Finn Price/Kanamu Kobayashi
Staff reporter
Last night, the Glenagle music department had its first Christmas concert in two years. It featured five ensembles: the vocal jazz, concert choir, jazz band, junior band and senior band. Each ensemble played several Christmas songs to help the audience get into the holiday spirit.
Each ensemble performed a set of classic Christmas tunes. The concert was opened by the Vocal jazz choir, followed by the concert choir, then the Jazz Band, next the junior band and the grand finale was a joint performance of O Come All Ye Faithful between the senior band and the choir.
Before the concert, band director, Edward Trovato said “I am excited about the concert.” Trovato continued stating “I am looking forward to the concert as everyone was doing a great job, taking a step forward and was advancing very fast.”. When prompted, he said “Things are going a lot better this year compared to last year as things are feeling more “normal”…”
“The next thing would be allowing a live audience, and that would make things more normal, even if we have to wear masks,” said Trovato, “Yu-Xing Lim [grade 12 and head of the Glenagle filming club] and his team they take the recording, and they mix it down and edit all the camera angles and release it a week later and people can see it, and they did a really good job on that, it’s fantastic…”
Heading into the concert, grade 10 student Rosa Jaberi, Junior Band member, said “… I am nervous, most parts of the songs and the rhythms are very tricky for me and getting with the whole band and catching up with everybody else is difficult for me.” When asked about her experience in the music program, she answered “It’s been very fun, I was nervous before because I didn’t know anyone in the music program but when I met, it was like a nice and big community, lots of friendship.”
Trovato also stated, “I am super happy with how everything is going everyone is catching up so quick, and I am very impressed with junior band, as a lot of those students had little to no band [experience].” Due to Covid-19, most students were not able to attend the music program during the last several years.
A live audience was not permitted this year, “The only thing would be allowing the live audience, and basically we would be back to normal… we are anxiously waiting for a word for when we are allowed to have a live audience.” Said Trovato. Although there wasn’t a live audience of family and peers, the other music students were there as audience members and showed their love and respect for the performers.
The energy and time all these students put in was admirable and truly moving. The music program is an amazing environment. Grade 12 Carter Newson, vocal jazz, said “The best part is probably the other students in it,” about his experience in the music program and continued saying “they’re very compassionate, they’re very friendly”.
At the end of the night, the energy was electric and alive. Seeing this concert was an amazing experience and all of us are excited and ready for the spring concert.