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Royal City Concert Band brings music to the Quay

Nothing says summer quite like outdoor music - and the Royal City Concert Band has been treating local audiences to plenty of that. The band is wrapping up a series of free summer performances in celebration of its 25th anniversary season.

Nothing says summer quite like outdoor music - and the Royal City Concert Band has been treating local audiences to plenty of that.

The band is wrapping up a series of free summer performances in celebration of its 25th anniversary season.

Fresh off performances at a New Westminster Salmonbellies lacrosse game on July 11 and at the Queen's Park bandshell on July 14, the band will be performing at River Market on Thursday, July 18 at 7 p.m.

They're winding up the season with a performance at the Kitsilano Showboat in Vancouver on Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m.

The band (also known as the Royal City Alumni Band) is a 35-member ensemble of accomplished musicians, ranging in age from 18 to over 80. They're from all walks of life and drawn together by their shared joy of making music.

The band was recently awarded a "gold-plus" standing in the 2013 Kiwanis International Music Festival and was named the most promising community band.

It's the band's first year under new music director Peter Wenzek, who has become the fifth director since the band was founded in 1988 - following in the footsteps of Earl Hobson, Vic Crewe, Tom Turner and Fred Turner.

Wenzek is a well-known high school and college music teacher who has led concert bands, jazz bands, string orchestras and marching bands at Burnaby North Secondary School since 1994.

"One of the things I really enjoy about working with community bands is that everyone is here for the music, and not for the grades," he said in a press release. "It's an honour to work with people who share a love of music, who have the desire to improve as musicians and who want to perform for the public."

For more on the Royal City Concert Band, check out their website at www.vcn.bc.ca/rcab/

The Kitsilano Showboat is at 2300 Cornwall Ave., Vancouver, at Kitsilano Beach. For information on its concert series, call 604-734-7332 or see www.kitsilanoshowboat.com.