The 100 Mile Community Band's longtime conductor bid farewell to the band during their annual year-end concert on Saturday, June 7.
Dave Hooper, who has been the conductor for the 100 Mile Community Band for the last seven years, is stepping down from his role to look after the health of his wife. Hooper first took on the role after the last conductor left in 2018.
"I was a teacher in my career, music teacher, and when I was asked to take over this group, it suited me really well. We were new to the community. And it's a good place to meet new people, people with similar interests in music, and it was great to be able to develop this group into quite a cohesive one," Hooper said.
Eric Grummish, who is the president of the steering committee with the 100 Mile Community Band, added that Hooper was recommended by the outgoing conductor, Dennis Tupman.
"Dennis said, 'hey, I know a guy. He's a concert pianist, and he's also an excellent conductor.' So Dennis put the word out to Dave, and Dave approached us, and we welcomed him with open arms," Grummish explained.
Throughout the months before the concert, Hooper says that the Community Band had been performing in a way that had really pleased him.
"It's been very rewarding, particularly in the last couple of months," Hooper stated.
Hooper remembers his time as a member of the band fondly, noting it's been a fun time overall.
Grummish said that the band wanted to make sure that they gave Hooper a good performance for his last time on the podium.
"We've been working on these pieces for a number of months, trying to polish them up and make them presentable and enjoyable. So this is sort of the culmination of all that effort," Grummish stated.
During the concert, Grummish said that Hooper would be moving to Salmon Arm. Hooper added that he is moving to look after his wife.
"She had a few accidents over the last few years, and we're going to have to make some accomodation for her and for me to give me a little bit of respite when somebody else is making all the meals and maybe doing the washing up for us," Hooper said.
During Hooper's final concert at the 100 Mile United Church, the band performed eight songs, two suites and two rhythm section interludes, with around 50 people attending.
"We started off with Colonel Bogey, that famous piece from Bridge on the River Kwai. We played a couple of British Isles - multiple movement pieces, one of which was the folk song suite by Ray Vaughn Williams - that's a British piece - and then a Scottish piece by Clare Grunmann called Hebrides Suite," Grummish explained. "And interspersed amongst these were an assortment of jazz and pop pieces - like Hey Jude, Take the A Train, My Favourite Things, Strutting with some Barbeque, etc. We finished off with the Grand March, and that's from the opera Tannhauser by Richard Wagner."
Admission to the concert was by donation, with the proceeds being split between the South Cariboo Health Foundation and the community band. The concert raised $458.28, with a cheque for $214.79 being given to foundation director Bruce Madu during the concert. Madu said the funds would go towards the foundation's Starry Nights campaign.
As for the band, Grummish says they have performed at several different venues in and around 100 Mile House this year. Grummish, however, considers this concert to be the highlight of the season. As for Hooper?
"I'm very happy about it," he said, when asked how he felt about the concert.
Grummish says people can get into the band by giving him a call at 250-706-5076 or by visiting the Community Band's website. Future performances are set to take place in the South Cariboo Rec Centre during the Seniors Resource Fair on June 26, as well as the South Cariboo Garlic Festival on Aug. 23, according to Grummish.
