This Week In Art/Culture/Entertainment
By John Swartz
The Orillia Museum of Art and History and the Orillia Silver Band partnered for a presentation at the Third Age Learning Lakehead event at St. Paul’s Centre last week.
The agenda was music chosen to have some relationship with short historical essays delivered by OSB conductor Neil Barlow. Neil did a terrific job telling the stories from our history, and leading the band.
Half way through I was thinking regardless of how much I think I know about the history of this town, there is something to learn every day. For example Neil told the story of two people, Marilyn Campkin and Marilyn Horne, who both taught piano to scores of kids. Campkin also taught English at ODCVI.
So I’m sitting there thinking, how did I not know this? How is it possible these two people were so instrumental in the arts community and it escaped my notice?
Well, it turns out using maiden names can obscure the history. Campkin’s married name was McKerrow, and Horne’s was Maclagan, and I met both of them over the years, though neither of them mentioned what they were known for.
I’m pretty sure it was McKerrow who stopped me one day (first time we met) to say how much she enjoyed reading my scribbling and that I write well, to which I replied, “can I introduce you to my high school English teachers?” Her response was basically to tell me she had been an English teacher and knew good writing when she saw it. It made my day.
So I knew Marilyn McKerrow taught English and met her several more times, but I had no idea of her other work in the community.
Marilyn Maclagan’s husband was Scott. He was the lead voice trying to make change with the City’s Common Element Condominium by-law and I visited their home once to do an interview and get some photos. Marilyn didn’t say a word about her accomplishments, which included being one of the youngest to earn a Royal Conservatory of Music associate diploma (she was 11-years-old) and her long involvement in the arts.
McKerrow died in 2021, and Maclagan this past January.
Other topics from Orillia’s history included the Kiltie Band, The origin of the bandstand in Couchiching Beach Park and the Aqua Theatre entwined with Terry Fox’s visit to Orillia.
The band was a light version of the OSB, one player from each section. They sounded like the whole band. Each of the pieces of music was of the time period of the stories, or had some tangentially related tie. The last topic was Gordon Lightfoot, and the band played their commissioned version of Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
Meanwhile, at the museum, OMAH has the 28th annual International Women’s Day Show in the main floor gallery. Also see Orillia: Then And Now a collection of historical photos of Orillia landmarks and buildings contrasted with recent photos of the same by Samantha Vessios, and don’t miss two exhibits related to Gordon Lightfoot – a permanent exhibit of their acquisitions of items from Gord’s estate, Gordon Lightfoot: Turning Back The Pages, and an exhibit of photos taken over the years by Edwin Gailits (1970s era) and, Deb Halbot, at the Mariposa Folk Festival called Voices Through Time: A Mariposa Journey.
August 2 a new exhibit, Yours To Uncover: An Ontario Road Trip, with works by Exhibition by Peter Fyfe and John Notten opens.
OMAH has their summer walking tour, Gangs, Guns, and Grog happening every Wednesday evening. You can register to take part here. The submission period for the annual Carmichael Landscape Show – Tradition Transformed is open until August 22. You can get details here. Now is the best time to get tickets for OMAH’s Music For The Museum event, November 1; Jacquie Dancyger Arnold, Hugh Coleman, Ross Arnold, Blair Bailey, Laura Kelly, and Gail Spencer are performing
On The Waterfront
Three events are happening at the Port of Orillia/Centennial Park this weekend. Saturday is the annual Mardi Gras event all day.
The chamber of commerce’s Orillia’s Got Talent has the finals from the previous two elimination rounds happening Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. I went to round two and I think the edge goes to the youngest contestants who I think had better performances. Some accompanied themselves on guitar, and some performed karaoke style to recorded music. The winner gets $1,000 and a gig playing at the Pirate Party.
And, Saturday and Sunday Sustainable Orillia has their annual Green Innovation Weekend happening. There will be displays of electric vehicles for land and sea, and other green technology companies will be showing off their latest gear from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
The Shorts
- The Mariposa Folk Festival wasted no time announcing their fall Mariposa-in-Concert event happening November 29 at St. Paul’s Centre. The fall concerts tend to be return visits of summer festival performers. In this case it’s Aysanabee. I remember speaking with him as he was waiting to take the main stage in 2022 as a Tweener act before the induction of Murray McLauchlan into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (he followed Mavis Staples to the stage). That was a star studded affair which could have unnerved any one waiting to do their thing on stage. I remember Aysanabee being relatively calm. Since then he has become the first Native musician to win Juno Awards for Alternative Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. You can get tickets online right now.
- The Orillia Youth Centre has a few fundraising concerts happening in the fall. The Sadies with special guest Terra Lightfoot are lined up for Sept. 20 at St. Paul’s Centre; Kevin Seconds, Lenny Lashley’s Gang Of One, and Nixon Boyd play Oct. 10 at Creative Nomad, and Oct. 11 at the youth center; and Danny Michel with special guest Roger Harvey play at the youth center October22. Get tickets online.
- Cloud Gallery has a bunch of new art and two new artists, Candace Louise and Holly Friesen, are now part of the Cloud family… Hibernation Arts has lots of new work and the featured artist this month is Kathryn Andrews… Peter Street Fine Arts has photos by Mike Bailey featured this month (some fantastic shots taken in Africa)… Starry Night is Aug. 23
- Quayle’s Brewery has Chris Staig playing July 25; Francesca Panetta July 26; Vince Therrien July 27; Corrie Walker July 31; Andrew Walker Aug. 1… the Hog ‘N Penny has an afternoon jam session every Sunday with Sean Patrick and others; the Cache Creek Trio is in Friday; Vince Therrien plays Saturday… … Jakob Pearce is at Lone Wolfe Café Friday evening… Picnic has Madison Mueller playing Sunday afternoon; Taylor Hofner is in July 31… Lone Star Oasis plays the ANAF Club Saturday evening…. Lake Country Grill has a comedy night Aug. 7 with Jason Rouse, Kyle Lucey and Sai Kit Lo (tickets)
- The Aqua Theatre roster this weekend is Turbo Street Funk playing at 6:30 p.m., Friday; Movies In The Park Saturday has Top Gun at dusk (free, collecting donations of food or cash for the Sharing Place); The Orillia Big Band plays the Sunday evening band concert at 6:30 p.m.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia and Images Supplied) Main: The Orillia Silver Band playing for the Third Age Learning Lakehead event at St. Paul’s Centre.
