Come to an OSB Concert in 2018!
Welcome to the home of the Orillia Silver Band. We are a community band in the traditional British Brass Band style who perform diverse concerts across the region ranging from the Orillia Jazz Festival to fundraising events to the Mariposa Folk Festival.
2018 Season - Summer and Fall Concerts
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The Orillia Silver Band has enjoyed a successful summer concert series with performances in Gravenhurst on Canada Day, Washago and the Aqua Theatre in Orillia. The Band also participated in the Opening Ceremonies at the Orillia Scottish Festival on July 21. Thanks to all those who came out to hear the Band; we appreciate your support. We are having a little summer break to enjoy the great weather and our then next performance will be a church service and afternoon concert in Dunchurch at the the Community Centre on Sunday, August 26, 2018.
The Band has two major concerts planned for the Fall. On Saturday, October 13, 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Centre, the Band will perform a Benefit Concert for Hillcrest Lodge Orillia, providing assisted housing for seniors in need. Then on Sunday, October 28 at 2:00 pm, the Band will visit the Gravenhurst Opera House for the first time. The Opera House is a great venue with wonderful acoustics.
Click on Upcoming Events in the menu for more details.
The Band has two major concerts planned for the Fall. On Saturday, October 13, 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Centre, the Band will perform a Benefit Concert for Hillcrest Lodge Orillia, providing assisted housing for seniors in need. Then on Sunday, October 28 at 2:00 pm, the Band will visit the Gravenhurst Opera House for the first time. The Opera House is a great venue with wonderful acoustics.
Click on Upcoming Events in the menu for more details.
Check out our Upcoming Events page for details on all of our performances.
What people are saying about us....
Dave Dawson of Orillia Matters (July 8, 2018) writes:
Orillia Silver Band Dazzles at Orillia's Aqua Theatre. The Band performed lively and thought-provoking big band classics in addition to a beautiful score (A Life Well Lived) commissioned for the Band.
John Swartz, editor and creator of SUNonline/Orillia, was at our recent Sleighbells and Brass Concert in Orillia. He writes:
"With all the great concerts over the last three weeks, I was still feeling a little off because no one had Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride on their dance cards. How can you possibly get through this time of year without hearing it? Well just before intermission at the Orillia Silver Band’s Sunday afternoon full-house concert at St. Paul’s Centre, Neil Barlow (the guy waving his arms around up front) asked the audience if they had any requests. Someone beat me to shouting out Sleigh Ride – and they played it!
The OSB also played a few other requests that weren’t formally on the program. After intermission The OSB made a couple of little girls quite happy when they played Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman, also not on the menu.
The band was sounding pretty good, and they outdid themselves with their commissioned piece, Ty Watson’s A Life Well Lived. This was the second time they’ve performed it, and even though it’s not a Christmas tune I wouldn’t be disappointed or angry if they showed up in the backyard and played it at 3 a.m. I could tell people sitting near me were suitably impressed with the piece and the playing."
Check out his new online news source at: https://m.facebook.com/SUNonlineOrillia-2201816113378562/
John Swartz also reviewed our 2017 Orillia Spring Concert. He said: "There were a couple of points when the mid- and lower brass were carrying tunes played so lushly and perfectly, the sound just washed over the audience." "Just before the intermission, they played Juno 1944, a new piece for everyone, band and audiences. It’s in four movements, the second of which is subtitled Battle. After the expertly done first movement, a cacophony of drums bashing and bleats from the brass caught me off guard....Then it hit me, battle. Composer Ty Watson lulled us all with a choral introduction that belied the approaching storm of sound. He smacked us right between the eyes, and then just as abruptly returned to – music, I guess you’d call it – a lament for the fallen. Well done, composer. Well done, band." (Orillia Packet and Times, May 10, 2017)
Mark Clairmont of Muskokatodaily.com writes: "It is among the best British-style brass bands in Ontario. The silver is gold...Neil Barlow has pushed the band to new levels." Read his whole article at muskokatodaily.com.
Mary Beth Hartill of the Bracebridge Examiner says: "The Orillia Silver Band is making its return to the Rene M. Caisse Theatre, led by conductor Neil Barlow, with “Budding Fanfare” that opens with Copland’s goosebump raising Fanfare for the Common Man" on muskokaregion.com.
Click on Upcoming Events above for a complete list of our upcoming performances.
Dave Dawson of Orillia Matters (July 8, 2018) writes:
Orillia Silver Band Dazzles at Orillia's Aqua Theatre. The Band performed lively and thought-provoking big band classics in addition to a beautiful score (A Life Well Lived) commissioned for the Band.
John Swartz, editor and creator of SUNonline/Orillia, was at our recent Sleighbells and Brass Concert in Orillia. He writes:
"With all the great concerts over the last three weeks, I was still feeling a little off because no one had Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride on their dance cards. How can you possibly get through this time of year without hearing it? Well just before intermission at the Orillia Silver Band’s Sunday afternoon full-house concert at St. Paul’s Centre, Neil Barlow (the guy waving his arms around up front) asked the audience if they had any requests. Someone beat me to shouting out Sleigh Ride – and they played it!
The OSB also played a few other requests that weren’t formally on the program. After intermission The OSB made a couple of little girls quite happy when they played Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman, also not on the menu.
The band was sounding pretty good, and they outdid themselves with their commissioned piece, Ty Watson’s A Life Well Lived. This was the second time they’ve performed it, and even though it’s not a Christmas tune I wouldn’t be disappointed or angry if they showed up in the backyard and played it at 3 a.m. I could tell people sitting near me were suitably impressed with the piece and the playing."
Check out his new online news source at: https://m.facebook.com/SUNonlineOrillia-2201816113378562/
John Swartz also reviewed our 2017 Orillia Spring Concert. He said: "There were a couple of points when the mid- and lower brass were carrying tunes played so lushly and perfectly, the sound just washed over the audience." "Just before the intermission, they played Juno 1944, a new piece for everyone, band and audiences. It’s in four movements, the second of which is subtitled Battle. After the expertly done first movement, a cacophony of drums bashing and bleats from the brass caught me off guard....Then it hit me, battle. Composer Ty Watson lulled us all with a choral introduction that belied the approaching storm of sound. He smacked us right between the eyes, and then just as abruptly returned to – music, I guess you’d call it – a lament for the fallen. Well done, composer. Well done, band." (Orillia Packet and Times, May 10, 2017)
Mark Clairmont of Muskokatodaily.com writes: "It is among the best British-style brass bands in Ontario. The silver is gold...Neil Barlow has pushed the band to new levels." Read his whole article at muskokatodaily.com.
Mary Beth Hartill of the Bracebridge Examiner says: "The Orillia Silver Band is making its return to the Rene M. Caisse Theatre, led by conductor Neil Barlow, with “Budding Fanfare” that opens with Copland’s goosebump raising Fanfare for the Common Man" on muskokaregion.com.
Click on Upcoming Events above for a complete list of our upcoming performances.
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Mariposa Sketches CD
"Mariposa Sketches" which was officially released on December 17th at our Orillia Sleigbells and Brass Concert and CD Party. You can buy one at the concert or, with the help of some of our fabulous Orillia friends, you can also find them on sale at: Orillia Museum of Art & History, Manticore Books, Mariposa Market, and the Stephen Leacock Museum. Excerpts from John Swartz' Review - Orillia Packet and Times December 8, 2016 "Once you've heard this, you understand what fantastic musicianship is." "Mariposa Sketches was written just for the OSB. It's based on Sunshine Sketches and Len Ballantine created a very interesting piece of music that is easy to digest. The band, especially the percussion section is excellent here. Oh, and The OSB's Canadian Railroad Trilogy is on the disc ... the band sails with it." Read the full review in our News section. |
We Would Love to See You at a Concert! |
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AddressOrillia Silver Band
Box 352 3-200 Memorial Avenue Orillia, ON L3V 5X6 |
orilliasilverbandinfo@gmail.com
The Orillia Silver Band is a registered Charitable Organization
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