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Birch Creek Musicians Study More Than Just Music

The 2010 Birch Creek Steel Band rehearses in the Dutton Concert Barn.

G. Allan “Al” O’Connor came to Birch Creek at the request of Birch Creek’s founder, Jim Dutton, to start the steel band program in 1982. “I’ll stay one year,” O’Connor told Dutton.
Twenty-eight years later, O’Connor is still teaching steelpan to promising, young musicians in Birch Creek’s Percussion & Steel Band program.
Because the steelpan, a pitched, percussive instrument made from a 55-gallon oil drum, is of Caribbean origin, O’Connor has naturally become well acquainted with the customs and music traditions of other cultures from simply playing music with them.
In a recent interview, O’Connor spoke of the ways music unites everyone and how that can be applied to the Birch Creek family. “Playing music creates a feeling of community, no matter how different the performers are,” said O’Connor. “Additionally, all of the percussion music presented at Birch Creek has original roots from Africa. This, in itself, unites all who play music.”
The Birch Creek Steel Band, as well as a large variety of percussion ensembles, will perform two more concerts: “Comedy and Pops” on July 15 and “Island Carnival II” on July 16.
Big Band Jazz concerts begin on July 20 with “Swing Into Summer.” The concerts on July 21 and 22 are entitled “A Tribute to Benny Goodman,” with swing dancing optional on July 22. “Swing Into Summer” will return on July 23.
Birch Creek Music Performance Center is located at 3821 Highway E in Egg Harbor. All concerts begin at 8 pm with pre-concert music beginning at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $29 for adults, $10 for students, and $6 for children. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 920.868.3763. Visit http://www.birchcreek.org for additional information.