Choirs Receive Kudos (and a win!) at Kiwanis Festival

Gr. 7 Choir performs for grandparents
Our Award-Winning Grade 7 Choir Performing at Grandparents Day

Our Chorista Concert Choir and Grade 7 Choir performed at Kiwanis Festival a couple of week ago. This was a three day event with 53 choirs in attendance.

In Chorista’s category, there was a big field of strong choirs. Congratulations go to the Saint Thomas More Catholic Grade 10 Choir – an amazing group! Though they didn’t take the top prize, here is a little of what the judges had to say about our girls:

  • Ladies, you are awesome. Continue to sing forever!
  • You sound extremely mature.
  • A very fine, fine choir.
  • Keep up the great work!
  • Wonderful to see/hear such obvious energy and work and passion in the choir

Our Grade 7 Choir won their category. They were named the best Elementary School Choir! The choir will be submitting their recording and keeping their fingers crossed. If they win at provincials, they will go on to represent BC as the top Elementary Choir at the National Festival of Music (again, by recording).

Here are some comments on our Grade 7 Choir (the entire Grade 7 class):

  • Wow! Love, love, love your tone. So free – great job!
  • Soloists – you have stolen my heart ! (Pepi, Elanore, Kathryn)
  • Wonderful singing today, girls – very impressed with this confident and engaging performance! Excited to hear how you’ll continue to grow.
  • LOVE YOU !!!! (yes, four exclamation marks!)

A big congratulations to the girls and a big THANK YOU to Mr. Bach, Ms. Haylett, Ms. Pearce, and Ms. Blackburn for all of their work shaping this amazing music program. Please come to the Music Department’s Final Performances on May 27th and 28th, to hear our girls in all their glory!

 

Celebration of Community

Celebration of Community
Click for photos from the Celebration of Community

On Monday afternoon, the YHS community gathered at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts for the “Celebration of Community”.

This annual event is always a favourite, as it’s a treat to hear our budding musicians perform in such a wonderful venue – the sound is glorious. This year, the event was dedicated to Ms. Ruddy, as it is her last year as Head of School.

Celebration of Community
Click for more photos from the Celebration of Community

The program featured performances from our junior and senior students, including two outstanding solo performances from Samantha, Gr. 11 and Breeshey, Gr. 12. Please watch all the highlights below.

The afternoon was interspersed with readings (Saskia, Gr. 8 and Rainy, Gr. 9), as well as carols sung by all attendees, including “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed” Reindeer” and “The First Noel”. The sing-a-longs always puts everyone in the holiday spirit.

Special thanks to Leith Wheeler Investments for sponsoring this event. See all the photos here.

For a video clip of the Gr. 7 Choir performing “Kusimama (Stand Tall)” at the Jr. Ensemble Night, click here.

For a video clip of the Sr. Concert Band performing “Blue and Green Music” at the Sr. Ensemble Night, click here.