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CAROLINA BAND BLAST '24
Virginia Sommerville Sutton Theatre at Well-Spring
July 11-13, 2024
Each summer Gate City Horizons Band hosts a three-day event called Carolina Band Blast. No one seems to know when it started or how many there have been, but we believe this is the 15th Annual Carolina Band Blast.
Both a Jazz band and Concert Band are formed and we finish with a public concert on Saturday July 13th at 3 PM.
Attendees also have the option to take a half-hour private lesson with a professional musician and member of the Piedmont Wind Symphony. We have also designed a commemorative T-shirt for the event which may also be purchased.
Members from New Horizons bands in several states participate in the Carolina Band Blast and have a terrific time playing and meeting new people. We welcome everyone and most come back every year.
This year we are thrilled to announce our venue for the event is the Virginia Sommerville Sutton Theatre at Well-Spring. It is a state-of-the-art performance facility with extraordinary acoustics.
Our conductors will be:
Host Conductor Benjy Lee Springs, and Director of the Gate City Horizons Band
Guest Conductor Dr. Lawrence Spell
Sign up now by filling out the Registration Form – due by June 15th.
Come Play With Us!
Event Details
Music
(Concert program will be from the following. Music will arrive via email for printing.)
On The Greenway Kimbrough
Appalachian Air Daughtrey
Appalachian Journey Karrick
On A Hymn song of Phillip Bliss Holsinger
Yorkshire Ballad James Barnes
Washington Post March Sousa/Schissel
Loch Lomond Frank Tichelli
Ye Banks and Braes O Bonnie Doon Granger
Canzoni as Amore arr. Longfield
Galop Shostakovich/Hunsberger
National Emblem Bailey/Schissel
Hungarian Dance #5 Brahms/Longfield
Location
Virginia Sommerville Sutton Theatre at Well-Spring
4100 Wellspring Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410
Accommodations
There are numerous hotels on Hwy 68 and off Hwy 840, minutes from Well-Spring.
Schedule
Thursday July 11
9-10 Registration
10-12 Concert Band Rehearsal
12-1 Lunch (provided)
1-2:30 Concert Band Rehearsal
2:30-2:50 Break
2:50-4:30 Concert Band Rehearsal
Friday July 12
9-10:30 Concert Band Rehearsal
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12 Concert Band Rehearsal
12-1 Lunch (provided)
1-3 Concert Band Rehearsal
3-3:20 Break
3:20-4:30 Concert Band Rehearsal
Saturday July 13
9-12 Jazz Band Rehearsal
12-1 Lunch (provided)
1-2:30 Concert Band Rehearsal
2:30-3 Break
3 Carolina Band Blast Public Concert
Registration Directions
You may complete the Registration Form online and press the SUBMIT button. Then mail your check to the address below.
OR you may print out the Registration Form, fill it out by hand, and mail it with your check to the address below.
DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM HERE
Upon receipt of your registration, you will receive an email with additional information.
Please send your payment to arrive by June 15th to reserve your position in the band.
Concert or Concert & Jazz Band Participation - Registration Fee $95.00
Jazz Band Participation Only - Registration Fee $35.00
Private 1/2 Hour Lesson - $30
T-Shirt - $25
Please make checks for full amount payable to:
Gate City Horizons Band
(Do not use the donate button on the website to pay for Band Blast)
Mail Checks to:
Gate City Horizons Band
c/o James Bartlett III, Treasurer
6387 Walter Wright Road
Pleasant Garden, NC 27313
Questions:
Please contact:
Mike Lopp, GCHB President
Jmichaellopp@gmail.com
336-784-8760
Guest Conductor Dr. Lawrence Spell
Dr. Lawrence Spell has dedicated his career to inspiring students to achieve the highest standards of musical performance. As Director of Orchestras at Salt Lake Community College and Assistant Conductor for the Utah Youth Orchestras and Ensembles, he developed a reputation for getting results from young musicians by creating a positive and collaborative rehearsal environment. In fall 2019, Dr. Spell joined the conducting faculty at the University of Utah and was Acting Director of Orchestras. In addition to his work with student musicians, he was also Music Director and Conductor of the Wasatch Symphony.
Dr. Spell earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Utah and the Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from East Carolina University. During his doctoral studies, he served as Assistant Conductor for the University Orchestras and the Salt Lake Symphony. Before moving to Utah, Dr. Spell was Music Director and Conductor of the Pitt Community College Symphony Orchestra in Greenville, North Carolina. In addition to leading the orchestra, he ensured the success of the performing arts programs at PCC as the Coordinator for Music and Drama. Currently, Dr. Spell is on the faculty of Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) in Greensboro, NC.
Dr. Spell has devoted a substantial portion of his academic research and published writing to the application of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies to conducting pedagogy. He has studied with Certified Movement Analyst Jackie Hand and Dr. Charles Gambetta, creator of the Embodied Conducting℠ Method. Dr. Spell uses LBMS in both his private conducting studio and collegiate conducting classes and is a member of the Mastering Concertos conducting faculty where he mentors advanced conducting students from around the world.