Every Wednesday morning when you pass the door of the Begg Room you will hear a cacophony of sounds: clarinet cadenzas, horn howls, trombone triads, and violin vibratos, each claim their musical space. At 10 a.m. precisely, Conductor Ernie Fiedler signals attention with his baton and 35 musicians, squeezed into two tiny room, play their "A's" and adjust them to their neighbours. When we hit the double-forte in Mozart's "Surprise Symphony" we can actually elevate the china painters in the next room!

The musicians have come from as far away as Surrey by Sky-train or by foot from six blocks away. The instruments vary from family heirlooms, as old as 162 years, or one purchased two weeks ago. We are there to make music, but also for the fellowship and mental stimulation. Some even speak of playing as "therapy". The musicians are also "family heirlooms", ranging from 58 to 88 years of age. The average age is 73!

This is a remarkably talented group of people, 11 of whom play also in other Brock House musical groups. In all 25 of us play with other orchestras or bands, or sing in choirs in the lower mainland. 18 of us play more than one instrument and a few play as many as seven instruments. (Not at one time!)

Ted Affleck and Gordon Laird met first, forty years ago, in the Faculty of Commerce at U. B. C. Gordon is the newcomer to the orchestra. Ted has been a member from the beginning, which he describes in this article:

A HISTORY OF THE BROCK HOUSE MUSIC MAKERS ORCHESTRA

Edward L. Affleck, #208, 2250 S. E. Marine Drive, Vancouver, B. C. V5P 2S2 [604] 324-2201 November 10, 2002

One dull afternoon in November, 1977 four individuals trudged through the construction dust at Brock House. The waterfront mansion was undergoing renovation and was scheduled in January, 1978 to throw open its doors in its new guise as a senior citizens' activity centre. Brock House Society President, Dr. George Halpern, Bill Begg, Vice-President and Irene (Ovenden) Doheny, recently hired Administrator were meeting to discuss prospective musical activities at Brock House with Elva Fitzpatrick, a recent retiree from an active career as a music teacher in the Vancouver School System. It was quickly decided that as the new centre as yet boasted neither a piano nor a record player, Elva Fitzpatrick would conduct a music appreciation course, utilizing film slides and equipment rented from the Vancouver School Board.

By February, 1978, Brock House had acquired a piano. The indefatigable Elva Fitzpatrick had rounded up a small group of string players to play at the first Brock House Valentine's Day tea. Elva's next move was to test the interest of Brock House members in forming a mixed choir, vowing that if her canvass succeeded in turning up at least one serviceable tenor, the future of a choir would be assured. Such a candidate turned up in the form of VictorTrunkfield, and Elva also struck paydirt in the guise of two former principals from the Knox Operatic Group: Jim Miller, bass, and his wife Melita, accompanist.

Shortly after this Valentine's Day effort, Elva rounded up a dozen musicians (singers and instrumentalists) to give a concert at Canadian Memorial Church for the 1811 Club. At a loss to know what to call her motley group, Elva took advice from one of the 1811 Club Members and dubbed them the "Brock House Music Makers."

By the beginning of Fall, 1978, Elva had rallied sufficient vocal forces for the Music Makers Choir to perform at the Brock House Tudor Faire on October 28 and again at the Brock House "First Birthday" celebration on December 3. Concert garb consisted of a pastel blouse and dark skirt for the ladies and a white shirt and gray flannel trousers for the men. The opening performance in 1979 was a concert given at a "Robbie Burns Tea" held in Brock House on January 26. but thereafter the Choir began to branch out and give one or two performances per month at senior citizen's residences and recreation centres. For the first few years in the history of Brock House, Elva Fitzpatrick was in charge of all the musical performing forces, so that many of the outreach concerts combined vocal and instrumental forces.

The Brock House Orchestra grew like Topsy from the scratch instrumental groups which Elva rounded up to support the Choir. A motley group of instrumentalists kept turning up at the Choir practices eager for a musical outing. As the weeks went by it became obvious that these casual gatherings both hindered the Choir from developing a varied repertory and kept the instrumentalists on a somewhat meager diet. Furthermore, the limited capacity of the Begg Room at Brock House became severely taxed to house all the players who showed up at rehearsals. A separate orchestral group, rehearsing in the Begg Room on Wednesday mornings, was accordingly established while the Choir continued to rehearse in the same location on Tuesday afternoons. Each group carried on its own outreach, appearing regularly at Senior Citizens' Residences at various Brock House functions.

In its early stages, the Orchestra suffered from a lack of a stable core of players, as the "drop in" attitude which existed during the time the two groups had rehearsed together tended to prevail.

Elva Fitzpatrick Walters was the first conductor of the Orchestra. Her successors have included Ross Parkinson, Paul Jagger, Art Williams and the current incumbent, Ernie Fiedler. The leadership transitions have not always been accomplished smoothly, orchestra players being individuals with "temperament". The group spent a number of poignant months when Art Williams, who was in a profound state of denial over contracting leukemia, attempted doggedly to carry on as orchestra leader. Art's attendance became increasingly irregular, but he resisted attempts to appoint another leader, insisting that his ailment was a temporary one. For a number of months, Ted Affleck and Francine Panet- Raymond graciously assumed conductorial duties, always on a pro-tempore basis. At length Williams succumbed to leukemia and the orchestra felt free to advertise for a conductor in 1998. This venture was highly productive, as the services of Ernie Fiedler, retired U.B.C. Professor in the Education Faculty, were obtained. In his early teaching career, Ernie had worked as a music teacher in secondary schools in Washington State. The background in both music and psychology makes for a good mix in dealing with temperamental instrumentalists. The versatile Francine Panet-Raymond, mistress of several musical instruments, serves as associate conductor.

That's our history, now back to today's orchestra:

The Brock House Orchestra, grown in size and stability, strains the confines of the Brock House Begg Room. The opportunities for fellowship, outreach service and self development continue to assure a steady turnout at rehearsals. The changing of the seasons brings no surcease, as members continue to show up at rehearsals throughout the summer months as well as during the regular season. Although the Begg Room is bursting at the seams each Wednesday morning, we will gladly make room for a few more string and wind players, and there's room around the coffee table for a few more musical souls.

Come on in, the "Therapy" is about to start!

Ted Affleck and Gordon Laird March 10, 2003

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Updated to February 15, 2004

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