March 2002 - Nr. 3
Swinging Valentines in Kitchener
by Herwig Wandschneider
Swing Music at the Concordia Club? Played by The Concordia Band?
You would not believe it was the same band that plays the traditional oom-pah-pah at Oktoberfest. In German they are called the "Concordia Blaskapelle" – which is a label that conjures up images of my "Vogelschiessen" days; if anyone knows or remembers what that is or was, or images of the traditional Oktoberfest music. Nothing wrong with that tradition, but it was surprising to hear the music, and to see the swinging legs this band of nine accomplished musicians, under the leadership of Dale Schmidt, produced on the dance floor!
The Concordia facilities are ideal for this kind of an event, and this not just for a cozy tète-a-tète plus swinging Valentine’s Dance, but for any evening people feel like "Stimmung", rhythm, and swinging in an atmosphere of "Gemütlichkeit". This combination is bound to gain more and more enthusiasm in the years to come. Too bad they do this only once a year!!
![6 of the 9 Dale Schmidt (l.) Big Band members [Photo: Herwig Wandschneider]](203c-HW-Band.jpg)
The
band is in fact affiliated with the Concordia Club, all nine are members and
play for the pure fun of it. With their 3 Saxes, (most play tenor, alto, and
also clarinet), 2 Trumpets, Trombone, Bass, Drummer and Pianist, they
represent just one of the many activities the Club offers to their members.
Dale Schmidt originally formed the band years ago, disbanded and re-grouped
again with some old and some new members in 1998.
![Henning Grumme & Paul Scott of CKWR [Photo: Herwig Wandschneider]](203c-HW-HenningG.jpg)
This
event was the Band’s 4th Valentine dance, initiated and organized
by Dale Schmidt and his Big Band ("The Concordia Band") with the
Co-sponsorship of FM98.5, a swinging and middle-of-the-road K-W
Multi-Cultural Radio Station. Henning Grumme from FM98.5, as the Master of
Ceremonies for the last couple of years, joined the swinging evening of
Music and Dance again this year. 98.5FM has co-sponsored this event for all
of the 4 years running.
The Dance was actually organized by the band itself – not by the Club. The band rented the Concordia facilities from their Club and combined with the sponsorship of 98.5FM put together this, for the Club unusual, event. Year after year the attendance grows as people begin to realize that the Concordia Club exists also outside of Oktoberfest.
