Silver Leaves, Magic Winter Guard Marching In Oktoberfest Parade

Preston Scout House Band Inc.’s Silver Leaves brass ensemble and Magic of Scout House competitive winter guard will march together in the Kitchener/Waterloo Oktoberfest Parade for the first time on Monday, October 10.

Magic will also be performing in several Christmas season parades in the area, including Kitchener, Milton and Burlington.

Most members of the Silver Leaves brass ensemble, named for the maple leaf featured on the Band’s uniform collar, also march with Scout House Band. The ensemble first performed in December 2003 during Christmas celebrations at Galt Royal Canadian Legion Branch 121 and a Christmas Carol songfest in Galt market square. The Silver Leaves have performed regularly at the Great Alliance of Seniors (GAS) annual reunions since 2005.

Initially, most ensemble performances occurred early in the year, but the schedule expanded in 2016 to include the Scout House Spring Ahead family concert in April, an outdoor performance in the square in front of Cambridge City Hall in early August and the 7th annual Scout House Invitational Tattoo in Waterloo’s University Stadium on August 20. Silver Leaves tunes for the Oktoberfest Parade include Beer Barrel Polka, Liechtensteiner Polka and In Heaven There Is No Beer/Ein Prosit.

Magic of Scout House winter guard is just beginning its fall rehearsal schedule to prepare for indoor contests across southern Ontario and western New York beginning in January, 2017. The theme for this year’s guard show is Ballroom Blitz.

The guard is entering its third season of competition after taking top score in every judging caption in every contest in its first two seasons of participation, winning the North East Color Guard Circuit (NECGC) championship both years. Magic also won the first ever NECGC Showmanship Effectiveness Award in sweeping to its second consecutive circuit championship earlier this year at the College at Brockport (State University of New York) in Brockport, New York.

Preston Scout House Band, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with registered charity status able to issue tax receipts to donors, incorporated under the Corporations Act of the Province of Ontario on November 29, 1956. The multi-unit organization offers individuals of any age the opportunity to “Arrange the soundtrack of your life” in marching arts activities starting as young as age 8 and continuing throughout life. The other three units in addition to the Silver Leaves and Magic are:

*Preston Scout House Cadets drum and bugle corps for young men and women up to age 22, Silver Award winners at the 2016 Drumline Ontario provincial championships;

*Preston Scout House Band for those over age 18, performing concerts, parades and field shows annually across southern Ontario and neighbouring states;

*Heritage Drill Team, with members wearing tight black shorts, knee socks, short sleeved burgundy tunics, white gauntlets and Aussie hats as in the 1950 and ‘60s.

For more information about Preston Scout House Band Inc. activities, contact Activities Coordinator Nancy Weiler at telephone (519) 653-3376, email prestonscouthouseband [dot] adm [at] sympatico [dot] ca or visit the website at: scouthouseband.com