playArts Preschool is expanding!
After a successful first year Cultural Centre announces expansion of their fine arts preschool program!
"It's hard to believe that the first year of playArts Preschool is almost at its end”, says Suzanne Currie, the program's ECE licensed head instructor. "We have enjoyed watching all of our amazing students grow throughout the year and will always remember our first class of playArts Kids!"
The program is focused on integrating arts with all curriculum areas. It provides each child with the opportunity to experiment with a variety of artistic mediums and in fact develop their kindergarten readiness essentials through music, dance, yoga, drama, sign language, cooking and more.
"From the start, the interest in the program has been strong" says Susan McGarvey, Coordinator for the artSpace program under which playArts is run. "As we review our first year (and the large wait list) the need for an additional program is clear. So to meet those needs the Cultural Centre has approved expansion for September".
Starting in September there will be two classes. The original morning class will run as usual from 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM. The new afternoon class will run from 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM. To provide an even higher level of social and educational development, playArts class sizes will be changing from 20 students per class to 18 students per class.
Registration Information
Pre-registration: Opens May 1 for exisitng playArts students and their siblings.
Waitlist registration: Opens May 22 for waitlist
Public registration: Opens June 1
(note: registration fee is required to hold your space)
“This is one more way that the Centre is growing and changing to better serve the needs of our community. It's important that we remain relevant in a rapidly changing environment". Says Bettyanne Hampton, Executive Director of the North Peace Cultural Center.
"The program also supports Fort St John's leadership role as innovators, particularly in education. playArts is the first licensed fine-arts preschool program of it's kind in the north, and it's success reflects our community's value for an arts based learning environment". Hampton adds, "We're also receiving phone calls from parents from outside the province who are basing their relocation decisions on our preschool availability!”
For additional information, please contact the Cultural Centre
Phone: 250-785-1992.
Visit website: www. npcc.bc.ca
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Facebook: artSpace at the Cultural Centre
World Champion Blues Harmonica Ace and his Band in town!
WORLD CHAMPION BLUES HARMONICA MASTER, CARLOS DEL JUNCO AND HIS BLUES MONGRELS, MARCH 22ND.
If you’ve a hankering to hear some of the best blues harmonica on the planet, Carlos del Junco is your guy. He’s hands down one of the greatest, with two world titles to back it up!
This is a first northern performance for Carlos del Junco and his band, the Blues Mongrels, and a must see show. Get ready to be blown away, March 22nd at the North Peace Cultural Center.
To say Carlos del Junco plays the harmonica is like saying "Jimi Hendrix plays guitar". He blows the blues harp through a prism -- suddenly it seems he's holding every color in the musical rainbow right there in his hands. Simultaneously sophisticated and raw, his playing blurs the boundaries between blues and jazz (hence the name for his band "The Blues Mongrels").
In a class with such greats as Toots Theilmans, Paul Butterfield and Howard Levy, formerly of Bela Fleck’s Flecktones he’s a true virtuoso in every sense of the word. Cuban born del Junco is known as the worlds best, holding not one but two Gold Medals from the Hohner World Harmonica Championship in Trossingen, Germany, as well as multiple national and international awards.
For erudite harp blowers: del Junco plays a ten hole diatonic harmonica, and has developed the unique ability to play chromatically by using an "overblow" technique taught to him by jazz virtuoso Howard Levy and is more expressive and communicative than the mechanized tone produced by the chromatic harmonica. Carlos is one of the few pioneers of this overblow method.
Simply put for the rest of us, Carlos del Junco plays the harmonica like nobody else. He's a marvel to listen to, a freak of nature who does to the harp what Bela Fleck does to the banjo. Simultaneously sophisticated and raw, technically adept and highly emotional hes at once sensitive, soulful, and sexy while never forgetting the rawness inherent in blues music. Joined by his superb band, del Junco delivers an astonishingly seamless fusion of blues, jazz, swing Latin, the occasional African, hip-hop and ska melody blues, and swampy roots rock, blowing audiences away with every outstanding performance.
Working with the likes of Dutch Mason, Domenic Troiano, Hoc Walsh (Downchild Blues Band), Holly Cole and Ray Charles whom he performed the opening set for at the Hummingbird Centre for Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival to a standing ovation.
With Maple Blues awards, Juno nominations, multiple 'blues artist' titles (including prestigious Jazz Report's blues artist of the year), and seven CDs, not only has he carved out an international reputation in music, he has, in the process elevated the status of the humble mouth harp to the equivalent of a Stradivarius violin!
Get ready to trash all you thought you knew about the harmonica. Carlos and his Blues Mongrels deliver a no-holds-barred display of fun and melodic virtuosity.
PHONE CENTRE BOX OFFICE: (250) 785-1992 E-MAIL: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Visit us online at www.npcc.bc.ca
Check him out at www.carlosdeljunco.com
Much More Music in March at the Centre
Three great shows
Much Music in March at the Centre!
Come get your seat. . .
All shows at 7:30 ~ Bar and Café and Box Office open at 6:30.
15th - Arrogant Worms Canadian fav’s Mike McCormick, Chris Patterson and Trevor Strong
They say it began as a hobby, making fun of a big dumb world. Luckily, the world is still dumb and The Arrogant Worms still have plenty to sing about. Fast, furious and family friendly, the wit is quick, the satire is biting and the musicianship is second to none.
Their appeal has earned them fans from kids to parents to grandparents to Princess Leia. So The Arrogant Worms will continue to provide tuneful and silly escapism for everyone who needs it. And if you think you don’t need it, well you’re wrong. You do. The Arrogant Worms know what’s best for you and what’s best for you is The Arrogant Worms.
19th - Caladh Nua Comin to us from Dublin Ireland!
They’re “Traditional Irish to the core but with the added ingredients of a fresh youthful approach, a sense of fun and a willingness to stray from the beaten path. Called the “group to watch ” (The Irish Free Press), Caladh Nua boasts two fiddlers, award-winning Lisa Butler, who is also lead singer, and Paddy Tutty; award-winning button accordionist Derek Morrissey; Colm O'Caoimh on guitar, bouzouki and vocals, and Eoin O Meachair on banjo, mandolin, whistle and vocals.
From traditional music to moving Irish laments to fun filled ballads to some solid toe tappin tunes, ” the band's repertoire and energy is guaranteed to capture an audience of any generation. Solid traditional music with plenty of flair and lots of musical imagination" (Irish Music Magazine)
22nd - Carlos del Juno and his Blues Mongrels FSJ get ready to be blown away!
*2 time gold medalist at the World Honer Harmonica Championship! Harmonica Player of the Year8 times out of the Canadian Maple Blues Award's 15 year history. Junos, Blues player of the year, to name a just few. In fact when it comes to awards, it's either retire the category or rephrase the question to "Best Harmonica Player Not Named Carlos".
Maybe he swallowed a harmonica as a youth, and it became permanently lodged near his voice box – how else to explain the flair, fluency and devilish command of the diatonic mouth harp from the chrome prince of the instrument, Carlos del Junco!
New Orleans second line grooves, swing, Latin, hip-hop or ska melodies, to swampy roots rock…Carlos and his band, the Blues Mongrels deliver it top notch.
Three Great Shows…Come get your seat!
Tix by phone: 250 785-1992 Online www.npcc.bc.ca In person at the Cultural Centre Box office
All shows at 7:30 - Box office, Bar and Café open at 6:30
Learn To Play Music with The African Guitar Summit
African Guitar Summit
The African Guitar Summit is performing at The North Peace Cultural Centre on January 23 at 7:30.
Face The Music Workshop with African Guitar Summit - Monday January 23 at 5:30 at the North Peace Cultural Centre
Alright, so as a musician I dream of concerts like this. Nine guitar players of African descent touring together to showcase some of the best music this planet has to offer. As a young percussionist the music of Africa was so intriguing. The melodies are intricate and beautiful. The rhythms create a pulse that makes you dance and groove. Once I started to explore African music I soon came to the truth that the roots of blues, jazz, rock, and country were given birth in a continent so far away.
As a musician, I'm not really suggesting you attend I'm actually going to reach out on a limb and telling you to buy a ticket... NOW. The African Guitar Summit is performing at The North Peace Cultural Centre on January 23 at 7:30. You can buy tickets at www.npcc.bc.ca.
BUT, a big BUT, if you are a musician, interested in music or just love the music of Africa you need to check out the Face The Music workshop, it's taking place at The NPCC on Monday January 23 at 5:30 at the North Peace Cultural Centre. This music is the roots of almost everything we listen to. Let's hear some great guitar players.
The star-studded collective unites the talents of 9 musicians, each an expert in their individual style. The African Summit features: From Guinea, the smooth fire of Juno Award winner Alpha YaYa Diallo, with his countryman Naby Camara on balafon; From Ghana, we have the elder master of the guitar, Pa Joe, the “golden voice” Theo Boakye, and the heartbeat of drummer Kofi Ackah; From Kenya, Professor Adam Solomon brings the Fiesta guitar. From Burundi/Rwanda, we have the bluesy Mighty Popo; and from Madagascar we have the quicksilver guitars and harmonies of Donne Roberts and multiple Juno Award winner Madagascar Slim.
See ya there,
Dave
Buck3Eighty Live at JD's
It's time for another great show at JD's this weekend. It's a mash up of some of the best to grace the JD's stage...
Gidd - great guy, fantastic wingman, picks and slides his guitar strings to get a sound that will get you on the edge of your seat.
Bettyanne - the other lovely half of the Hampton duo, plays a mean accordian, adds definite flair to the stage
Dave - funny man, hits the cajon, keeps everyone in the same rhythm
Huck - great voice, adorable face, plays some kickass tunes, also has killer 'chops.
Come out and experience the jammin'est band in the house. They will make you laugh, cry, and mostly just want to join in!
Buck3Eighty at JD Fitzgerald's, Saturday, January 14th at 8pm.
Hearing The Cuban Beat
The North Peace Cultural Centre is proud to host Grammy-award winning Cuban singer/sonwriter Alex Cuba on November 19th. This is a different kind of show than Fort St. John has seen before and we asked Alex, Bettyanne Hampton, director of the Cultural Centre, and Susie Furman of SUCCESS about their thoughts on the show. And they are totally excited.
What do you think that this show brings to the community?
Alex: It might bring happiness, excitement, a bigger appreciation for music and the desire to grow an AFRO. :)
Susie: Fort St John deserves the opportunity to enjoy talent. As a small community we value the opportunity to learn and experience the type of talent that other cities might get every weekend. We are a community that is growing - we notice everyday, new people and new faces! Having Alex Cuba shows that FSJ is ready to welcome diversity and that we like to celebrate.
Bettyanne: Fort St John will be host to a Grammy Award winner..that's a first! Alex Cuba brings the superb quality that people are coming to associate with all of the NPCC presentations. Personally, Alex Cuba makes me want to dance. I wish I had an AFRO.
How excited are you to showcase Cuban music and culture in Northern BC?
Alex: Well, I am a citizen of Northern BC, and very proud of it. I am very excited to play for an audience that has never heard of me before.
Susie: Music and Culture are the perfect match ;) they belong together. The Cuban/Latino people grew up listening to music. When you think about Cuba or Spanish-speaking countries in general, something in our brain pictures happiness; one of the reasons why we are happy people by nature is because of music and it's such a very important piece of our culture. Having this type of music coming to Fort St. John means we are bringing a piece of our culture to share with everyone.
Bettyanne: This show absolutely represents the Cultural Centre's goal to introduce different musical genres, to spotlight our musical diversity, and provide quality, stand out experiences through the arts. Sure we could play it safe, bring a steady diet of the same kinds of music because it's been here before and sold well. I believe Fort St John wants more - they've said so. We're not the country capital, or the blues capital, or the rock capital of the North. We're the MUSIC capital of the north. Let's be it. If that means introducing remarkable talent like Alex Cuba, I couldn't be more excited. Come to the show, bring your friends.
What do you hope people will take away from this show?
Alex: My message of peace and positivity that my shows deliver with power and fire.
Susie: An incredible experience, and the opportunity to value other cultures for what they have to offer. I am sure Alex Cuba will make all of us to dance to the rhythms of his music. And let's bring shows like this more often! ;)
Bettyanne: What I hope for every show that we present is for the audience to walk away feeling inspired; about the music, the experience and the fact that they can come to shows like this in Fort St John.
Get your tickets for Alex Cuba at the North Peace Cultural Centre Box Office. For more show info, check out Alex Cuba in our Upcoming Events.
