Tag: music

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Chorista at Kiwanis Choral Festival

Chorista Concert Choir competed at the Vancouver Kiwanis Choral Festival on Friday, April 10. Watch their performance below. Over the four day event, there were 58 choirs performing (53 school choirs / 5 community choirs). Only four school choirs of the 53 could progressed to the provincial festival:

  • Best Under Age 19: Magee
  • Best Under 16: Saint Thomas More
  • Best Under 12: West Point Grey
  • Best All Male: Seycove

These are all fine ensembles and we congratulate them heartily.

There were also three scholarships that were given:

    • Saint Thomas More Chamber Choir
    • New West Secondary
    • York House School

I am so proud of our singers’ performance. Here are some of the comments from the three adjudicators: Dr. Andrea Ramsey (University of Colorado); Dr. Dominic Gregorio (University of Regina); and Dr. Adam Con (University of Victoria and former choral teacher right here at YHS!):

  • Fantastic attention to dynamics and such dancing, lovely articulation.
  • Great French diction – Merci Mme LeMay!
  • Omigosh, this was so wonderful.
  • Honored to hear you sing my tune (Andrea Ramsey’s Letter from a Girl to the World).
  • Wow, wow, wow! Your program was varied, interesting, performed with exquisite musicality, expression, intelligence and strength.
  • So good to know that choral singing is alive and well at York House.

So while we did not get chosen to represent our age group at the Performing Arts BC Festival, we had a great time and learned a lot.

Many thanks to Mr. Bach, Mme LeMay, Ms. Waterhouse and Tim Laithwaite, for supporting the girls last Friday.

Fiona Blackburn
Choral Director

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The Basement: Jazz Cabaret

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Click for more photos from The Basement.

The York House Music Department held an intimate evening of music featuring our Jazz Band, Ragazza and Bambina. Guests had a chance to mingle, enjoy a glass of wine and sample delicious hors d’oeuvres, all while listening to jazz standards, new favourites and solo performances from our talented musicians and singers.

This night was traditionally held at the now defunct Cellar Jazz Club. As of last year it has been held at YHS, where the foyer is transformed into a cabaret-style jazz club. “The Basement” gives our Senior students the chance to perform in a more intimate and casual setting.

View the photos and enjoy some of the highlights from the performances:

Ragazza performs “Blackbird”, “Isn’t It Romantic”, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “Killing Me Softly With His Song”, and “Voice Dance”:

Soloists Samantha, Gr. 12 (“Your Daddy’s Son”); Fraser, Gr. 11 (“New York State of Mind”) and Colette, Gr. 11 (“You There in the Back Row”):

Jazz Band performs “Better Get In Your Soul”, “When the Saints Go Marching In”, “You Made Me Love You”, “Little Brown Jug”, and “Whirly Bird”:

Soloists Hasti, Gr. 12 (“Over the Love”); Sarah, Gr. 9 (Marimba solo) and Fiona, Gr. 12 (“The Wind Beneath My Wings”):

Bambina performs “True Colors” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”:

Soloists Emily, Gr. 12 (“When I Love at You”); Kathleen, Gr. 11 (“Soldiers”) and Gabriella, with Christine, Gr. 11 (“Photograph”):

Soloists Laura, Gr. 12 (“Stars and the Moon”); Amelia, Gr. 12 (“Be Still”), and a duet from Pepi and Ariel, Gr. 8 (“Fly Me to the Moon”):