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28 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 18, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene Oakville Beaver · WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2008 St. Jude's launches concerts for causes By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF St. Jude's Anglican Church has presented a concert series for the past 17 years, but it is marking a departure with its 18th season. This year, proceeds from the concerts will go to local charities. Don Pangman, artistic director, said he recognized the need of local organizations and decided to step up and make a difference. "We want to open our doors to the community, but also support the community," he said. "This is a tool for educating people on the needs in the community. People think Oakville is a community without a lot of issues, but we know better. I think these concerts for causes will make a huge difference to those charities." This year's recipients for the series, called St. Jude's Celebration of the Arts, will be the Children's Aid Foundation of Halton, The Community Foundation of Oakville - The Oakville Environmental Fund, Community Living of Oakville, Food for Life, Home Suite Hope, United Way of Oakville and CharterAbility. Each of this year's five concerts is dedicated to specific groups. Pangman has invited representatives of the organizations to give a short presentation at their designated concert. Besides presenting concerts for causes, the 18th season of St. Jude's Celebration of the Arts is also monumental as it is among the most "exciting" lineup yet, according to Pangman. Most abmbitious season yet "We are so excited to present this lineup to the community," Pangman said. "It is going to be our best season yet." The season kicks off June 25 at 7:30 p.m. with Quintetto Denner, a jazz ensemble from Milan, Italy. The musicians will perform a variety of jazz, classical and contemporary pieces. "This group is playing at Nathan Phillips Square the next day for the Toronto Jazz Festival, so they are coming here to play the night before," Pangman said. "They are an interesting group with a rich musical background and are hugely accomplished musicians in Italy." The concert that Pangman is the most enthusiastic about is Carlos Nunez. The virtuosic performer is known throughout Europe as the musical ambassador of Galicia, Spain on the bagpipes. While the concert series is presented at St. Jude's Anglican Church at 160 William St., which seats about 350, the interest in this performance has prompted Pangman to book the Meeting House, 2700 Bristol Circle, where more than 1,200 concert-goers are expected at the Oct. 12 event that gets underway at 7:30 p.m. "He has played with symphonies and bands around the world and is an incredible performer," Pangman said. "This is the first time he's been to this part of Canada, so people won't want to miss it." The Glenn Gould School is showcasing their talented young musicians in a concert called The Eight Seasons on February 27 at 8 p.m. The program will feature Vivaldi's most famous work, The Four Seasons, as well as Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla's Tango Four Seasons. The conductor for the evening will be Kai Gleusteen, concertmaster of the Barcelona Opera. "There will be an orchestra of about 25 with soloists," Pangman said. "These young people are unbelievable and will blow people away." Earth Hour concert returning St. Jude's enjoyed enormous success with its first Earth Hour concert this spring. It will once again be hosting a concert in honour of the green event on March 28 at 8 p.m. The lights will be dimmed, with performers playing by candlelight. "This year, the performers volunteered their services for the Earth Hour concert and we raised $6,300, which went to the Environmental Fund of the Community Foundation, the Oakville Children's Choir and Kerr Street Ministries," said Pangman. "That concert's format won't change. We're going to again have that hour of darkness with candlelight and have children read impact statements about the environment." The final concert of the season on April 25 at 8 p.m. will feature local group Intrada Brass and special guest performer Paul Stevenson. The trumpeter will perform a variety of tunes with the group, from rags to Rolling Stones hits. "Intrada Brass does a lot of concerts in Oakville, but they will be doing some neat things for this concert," Pangman said. Tickets for St. Jude's Celebration of the Arts cost $110 for a full season subscription, or $28 per concert, with the exception of the Earth Hour concert, which has tickets prices at $15. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the church at 905-844-3972. CHRIS KORNACKI / OAKVILLE BEAVER SCULPTING CHANGE: Chaka Chikodzi is hosting an exhibit of Zimbabwean stone sculptures at Maple Grove United Church. Sculpture exhibit raising funds for Africa An exhibition called Celebrating Life Through Stone is being held until June 21 at Maple Grove United Church, 346 Maple Grove Dr. The outdoor exhibition features Zimbabwean stone sculpture presented by sculptor and curator Chaka Chikodzi, whose gallery, Africville, has been involved with fundraising in Oakville for the past two years. The exhibition's regular hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This year Africville has teamed up with the $Million or More Oakville campaign to help in their efforts to raise one million dollars for the Stephen Lewis Foundation over the next two years. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from sculpture sales will be donated to $MOMO, earmarked for grassroots projects in Zimbabwe to help ease the pain of HIV/AIDS there. Africville also helps support the Howard Hospital, a rural hospital in Zimbabwe that serves over 200,000 people on a dwindling $40,000 yearly budget. For information on the $Million or More Oakville campaign, go online to www.millionormoreslf.ca. Intrada Brass playing outdoor concerts Oakville's resident brass band is heading to the park this summer for three concerts on the Waterfront Stage at Coronation Park. Intrada Brass of Oakville will perform three free concerts on Sundays at 3 p.m. on June 29, July 27 and August 17. The concerts are part of the group's outreach strategy, which will give people the opportunity to hear the band without buying a ticket at the box office. Although the summer heat has just arrived, IBO is already thinking about snow. The group is heading to the Salvation Army church in Guelph this month for their Christmas recording. For information on Intrada Brass of Oakville, visit their web site at www.intradabrass.ca.