w  rd 2 the woss

 

The first semester of the 2015-2016 school year has  been a spectacular one for the music department at White Oaks . Thanks to the efforts of our extremely proactive Student Council, Students returned to newly painted and refurbished music rooms. All ensembles and groups, thanks to their wonderful conductors, Mr. Gassi and Mr. Fraser, were promptly running with renewed vigour. In late September, the concert band and concert choir went collectively on a retreat to Ancaster, where bonding activities and rehearsals were enjoyed by all in attendance. The point of this outing was to prepare  for the busy semester that awaited them. 

 

 

The first official performance for the concert band was, as tradition demands, at the Commencement ceremony for last year’s graduating class. Following this, a concert was held in October, titled A Night at the Movies. It was very successful with the concert band and choir performing highlights from movies along the likes of Frozen, Skyfall and The Incredibles, among others. 

 

 

The concert choir, whose advancements this year include a significant increase in number and the commendable addition of strong tenor and bass sections, also gave performances throughout the semester at the awards ceremony in October, and the Remembrance Day assembly with their rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah resonating well with their audiences.

 

 

The rookie grade nine students were initiated into the department with the Grade Nine Music Night in late November. The climax of the department’s activities during the semester was reached on December 8th with the annual Home for the Holidays Concert at the Oakville Centre of the Performing Arts. Of course at this recital all ensembles played in addition to the Concert Band and Concert Choir. These groups included the Intermediate band, the Clarinet, Flute and Chamber Choirs, and the Guitar and Horn Ensembles from the school, and a grade 7-8 choir fused from various Oakville elementary schools.

 

 

All performances were well received with the 400 seat capacity auditorium very near full and with all groups gaining the praise of all audience members. Please note that highlights from the show can be found at this link: . However, now that February has dawned upon the department, all focus is being directed towards preparation for the upcoming Regional MusicFest Competition that the intermediate and concert bands, as well as the ensembles, will be attending in March. Likewise, the concert choir is also in the midst of intense preparation for the Ontario Vocal Fest to take place in Caledon later this month. Finally, with fundraisers such as a bake sale in November and a Coffee/Tea Christmas Gift Sale in December, all groups eagerly anticipate the planned trip to the Atlantic Festivals of Music event in Halifax in April.  

 

 

With these competitions and of course the spring concert in May, the department is striving full speed ahead into a second semester that is bound to be inconceivably busier than the first, teeming with triumphs to be celebrated, laughs to be shared and innumerable memories to be made.