NEWS RELEASE
ST. PAUL’S CENTRE
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St. Paul’s Centre Orillia is excited and thrilled to welcome everyone back at the Welcome Back concert and reception on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Conceived in honour of Michael Jones, the late creative facilitator, speaker, writer and pianist who sparked the idea of St. Paul’s becoming a place of gathering, the concert will feature incredible musicians Lance Anderson, Blair Bailey, Kelly, Nicole and Louis Lefaive, Cassandra Rutherford and Ray Dillard, Doreen Uren Simmons, Terry Therien, and Marta Solek. The entire lineup was curated by Lance Anderson and will feature a variety of musical genres and, of course, unbelievable talent.
Lance is a Juno award-winning producer and was nominated for the 2022 keyboard player of the year at the national Maple Blues Awards, having previously won the award in 2014. He was trained as a classical composer and has an honours degree in music from Western University.
Respected as one of Canada’s finest record producers, Lance has his own label, Make It Real Records, and is currently the co-executive producer of the Boquete Panama Jazz and Blues Festival.
Lance has worked nationally and internationally with a multitude of fantastic musicians, including Roger Whittaker, Jackie Richardson, John Finley, Shakura S’Aida, Danny Brooks, and many of the musicians featured at this Sept. 10 concert.
Other local musicians of note featured in the Welcome Back concert include Blair Bailey and Doreen Uren Simmons. Fans of Doreen’s will remember with pleasure her tenure here in Orillia when she was music director, vocal coach, or pianist for such notable Mariposa Arts Theatre shows as South Pacific and Man of La Mancha, among many others. Doreen also performed in a multitude of concerts in Orillia and taught many of Orillia’s up-and-coming singers.
Of course, Blair Bailey is the esteemed music director at St. Paul’s United Church, music director of many Orillia productions, and is known fondly by so many in the Orillia area.
As well as a welcome back to all of St. Paul’s neighbours and friends, this concert is also to honour the late Michael Jones and to shine a light on all he did for St. Paul’s, and most especially, the gift of a beautiful Bösendorfer piano from Michael and Judy Archer.
The space below St. Paul’s will be dedicated as the Learning Commons on Sept. 10, also in honour of Michael and his vision for St. Paul’s. Everyone is invited to a reception after the concert, downstairs, in the Learning Commons, to enjoy this reimagined and revitalized space.
“In the spirit of Michael, and others, we hope this space will be a ‘commons of creative imagination’ and leadership development in seeking the common good,” said Rev. Dr. Ted Reeve from St. Paul’s. “We are so appreciative of the artists who have come to honour Michael and to contribute to this place of creative expression. We are inviting your support of this vision through your freewill donations. For donations above $25, we are happy to provide a charitable donation receipt.”
“We were aggrieved at Michael’s death earlier this year but we know his spirit continues to live in this place and through many of us,” continued Reeve. “His quiet urging through story and music inspired us towards our better selves and how we can use our creative imaginations in seeking the common good for the planet and for all of us.”
Welcome back to St. Paul’s on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is through freewill donation. A reception with appetizers and cash bar will take place after the concert.
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