_ NORTH SHORE NEWS €E TERTAENMENT GUIDE NEWS photo Paul McGrath DOUG Macaulay is enjoying his fifth season with the West Van Youth Band. The 33-year-old enjoys juggling careers as composer, arranger, sound designer and educator. The music man DOUG Macaulay is no Mr. Holland. The true-lite story of a frustrated composer who shelves his best work to become a band teacher to pay the bills, so effectively portraved by actor Richard Drevtiis in Ue Holland's Opis, dees not marca the profile of the energetic young music dicector of the West Vancouver Youth Band. Macaulay, 33, loves his job ay leader of the band. And he's tound time to compose too, He's written for orchestra, concert band, jazz band and fitm scores. His music has been per- formed frons Hong Kong to New York. He's composed music tor dozens of plays, including the critically acclaimed Whale Ridin Weather, tor which he received a Jesse Richardson award for outstanding composition and sound design, and the runaway hit 72 Naber 14. For that production, which is now playing at othe New Victory Theatre on Broadway, he devised a musical score completely inside t out of bus noises With his writing partner fan Cook, he’s work- ing on a new musical called The Wedding Bua. He's preparing for his fifth season as music director tor Theatre Cader the Stars, and is busy arranging the secure for Hair, CBC television and radio call on his expertise musical direction for special projects. And if thar isn’r eneugh, he'll be returmmg as musical director of Gert Sing. Gotta Dance, a summer musical the- atre program: for young people at the Jewish Community Centre in Oakridge. But with everything he has on the go, it’s the West Vancouver Youth Band that remains Macaulay's No, | priority. “Tove teaching,” says the youthful leader, sit- ag ay -21 Layne Christensen ting in the back office of the band ream at Tnwin Park Elementary, the steady rumble of sncakered feet across the gymnasium tloor overhead. “This is teaching with no strings. don’t have to deal with bureaucracy and the Kids are just tremendous.” It’s his fifth scason with the vourh band and the organization's 67th . When he was first handed the job he said he would give i three years. “At the end of three vears P was still having the Gime of my fife,” says Macaulay, When Macauulay signed on as munical director the band was ina sorry state, Mlembership had dropped to just 300 vouths, attendance ar rehearsals was uneven and morale was iow. Che band’s sadly outdated uniforms with their “bum. hugging bellbottoms” were an embarassment. = his we | So Macaulay asked the students whar they wanted. First, ditch the uniforms, they said. Second, give us music we can be proud of per- forming. Vhe band cuns an mutual respect, says Macaulay. “T really respect the effort they put out.” he says. The studenrs respect Macaulay for treating them like responsible near-adults, Kids who can’r make a practice are expected tccintorm che band fine betorchand. Otherwise they can expecta phone call trom: Macaulay mid- SESSION It's a syste that seems to work. Ta just tive years, membership has doubled. Very few band members go on to carcers in Inusic, says Macaulay (notable exceptions are the Arts Clubs Theatre's artistic director Bill Millerd and jazz musician and instructor AL Matheson). See Wo Vian pane 24 - -CINEMAS:. _ DINING GUIDE: