Longtime Truro Concert Band conductor passing the baton

The Truro Concert Band is older than the town itself, and for about a third of that 150-year history, Ken Henderson's been at the helm. But after 52 years, he's stepping away. It's hard to find new ideas, but that's not really the thing. I knew my hearing was getting not so good over the last number of years, I don't know how many, but I finally got around to getting it tested. And when I saw the frequency response that I was actually hearing, I was horrified. Henderson joined the band as a teenager. He started on the third clarinet, and that's where he's landed decades later. I feel like I didn't really offer him the option until the end. Ken's always been here. Ken's a fixture, so we need him. I love having him here. Hartman is settling into the conducting role at the helm of a band made up of people from grade 8 to their 80s. I think it's really, really important in the world we have today where things are kind of scary, that we have places that people can come together in community and just experience joy and fun with no worry about winning or losing and no worry about anything but creating something beautiful together. Not the everyday thing that you see all the time now that they used to be, but I think it's important that a community have an outlet like this for the players. and I think it's important that people actually hear music that's not coming out of speakers all the time, that's actually coming out of instruments that are in people's hands. The band is a mainstay at Remembrance Day ceremonies and holiday celebrations. They rehearse weekly at the Churro Library and are always open to new members. Luke Ettinger, CBC News, Truro.