Magical Moonlight Concert in Paradise August 11

By Lawrence Powell

Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

When dusk falls on Ellenhurst the evening of August 11, the lights will come up and Paradise and music lovers will be carried back to another era. Back to Tuxedo Junction, Satin Doll, and In The Mood. The eighth annual Moonlight Concert in Paradise is indeed like the song -- a moonlight serenade.

"We have a lot of folks who plan their vacations around this (Moonlight Concert) from other parts of the country and even internationally," said host David Hankinson. "And we have a core group that comes every year."

The success of the free concert at Hankinson's estate has grown year after year until 700 or 800 people is not an unexpected crowd. Although it's a fundraiser for the Paradise Community Hall, tickets aren't sold and donations are accepted at the gate.

"The only reason it works is that the whole community comes out and helps get ready for it," Hankinson said. And support from sponsors helps out in many areas -- from portable toilets, and the printing of posters and brochures to the attendance of the St. John Ambulance.

"We didn't want to set a price," said Hankinson of the free nature of the event. "We wanted to expose people to this music but didn't want to put a price on it because some might not be able to attend."

Featured on several tiers of staging off the back veranda of the Victorian mansion is the focal point of the evening, the Annapolis Big Band, a group of musicians who carry on the tradition of the swing era music. They play authentic arrangements of well-known swing era tunes and can conjure up about 100 tunes if called upon, including ballads, jive tunes, and waltzes.

The Big Band is comprised of 17 musicians playing arrangements written in the typical big band format of five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass, and drums. Hankinson himself plays trumpet in the band.

And of course there will be a guest vocalist.

The combination of 1930s and '40s era music, lush, green grounds, gardens, and a warm summer evening spell magic in Paradise each August.

"When the lights come on it sort of turns into a magic time," said Hankinson. "And we encourage people to come in period dress. Some do that. We can't recreate that era totally, but it is certainly an atmosphere reminiscent of that era."

The concert isn't just for the older set. Families with children make the date each summer.

"I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of young people who come," Hankinson said. "There aren't many venues for them to hear this type of music."

And while the estate is large, the elderly or infirm don't have to worry about walking from parking to the concert area -- golf carts are provided.

Linda Hankinson said she's been told by tourists that they are surprised to see something of the concert's calibre in rural Nova Scotia. One woman from the United States who owns a property similar to Ellenhurst asked her if she would object if she copied the concert idea.

"I thought it would be an honour," she said.

In the end, the people of Paradise gain through the funds raised to fix up the community hall. So far concert funds have helped buy a new furnace, upgrade the electrical system, build accessible washrooms, a new roof, and other refurbishments.

"This has really allowed the hall to be used year round," said David Hankinson. "So there have been a lot of people who have benefitted from the concert."

This year's event is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Rain date is August 12.