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Message from the President
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Greetings all,
It has been a busy Spring for DCDD to say the least.
We had our a great concert in February - Intimate Winds that featured several small ensembles - details on that below.
And throughout the Capitol Pride Symphonic Band has been busy working on the Spring concert - Festivals. See the next column.
Also, the Search Committee that was formed last fall has completed 2/3 of its work. We have selected new directors for DCDD Marching Band and CPSB.
The new director for Marching Band is DCDD member Zachary Parker. We'll give you more info on him in a future eNotes. And we're going to make you wait until then to announce the new director of CPSB.
In the meantime - we have a concert to produce and recognize the tremendous work of our Artistic Director - K. Scott Barker.
Cheers!
David
David E. McBee
President,
DC's Different Drummers
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Intimate Winds Concert Success
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Sunday February 24, was cold and blustery as any February day should be. It was also a beautiful, sunny day - and perfect to enjoy the great music that was performed by our DCDD small ensembles
The Josephine Butler Parks Center is a lovely old mansion across from Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park on 15th Street, NW. A capacity crowd was on hand to hear some beautiful and exciting music.
Groups performing that day were La Reeda Loca - our Clarinet Quartet; Sax in the City - a quintet that included an exotic dancer! Also performing was Quintessence and High Falutin' - I lost count of how many flutes there were.
And just to show how much fun they are - the Low Blows a Bassoon Octet performed Fanfare for the Common Bassoonist and a medley of Led Zepplin tunes. Obviously bassoons rock!
Scott Barker said in an interview
Because it's such smaller groups, it's just a more intimate setting...
The great thing about each of these groups is that they are self-directed. It's a much more collaborative, collegial process, and it really brings out the musicianship in everybody that's involved.
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DCDD Marching Band
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It is time to make plans to join the award winning DCDD Marching Band for the summer and beyond! Our new Marching Band Director Zachary Parker has some exciting ideas.
Rehearsals will begin on Monday, May 5 as we once again prepare to take to the streets of Washington DC - keeping step and filling the air with great music and gay pride!
This year's events include:
- Capitol Pride Parade - Saturday, June 14
- Arts Stage at Capitol Pride - Sunday, June 15.
- Palisades July 4th Parade - Friday, July 4
- Central Pennsylvania Pride in Harrisburg - Saturday, July 26
For more information or if you are interested in marching with us please email Zachary Parker.
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Festivals - CPSB Spring Concert
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DCDD's Capitol Pride Symphonic Band will close out their year with Festivals - on Friday and Saturday, April 25 & 26, 2008 - A festival for music lovers.
Featured works will include Armenian Dances by Alfred Reed, Elgar's Nimrod, the rousing Semper Fidelis by John Philip Sousa and other tunes - including some Madonna - just for fun!
This concert will also be a farewell concert for K. Scott Barker who is stepping down after 10 years as DCDD Artistic Director.
Performances will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26 at 8:00 pm at Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street, NE. Tickets will be $20 for adults, $10 for students and Sr. Citizens and are available from CPSB members or at our Box Office.
Come bid on our Wall of Wine!!!
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Scott Barker Takes a Bow
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When Scott Barker takes his final bow with CPSB at the concert on April 26 it will be a milestone for him and for DCDD.
Scott came to DCDD ten years ago to serve as Artistic Director following several years as a choral director in Florida.
During his time with DCDD our membership has tripled in size and we have grown to be a recognized performing arts group here in DC.
Scott conducted the massed LGBA Band in a concert at DAR Constitution Hall during the Millennium March on Washington, and has been a guest conductor for the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington.
In 2000, Scott conducted the premiere of a work that DCDD and the Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington commissioned - Quilt Panels - for my love, for my grief, for my letting go composed by Rob Maggio.
Thanks to Scott's artistic leadership and vision - the CPSB was invited to perform in Concord, New Hampshire in 2006. And, last June, Scott lead us in our Kennedy Center debut.
There is always some pain in farewell - fortunately we will have our memories and the bond of many friendships.
Scott is featured in this week's Metro Weekly in their Arts Section Final Bow.
If you want to get more insight into Scott's vision for DCDD over the years - reread this article from MetroWeekly - Strike Up the Band.
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DC Swing! Painting the Town
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DC Swing! has been invited to return to Leopold's Kafe and Konditeri at 3318 M Street, NW in Georgetown.
The music will start at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 20. Come by for a cocktail and some delicious food and enjoy the music of DC Swing!
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