One of Prince Albert’s oldest musical groups will be celebrated by Prince Albert’s artistic community on Friday.
The Prince Albert Concert Band, which has existed in various forms for more than 100 years, will be inducted into the Prince Albert Arts Hall of Fame along with poet Darcy Blahut, art educator Lana Wilson, and musician Brian Sklar.
Concert Brand President Corinne Delparte said the band has been an important part of the City for years, so the induction is long overdue.
“It’s so deserving. It’s been around for so many years. My dad was in the concert band. It’s been a staple of the Prince Albert arts community for a long time, so it’s really nice to be recognized.”
Delparte started playing the clarinet at age eight, but stepped away from music as an adult. She joined the concert band at the urging of her old music teacher, former concert band director Bob Gibson, and continues to play 25 years later.
The band took a hit when COVID arrived, but has slowly increased membership to about 35 musicians. Delparte said it’s a not just the music that draws people in, but the camaraderie.
“It’s really just a wonderful way to meet people and a great way to support the community,” she said.
“It (membership) fluctuates over the years. People are starting to come back, which is really good. It will be good to get our faces out there and let people know we exist again.”
The Concert Band was originally run by the City of Prince Albert. It became an independent organization in the 1960s. Michael Scholfield and David Monette directed the band in the ‘70s and ‘80s, holding rehearsals in the basement of City Hall.
Bob Gibson became director in 1996, retiring from the role in 2015. Gibson said he was surprised to see the concert band inducted, but also grateful.
“(I was) quite surprised,” Gibson said. “It wasn’t something I was expecting…. I’ve been with bands all my life, and it’s the sort of thing that you don’t (expect).”
Gibson originally conducted the Prince Albert Lions Club Band after moving to Prince Albert from England in 1965. He said many bands are struggling to find members, so it’s great to see the Prince Albert Concert Band still going.
“I think there are people here in the town that like the sound of a band,” he said. “I think it’s able to play things that please people. It can play popular current music, it can play marshall music. It doesn’t matter. It’s able to do that, and I think that’s what attracts people.”
After Gibson retired, Kathleen Clarke led the band from 2015 to 2017, followed by Nicole Webb and Erika Rybinski, who co-directed in 2017-18.
Kayleigh Skomorowski led the band from 2019 to 2022, with Shannon Fehr taking over since then.
The band provide accompaniment during the Prince Albert Remembrance Day service, performs in care homes during Christmas, and plays two to three annual concerts. It also raises money to award musical scholarships to youth musicians on the Prince Albert area.
The induction ceremony will be held on Friday, Sept. 27 at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre. Tickets for both the dinner and ceremony are on the E.A. Rawlinson website.
