It came to me when I was at the fort for the 1812 Overture the other night...this stuff only happens in Kingston.
Every year the Kingston Symphony Orchestra performs a two-night show at Unesco World Historic site Fort Henry. The fact that we have a symphony orchestra is significant enough, but that we have one of the finest in Canada, makes it even better.
Anyway, the symphony always invites a special guest artist to perform with them on these nights. This time it was Kingston blues-legend Georgette Fry and her band. Awesome show! They played some classics (including "Mars: bringer of War" by Holzt, which was a personal favourite of Captain Matthew Dawe of Kingston. He had been killed just a few weeks ago while serving in Afghanistan), some blues, and of course the big finale: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, complete with live cannon and muskets supplied by the Fort Henry Guard.
1500 people were at the fort that night for this amazing show. They weren't all classical music, or blues music, or jazz music, or any-particular-type-of-music fans. Just people who love to see a great show.
That's when I started thinking about it. We drive, ride and walk past some of the most beautiful and historic architecture in the country. Have you ever driven up Fort Henry Hill some night, just to look out over Kingston? You'd cancel your satellite service and never watch TV again if you did. It's just awesome.
We can literally go to the bar that Sir John A. MacDonald frequented.
Our City Hall was built a half-century before surveyors even laid out plans to build Edmonton!
Living in Kingston is a privilege that all of us take for granted. The parking rates we whine about are among the lowest in the country. The "horrible condition of our roads" would look like new pavement in most places.
And most of us miss it. Speeding to work. Speeding home. Rushing the kids through supper so you can get them to soccer on time. Stopping for a quick (and not inexpensive) bite at some national chain restaurant afterward, then speeding back home.
Whenever you hear yourself complaining about there being nothing do do or see here. Stop. Take a second to think about the horrible alternative: Living anywhere else!
Every year the Kingston Symphony Orchestra performs a two-night show at Unesco World Historic site Fort Henry. The fact that we have a symphony orchestra is significant enough, but that we have one of the finest in Canada, makes it even better.
Anyway, the symphony always invites a special guest artist to perform with them on these nights. This time it was Kingston blues-legend Georgette Fry and her band. Awesome show! They played some classics (including "Mars: bringer of War" by Holzt, which was a personal favourite of Captain Matthew Dawe of Kingston. He had been killed just a few weeks ago while serving in Afghanistan), some blues, and of course the big finale: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, complete with live cannon and muskets supplied by the Fort Henry Guard.
1500 people were at the fort that night for this amazing show. They weren't all classical music, or blues music, or jazz music, or any-particular-type-of-music fans. Just people who love to see a great show.
That's when I started thinking about it. We drive, ride and walk past some of the most beautiful and historic architecture in the country. Have you ever driven up Fort Henry Hill some night, just to look out over Kingston? You'd cancel your satellite service and never watch TV again if you did. It's just awesome.
We can literally go to the bar that Sir John A. MacDonald frequented.
Our City Hall was built a half-century before surveyors even laid out plans to build Edmonton!
Living in Kingston is a privilege that all of us take for granted. The parking rates we whine about are among the lowest in the country. The "horrible condition of our roads" would look like new pavement in most places.
And most of us miss it. Speeding to work. Speeding home. Rushing the kids through supper so you can get them to soccer on time. Stopping for a quick (and not inexpensive) bite at some national chain restaurant afterward, then speeding back home.
Whenever you hear yourself complaining about there being nothing do do or see here. Stop. Take a second to think about the horrible alternative: Living anywhere else!
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