VGCC Community Band and Little Big Band perform at Louisburg College

The Vance-Granville Community Band presented its first fall concert, also called “Autumn Colors,” on Oct. 11 in the Seby B. Jones Performing Arts Center at Louisburg College. The concert marked the group’s first performance in Franklin County, and its first outside Vance County.

Directed by VGCC music instructor Michael Stephenson, the Community Band performed “Block M March” by Jerry Bilik, “Forgotten Dreams” and “China Doll,” both by Leroy Anderson, “First Suite in E-flat for Military Band” by Gustav Holst, a Symphonic Panorama of music from the movie, “Annie,” “Clarinet on the Town” by Ralph Hermann, featuring band member Carl Cantaluppi, and “Them Basses March” by G.H. Huffine.

The highlight of the evening was the official debut of a new ensemble called the Vanguard Little Big Band, which played several traditional “big band” jazz numbers dating from the 1930’s and 1940’s, including “Stars Fell on Alabama” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.” The Little Big Band included Stephenson on alto saxophone and Community Band members Rodney Brown (tenor saxophone), Bill Davies (trumpet), Sarah Adcock (trombone), Larry Webb (piano), Clint McCaskill (bass) and Andre Crudup (drums). It also featured the four VGCC students who have received the college’s Music Performance Scholarships this year: Joseph Colquitt, Derek Jones, John Laible and Joseph Hedgepeth. The local education community was well-represented in the group, including three school band directors: Davies of Southern Vance High School, McCaskill of J.F. Webb High School, and Brown of Eaton-Johnson Middle School in Henderson. Also, Webb is the principal of EJMS.

The Community Band is a joint effort between interested citizens and students. Formed in 2008, the community band has grown to approximately 50 members, including people from all four counties of the VGCC service area (Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin). For more information, call Michael Stephenson at (252) 738-3346.

Above: VGCC music instructor Michael Stephenson (left, holding saxophone) and other members of the Vanguard Little Big Band stand as the audience applauds at the ensemble’s debut at the Vance-Granville Community Band concert at Louisburg College on Oct. 11. (VGCC photo)