"On the banks of the bow

Golden Plains and mountain glow

Where these waters flow and turn

Are the veins; from which we grow"

(excerpt from "Vision")

Andrew Ball has a rich and vivid memory of growing up in Cochrane. The composer and classically-trained percussionist has triumphantly captured this passion in his composition "Vision" that will debut this Saturday (May 11) as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Cochrane Music Society (CMS) at the Bow Valley Baptist Church.

Through its four movements, Vision pays tribute to the people and the luscious landscape of Cochrane while saluting the aspirations of the CMS. This 12-minute composition involves all three major ensembles of the CMS--Band by the Bow, Riverside Jazz and the Choral Waves.

"It's inspired by Cochrane and written for Cochrane as a celebration of the culture that has really boomed in many ways. I've noticed this change in my lifetime, but especially the integration of arts and music into the community, so that's the celebration aspect of it."

"I've grown up flying fishing on the Bow River, climbing in the Ghost wilderness area, out on a boat in the Ghost Reservoir and of course taken many trips to the mountains. So a lot of the piece is inspired by the natural beauty of Cochrane."

The name "Vision" came in part from the "Men of Vision" statue overlooking Cochrane, but it also speaks to the music society.

"The Men of Vision has been an icon of Cochrane since my earliest memories. I remember taking trips up there and looking down at Cochrane and over to the mountain tops and I thought the guy on the horse was really cool."

"I thought it beautifully fit with what the Cochrane Music Society is all about and that was they had a greater vision to make music inclusive for the community and to enrich the adults of the community with a musical experience ."

The lyrics also speak to both.

"For instance, in Movement Two the lyrics sometimes have double meaning between landmark areas as well as musical connotations and how the efforts of the founding members and directors had a vision for the way that the music society would contribute to the community in the form of bringing in new players, leaving nobody behind and creating a music community there.

"All of the lyrics in Movement Two cascade off of one and another so it's got this feeling of flow and movement, like the wind going through the valleys or the river running through Cochrane. Whenever possible I would really take nature as my muse and create musical themes from there."

For some of the lyrics, he was able to collaborate with his mother, Colleen Heschl-Ball, a founding member of the society. She shared some of her poetry of Cochrane and the phrase "bend in the bow" resonated with him because it speaks to both a musical term for string players and the Bow River. It was incorporated into the chorus of the Second Movement.

(Photo courtesy of Ben Dartnell)Preparing a composition for all three ensembles was both fun and challenging for Ball.

"It was extremely challenging ensuring that over the course of 12 minutes of music that each element of the ensemble felt engaged, was interested in the music, was being featured and challenged to an appropriate degree. Part of the fun of this, too, is that it's a project to be learned by the current membership of the band, jazz and choir."

Ball got his first taste of composing music while arranging strings for the album "I Wanna Make It With You" with Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, whom he toured with for 10 years across North America.

Listening to some of the initial tracks Ball suggested adding strings to some of the songs.

"So I give it a crack and it turned out 13 of the songs on that album ended up having string arrangements."

He continued to write arrangements for bands and choirs and his work caught the ear of CMS members when he completed arrangements for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

"It was fortunate for me to have members of the Cochrane Music Society come out to support a Cochrane boy writing music for the Calgary Phil."

Not long afterward an offer was made to commission a piece and he was eager to take the chance.

"It's purely an honour to help celebrate their 20th anniversary in this way with them."

Although he has only been a guest performer with the society's ensembles, there is a deep connection. The founding music director Rob Billington lead him when he first joined the Mitford School grade 6 concert band. His mother,  Colleen Heschl-Ball, was a founding member of the society and studied flute, then percussion to reflect her own children's musical pursuits.

"We sure appreciate the support from our parents in those forms of interest and energy. It's pretty incredible."

This isn't the first composition the Cochrane Music Society has commissioned but it is one that strikes closest to the heart for the community. Nor is it the first time the three ensembles have performed a piece together. Yet it is the most challenging, says CMS music director Adam Mailman.

"I think this is a phenomenal way of bringing around this circle to a close and really honouring everything Rob Billington created and the people who built it," says Mailman.

The 20th anniversary performance begins at 3 p.m. Admission is $10.

Later that evening the music society is holding a 20th anniversary gala banquet at the Cochrane Lions Events Centre. An alumni Jazz Combo will be performing during cocktails, followed by a banquet and the deejay sounds of "Strait Sound."

More information and tickets for both of these events can be purchased at www.cochranemusic.ca.