York House musicians had an amazing four days at the Whistler Music Festival (April 26-29, 2012), earning three Golds:
Una Voce – Gold
Bambina Vocal Jazz – Gold
Intermediate Band – Gold
Here are some comments from Sr. Music Director Mr. Bach:
The Grade 8/9 band had a tremendous performance in front of the largest crowd of the day. This was a new experience for many of the younger girls and they were stellar ambassadors for the music program. They should be very proud of their performance!
Mrs. Roeck had two classes representing YHS for the first time in both the Choral and Vocal Jazz categories since 2003. They were amazing. The professors were thrilled to work with both our “superior” choirs and had rave reviews for Karen’s conducting, rapport, and promise as a rising, young music director. The kids, too, are thrilled with their work and are bouncing off the walls as I type this. Karen and I are so proud of our girls! Thanks for all your support.
The teacher chaperones also had some glowing words to say about YHS’s performance at the festival:
York House School is a community full of talented and hard-working people. Sometimes to gain perspective, it is necessary to step outside of our school walls to see ourselves with new eyes and to see our school as do. After having just returned from a weekend at the Music Festival, we felt compelled to share what we experienced watching our students perform and interact with other west coast students.
Over the course of the weekend, we were incredibly impressed and moved by the maturity, talent, commitment and passion of the YHS music department. Both the band and the choirs wowed their audiences, receiving accolades from judges and peers alike. One fellow band admitted that our students inspired them by setting the standard of what excellence looks and sounds like. A judge stated that our choirs looked completely at home on the stage, and that they were ‘real’ as they sang from the heart.
As a community, we should be so very proud of our colleagues in the music department- Spencer, Karen and Dawn. Excellence does not happen by chance; it comes from hard work, perseverance, and outstanding leadership. This weekend made it abundantly clear that our music colleagues are leading with passion, challenging their students to expect the best from themselves and each other. The resulting three Gold standings is a testament to all of their hard work. Congratulations to everyone involved in this outstanding weekend.
The Whistler Chaperones
Tanya, Alek, Helen and Shannon
Video clip of the Concert Band:
To close the festival, all of the participants come together to create two mass ensembles: a massed chorus and a massed band. The mass choir learned two songs ahead of time and one song on the day of. The mass band learned their music ahead of time. Both composers were also present.
Watch the massed choir raise the roof!