Community News
Artsfest Steel Drum Band Concert
By
Mar 25, 2008, 23:38

A Riverside Artsfest special free concert presenting the music of a steel drum band will be performed in Willis Park on Thursday, March 27 at 7 p.m.

The Unity Christian Steel Drum Band will be in Bainbridge on that date to perform three concerts, at Hutto Middle School in the morning,  West Bainbridge Middle School in the afternoon, and then that night in Willis Park.

The band, from Rome, Ga., consists of 20-25 traveling student members in grades 8-12.  The instruments they play all began as 55 gallon steel oil drums.

The band is directed by Bill King a former student of Dr. Ed Mobley of Bainbridge. King said "Through the God-given talents and creative genius of the father of the modern steel drum, Dr. Ellie Mannette,  the art form that he perfected for more than 81 years, will be performed in Bainbridge."

The steel band has been playing together for about two years and has performed for various churches, civic organizations in North Georgia, and at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World.

The music will range from calypso to Soca (a blend of soul and calypso) and from secular to sacred.  King also presents a history of the development of the steel band art form during each of the band's performances.

King has been in music education for 35 years in both public schools in Georgia, retiring in 1997, and in private schools, presently at Unity Christian School in Rome.  He is a graduate of Berry College and the of West Georgia University.

King also is conductor of the 30 piece Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church Orchestra in Silver Creek, GA., and also conducts the Seven Hills New Horizons Band in Rome.  Dr. Mobley was guest conductor of this band for King last year, conducting one of his own compositions named for the street he lived on in Rome when he taught King as a first-year beginning band student.

This performance is part of the Riverside Artsfest sponsored events which occur throughout the year.  Riverside Artsfest annual weeklong activities are set for April 7-11. The Art exhibit featuring works of Texas artists will open April 7  from 1-8 p.m. in the Firehouse Gallery and be on display throughout the week..

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that will week will see noontime brown bag concerts in Willis Park featuring the Flint River South, Mariachi Band Garibaldi, and the Grassy Flats Boys respectively.  A nighttime 7 p.m. concert in Willis Park on Thursday, April 10, features the Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz Band.