Kiwanis 29th Annual Holiday Concert on December 4th will feature Wilton Residents and the Big Band Sound
Final preparations are underway for the Wilton Kiwanis Club's annual Holiday Concert to be held at the Clune Center for the Arts at Wilton High School on Saturday, December 4th, at 8 p.m. This year's program will feature the big band sound of the Fairfield Counts.
Find out what's happening in Wiltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The band consists of local talent who love to perform music from the 30's, 40's, and up to the 90's. Wilton residents John Revel of Cobb's Mill Road and Dr. Elliot Zelevansky of Saddle Ridge Road are active members of the group.
John Revel plays bass trombone and recently retired from GE. His formal training was in music; he received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in music from the Juilliard School. John has performed with orchestras in Peru and Italy and locally with the Ridgefield Symphony, the Danbury Symphony and the Greenwich Philharmonia. In addition, he has performed with the New York Youth Symphony, the Moscow Symphony's New York performance and at Tanglewood.
Find out what's happening in Wiltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Dr. Zelevansky, a psychologist with a practice in New Canaan, plays tenor sax and has been a member of the orchestra for many years. He played in college and discovered the band through one of his son's teachers in the Wilton public schools. "I've always enjoyed playing the saxophone, and joining the Counts has allowed me to continue and improve," Dr. Zelevansky said in a recent interview.
The Fairfield Counts was founded in 1976 ago by Dr. Harvey Tuckman, a retired Norwalk optometrist. He wanted to play the music he knew from his youth and to perpetuate the sound of the big bands. He continues to this day as the group's leader.
Director Dick Burlant is a former music teacher in Bridgeport. He has played and arranged music for the Sonny Costanza band and other big bands. He formerly was a regular member of the Oakdale Music Theater pit orchestra. He also toured with Rodney Dangerfield and his group.
Over the years, the band has attracted top caliber musicians whose intent is to recreate the unique big band sounds. Currently, the members consist of two oral surgeons, a psychologist, the former CEO of Rolodex Corporation, a retired IBM exec, a mailman, a roofing contractor, a music instrument repairman, a classic car restoration expert, a vocal teacher, a middle school music teacher, a sound system installer, a high school physical education teacher and several retired executives. All love the big band music and are willing to rehearse one night a week for the entire year.
The Fairfield Counts is considered one of the premier big bands on the East Coast and has been the featured orchestra at many area country clubs and civic organization affairs, in addition to appearances at private parties in New York City at Windows On The World, the Supper Club, Red Blazer Too, the Yale Club, the Hotel Pierre and aboard the Intrepid Aircraft Carrier in New York harbor. According to The New York Times, "It's like walking into a ballroom dance out of the past, and it is wonderful."
All seats are reserved. General admission tickets are $20; students (16 and under), $8. Sponsor, patron and benefactor tickets are available for $40, $60 and $80. Further information may be obtained by calling 203-604-9014 or at www.wiltonkiwanis.org. Net proceeds will be distributed to community charities and organizations through the Wilton Kiwanis Foundation.
Photo Left to Right
Don Davidson – concert committee member
John Revel – bass trombone player from the Fairfield Counts
Emily Humiston – Kiwanis president
Sue Wall – concert committee chair
