Trickle Down

winter 2006 volume 31 number 4 TRICKLE DOWN: What’s the impact of Alberta’s oil and gas boom on heritage, arts, and culture? Alberta indie rock band Big Sugar had a 2001 hit song with the refrain: “I hear tell, about a heaven in Alberta, where they’ve got all hell for a basement.” They were inspired by British author Rudyard Kipling who, a century ago, described Medicine Hat as “the town that was born lucky, with all hell for a basement.” Kipling was one of many celebrity visitors and prospective investors who were entertained by dramatic fl arings from the city’s new gas wells. He was equally intrigued by an Aboriginal legend about a medicine man (spiritual leader) who lost his war bonnet in the South Saskatchewan River. Kipling discouraged his hosts from changing the name of their town to something more conventional, insisting that Medicine Hat was uniquely memorable for both its gas and culture. Perhaps Albertans need more visitors such as Kipling, to help us appreciate our distinctiveness, or to set us wondering about the relationship between our resource wealth and our cultural features. What is that connection? Ten years ago, when Legacy embarked on its own unique exploration of Alberta’s culture heritage, the provincial government was in a defi cit situation, and culture funding had already been fl at for a decade. But Alberta was about to blow into an extraordinary oil and gas boom. Ten years ago crude oil sold for $20 per barrel and natural gas went for about $2 per GJ. Now oil is pushing $70 and gas is selling in the $7 to $8 range. And during the decade, a series of records set in oil and gas drilling, extraction, refi ning, and export sales—as well as all the related construction. Now that the provincial government is forecasting a surplus this year of $5.9 billion, how does the culture sector fare? Some of the recent corporate prosperity is fi nding its way into culture. EnCana, one of Alberta’s largest pipeline corporations, recently announced a $750,000 contribution to the museum in Medicine Hat’s new Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre. Elsewhere, Fort Saskatchewan area residents are enjoying new musical and theatrical opportunities provided by the Shell Theatre at the Dow Centennial Centre. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is adding an educational centre with $1 million of ATCO assistance. Enbridge supports Alberta Ballet and, for a decade, Syncrude has funded the Gallery of Aboriginal Culture at the Royal Alberta Museum. The Glenbow Museum is supported by a who’s who of major oil and gas companies: BP Canada, Chevron Texaco, Petro-Canada, Shell, Imperial Oil Foundation, and others. Indeed, Glenbow was founded and funded by Eric Harvie who, after making an over-night fortune in the Leduc oil boom of 1947, became one of Alberta’s more generous arts and heritage philanthropists. continued on page 10… 7771_newsletter_winter2006.indd71_newsletter_winter2006.indd A1A1 33/30/06/30/06 111:37:571:37:57 AAMM 7771_newsletter_winter2006.indd71_newsletter_winter2006.indd A2A2 33/30/06/30/06 111:37:581:37:58 AAMM ABA BOARD OF DIRECTORS INDEX 2004/2005 President’s Message ...................................................................................................................................................................................2 Director’s Message ......................................................................................................................................................................................3 Laurendeau, Jim President Music Monday ...............................................................................................................................................................................................3 [email protected] Editor’s Page .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Sherman, Steve Past President Ask An Expert ................................................................................................................................................................................................5 [email protected] National Youth Band ..................................................................................................................................................................................6 Thorlacius, Brian Vice President I (Programs & Services) Midwest Clinic ...............................................................................................................................................................................................7 [email protected] Musicamp Alberta ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Snow, Sue Vice President II (Programs & Services) ABA Awards ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 [email protected] Trickle Down (continued from front cover) ................................................................................................................................ 10 Robb, Don Vice President III (Finance) Library Update .............................................................................................................................................................................................13 [email protected] Calendar of Events ...................................................................................................................................................................................14 Grimstead, Cecilia Vice-President IV (Advocacy) [email protected] Share the Music: Concert Programs ..............................................................................................................................................16 Baril, Roberta Director Community Band Corner ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 [email protected] ABA Program Updates ...........................................................................................................................................................................18 Hastings, Kim Director Festival of Bands/Syllabus 2006 ......................................................................................................................................................19 [email protected] Fundamentals and the Beginner Band (Brent Pierce) ....................................................................................................... 20 Mann, Jennifer Director FOCUS ON: Bearspaw School ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 [email protected] JAZZ JUNCTION with Jeff Graham .............................................................................................................................................22 Paulson, Duane Director Northern Junior High Honour Band ..............................................................................................................................................24 [email protected] Southern Junior High Honour Band ..............................................................................................................................................26 Speers, Rob Director YOUR TURN: C.A.D.M.E.A. ................................................................................................................................................................28 [email protected] Corlett, Neil Managing Director © 2006 Alberta Band Association. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without advance written [email protected] permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Association. Articles and contributions may be edited for content with permission of the author. MUSICOM is published quarterly by the Alberta Band Association, Suite 206, 10612 – 124 Street, EDMONTON,AB. T5N 1S4. ALBERTA BAND ASSOCIATION is a non-profi t provincial service organization. ABA gratefully acknowledges the fi nancial support of the Alberta ZONE COORDINATORS Foundation of the Arts. Zone 1 Grand Prairie Duane Paulson [email protected] Zone 2 Fort McMurray Earl Clayton [email protected] ADVERTISING RATES, DATES AND DEADLINES 2006 Zone 3e Rural Edmonton East Bob Bailey [email protected] OUR READERSHIP: Over 350 members of the Alberta Band Association Zone 3w Rural Edmonton West vacant School Band Directors Community Band Directors Music education students Zone 4 Red Deer and Area Erin Bodnar Community Band members Private Teachers Post-secondary music students [email protected] Professional Musicians University and College Band Directors Zone 5s Rural Calgary South Martin Kennedy [email protected] Publication Dates: Advertising Deadline Publication Date Zone 5n Rural Calgary North Rob Billington January 31 February 28 [email protected] May 1 June 1 Zone 6 Lethbridge and Area Ken Rogers

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