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Music groups band together for charity

Nanaimo Concert Band hosts their annual Christmas concert on Sunday.
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Longtime Nanaimo Concert Band member Ken Ryall died late last month.

Two musical groups will come together for a good cause this weekend.

On Sunday (Dec. 14) the Nanaimo Concert Band will hold its annual Christmas Charity Concert at the Beban Park social centre. The band will be accompanied by the Malaspina Choir to perform a wide range of popular Christmas songs.

“We’re playing all the traditional stuff,” said Nanaimo Concert Band past-president, Shari Barker. Sunday’s concert will benefit the Salvation Army, as prospective audience members are asked to bring non-perishable food items.

The band will be playing the charity concert with heavy hearts after longtime member Ken Ryall died last month.

“Ken was sort of like my mentor,” Barker said. “We both played clarinet.”

Barker said Ryall loved to play New Orleans jazz.

“He had a natural talent to play Dixieland music,” Barker said. “Ken’s strength was literally ad libbing and playing solos.”

When it came to being around Ryall, there was no shortage of fun, according to Barker.

“There was lots of laughter and lots of jokes,” she said.

The band is hoping to hold a tribute concert for Ryall in the spring.

Sunday’s Christmas concert starts at 2:30 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.nanaimoconcertband.com.arts@nanaimobulletin.comTwitter: @npescod