm, the remaining 78 will burst onto the stage with the concert called “Let it Go!” This is a celebration concert of song and concert band music from marches to Disney’s Musical Frozen featuring the Westben Wind Ensemble and Instrumental Foundations bands, the Westben Youth, Teen, B Natural Choruses and the debut of the newly formed Westben Cookie Choir.  There are 17 cookies ages 4 to 8 and they are ready to sing Baby Beluga.  The Westben Youth cannot wait to share Under the Sea from Disney’s The Little Mermaid and the Teens soar in Seasons of Love from the musical Rent. The B Naturals have Bohemian Rhapsody ready to go and the Wind Ensembles have Mission Impossible and Ancient Voices all set! Whether it is Hindsight or Hynesight or Foresight or future professional musicians, the important thing is that these musicians are here now in our community.  They are making beautiful and exciting music now, not in the past, not in the future, but now.  Let’s celebrate their gifts of storytelling and music making now while we have the chance.  Support them because you want to go on the journey with them. Let their music in and change you.  I guarantee you will leave feeling more energized.  The Barn is open and relaxed and experiencing a performance in nature is a great way to celebrate the joy of music and community.  Visit www.westben.ca for details or join in the conversation on Facebook.  Connecting is as simple as letting go.

Article for the Community Press May 26, 2016 by Donna Bennett