We have learned a lot in the extraordinary year of 2020. There have been important lessons about life, resilience, innovation, work, and togetherness. We have faced unexpected challenges, and we have adapted to entirely new situations.
It’s been a quite a year of learning and change.
And we want to wrap up 2020 on the highest, virtual note we can.
Normally at this time of year our students would take part in cheerful concerts with their peers at their school. But this year has been anything but traditional, so our resourceful students and staff figured, why does the music they make have to be?
Instead of limiting themselves to performing with peers at their individual schools, our students had bigger ideas – a DSBN Virtual Holiday Ensemble!
Over 100 DSBN students from 11 secondary schools banded together to give the gift of music with an instrumental of the song, ‘Holiday Bobsled Run.’
“Even though we can’t perform together in the way we usually do, students excitedly took a new opportunity to make music,” said Kathaleen McNeil, Consultant of Curriculum for Secondary at the DSBN. “What a lot of students love about music is being part of a team and working with others to create something special. Music really does bring us together.”
One lesson that 2020 has taught us at the DSBN is that we can make the best of any situation.
Read what our talented students had to say about their musical experience, and watch their performance by clicking the link below!
Beamsville:
"To me, the best part about playing music with others is the feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself, even if it's just a small group. It's been hard to get that feeling recently, but it's great to get close to it again." - Paige Garvie, Tenor Saxophone
E.L. Crossley:
"I was so excited when we got to record ourselves and virtually collaborate with lots of other DSBN high schools to create music for a video. It's pretty neat because we usually only make music with our own school, but this opportunity has let us create a song with other schools." - Riley Bolhous, Trombone
Laura Secord:
"It was so much fun to know that I was playing music to an audience, live or virtually." - Matthew Schmauder, Trumpet
"This experience inspired me to play music again!" - Dale Wallace, Trumpet
St. Catharines Collegiate:
"I think it was great! I had fun practicing, filming, and recording all the tracks. I think it was a great opportunity for everyone." - Liz Hildebrandt, Sleigh bells, Bass Drum and Bells
"It was very fun, and my first time doing any type of concert piece. The Single stroke role definitely helped with my snare control. I am excited to see the end product" Jayden Allen, Snare Drum and Cymbals