HOLIDAY CONCERT OPENS 2010 ON A HIGH NOTE
1/19/2010
The fact that the January 7th concert had to be rescheduled from the original date of December 9th due to bad weather only fuelled the young musicians’ enthusiasm and commitment to making their performances the best they could possibly be. And the audience members who sat spellbound throughout these performances that night certainly agreed that they were “the best”!
The selections performed that night by girls from Kindergarten to Grade 11 spanned the gamut of musical genres from traditional holiday favorites such as The Nutcracker Suite to the bold improvisations of Jazz Band members. Punctuated by readings from letters and speeches past by “Miss Edgar and Miss Cramp” (aka Mrs. MacLeod and Mme Robert), this year’s concert also had a very special Centennial aura about it.
The result of weeks and months of hard work and preparation, the annual holiday concert showcases the breadth and depth of ECS’s strong music programme. The girls start out on their musical journeys in Kindergarten, where they now work directly with a music specialist at least twice a week. By the time they graduate, students have had the opportunity to learn how to express themselves and communicate through both vocal and instrumental music, in solo and group work. In addition to music classes, their performance skills may be further developed through the many co-curricular activities ECS offers, such as Junior and Senior Choir, Symphonic Ensemble, Vocal Jazz, Jazz Band, and Junior Jazz Band.
According to the newest addition to the Music Department, Sean Craig, ECS offers opportunities for budding young musicians at a level far beyond what’s typical outside of post-secondary institutions, “I continue to be amazed by what these girls are encouraged to do, and as a result, what they CAN do—not only in the performance realm, but also when it comes to areas such as composition or audio-engineering. It’s truly a privilege to be part of such a dynamic learning environment.”
With this year’s Holiday Concert now behind them, many of the girls are looking forward to performing in this year’s Arts Festival on February 26th, in Italy over the March Break, in New York at an alumnae reunion at the end of March, and beyond to the year-end concerts in May. Their eager fans can rest assured that these performances will reflect the behind-the-scenes work of the students, as well as the faculty who challenge and inspire them.