Peter McLaughlin at Second Wind Music Centre
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| Mr McLaughlin leading a choir concert that ended an inaugural vocal workshop in September 2014. |
Recently retired after 32 years of teaching music in area schools, Peter McLaughlin has now launched the Second Wind Music Centre which he sees as “an investment in moving the community along.” A graduate of Nova Scotia’s St. Francis Xavier University, he also programs music for the Bath Meeting House, directs the Tuesday Night Singers and the Saint John the Evangelist Church Choir, leads a group called the Monquartet (see photo below) and has had a long involvement with the Carleton-Victoria Arts Council.
Various professional instructors at Second Wind, located in a de-consecrated church on Curtis Road in Florenceville-Bristol NB, will offer private lessons in piano, violin, ukulele and voice while his own personal interest continues to be working with groups. Future possibilities include a music appreciation course, a community band, Sunday afternoon sing-alongs and even an autumn music festival that would use small area churches as venues.
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Peter McLaughlin at ease,
at least temporarily, amid
the renovation activity that
is transforming the former
Bristol Baptist Church.
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Unquestionably. One of the difficulties is what’s allowed, and expected, versus the real needs of a student who may show promise in a particular area. In rural schools, for instance, once a student completes the music curriculum, chances are limited for getting into a university-level music program.
Why is that?
Because they’re competing against students with much more experience ─ experience beyond what public schools can offer. Some of these talented kids have the same hunger as basketball players who might practice four or five nights a week. When I started teaching, my first supervisor told me that he wanted a school band program and gave me carte blanche. Our middle school students practiced four times a week and we had great bands. But it was a different system then and that would never happen now.
Might that be a gap that your new Centre might help fill?
There’s a need and here’s a building that’s in walking distance from two schools. As a complement to the school system’s band program, for example, we could offer them practice in brass or woodwind quintets, giving students greater options. But, really, it’s more an enrichment centre for the whole community. There are lots of adults out there with some musical skills and they should also have the opportunity to make more music, more often. As a culture, we tend to “professionalize” music to the point where it’s not a casual, recreational activity. But think of Bo Diddley [an American R&B guitarist and singer] ─ lots of professional musicians have only three chords that they can play.
Your band, the Monquartet, specializes in Maritime music, correct?
We play all-Canadian music but that Maritime songbook is to the people who live here what country music is to Nashville or the blues are to the Mississippi delta. It’s our roots and it’s fun but not widely performed.
Finally, what are your thoughts about the burgeoning cultural landscape here in the Upper Valley?
Our area has suffered losses but the people who have stayed are committed and feel that something needs to happen. We’re also an area that’s had music and art programs in the schools for thirty years so an audience has developed and it’s less of an elitist thing. It’s all part of a cultural renaissance where we’re gaining value, gaining audience, and there’s tremendous potential here. So let’s rely on the people in the community to make things happen and soon enough they’ll be persuading others to get off the highway and spend a few days here too.
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| Named after the Monquart Stream in Bath NB, Monquartet (left to right: Basil Kazakos, Katharine Brennan, Amanda Carr and Peter McLaughlin) performed at the Bath Meeting House in September. |