Contributed by Marilyn Massey

The Arrow Lakes Arts Council is pleased to present a diversified concert series for 2009-2010. There will be Celtic, a family magic show, an A cappella singing group, a Brass quintet and solo harp playing. The performances will be at the Bonnington Arts Centre and the Auditorium of the Nakusp Arena Complex.

This season’s Concert Series opens on Nov. 7 at the Bonnington Arts Centre with Deborah Nyack, a harpist, who transports the audience with her enchanting music, gold antique harp, charming charisma and dazzling costumes.

The second concert is on Nov. 21. Foothills Brass is a quintet of versatile and exceptional musicians, who originate from all corners of North America. Founded in 1981 in Calgary, this superb Canadian group is dedicated to exceptional artistic presentation, meaningful educational activities, and innovative leadership in the artistic community. The quintet consists of two trumpets, french horn, trombone and tuba. Foothills Brass will be performing ‘Brass Scapes,’ a versatile program ranging from Baroque to New Orleans Jazz. We welcome back this outstanding ensemble, as their last appearance in Nakusp was in 1998.

The first performance in 2010 will be the family magic show in the Auditorium of the Nakusp & Arrow Lakes Community Complex. It will start at 7 p.m. on March 16. Ted and Marion Outerbridge have combined real life experiences with a fusion of magic, dance and theatre – and the result is Magic Moments in Time. This world-class illusion show has played to sold-out houses and standing ovations across Canada and in Europe – reaching into the minds and hearts of audiences and taking them on a magical journey through time. Magic Moments in Time is a reflection of day-to-day life just about everyone can relate to. The entire audience is transported back in time – first one year, then back to the 1960s where Ted impersonates a “psychic” game host, and finally by hundreds of years where the audience is part of a medieval ritual.

The fourth performance is also at the Auditorium of the Nakusp Arena Complex. It will be the weekend of April 9, the exact date to be announced. This is a Celtic evening of music, with toe tapping energy that you can get up and dance to. Tiller’s Folly are the Pacific Northwest’s internationally travelled, virtuosic ambassadors of song. For the past thirteen years, through thousands of performances they have spread their memorable blend of energy, history, musicality, romance, and just plain fun. With seven CDs to their credit, Tiller’s Folly continue to expand and refine their potent mix of Celtic influenced ‘Canadiana, Americana, and beyond’. The ensemble is Bruce Coughlin, Laurence Knight, and Nolan Murray. This will be a licensed performance.

The last concert of this season’s series is HOJA. This performance will be back at the Bonnington Arts Centre on April 24. HOJA is a Canadian A capella group formed in the summer of 1998 and originally based out of Saskatoon, Sk. Over the past decade, HOJA has recorded five CDs and performed for more than 3,000 audiences from B C to Ontario. Their repertoire is filled with favourite songs from the ‘50s to the present, that span every style of music – from doo wop to rock, country to disco – no genre is safe from Canada’s A capella heros! Each member sings a variety of different voice parts including bass lines, lead vocals, tenor and baritone parts, instrument sounds such as guitars and trumpets, beatboxing and drum noises, and assorted sound effects. Audiences are often amazed to learn that every sound during the performance is created live by the singers on stage -- there are no backup tracks.

The Arrow Lakes Arts Council would like to acknowledge the support of the B C Council of Arts, School District # 10 and the Village of Nakusp for their continued support for the Concert Series!