OACS News Service

King's choir and band receive first place at music festival
Festival experience first of many
Monday December 1, 2008 -- Jennifer Higgs
King's Christian Collegiate high school in Oakville recently entered its band and vocal class choir into the Burlington Music Festival and both groups received first place.

Kevin Norbury, the school's director of music, has worked at the school for six years and says this is the first time the groups have participated in a music festival.

"I decided I'd try this small music festival first," says Norbury. "Both groups performed extremely well."

The choir and band each received a mark of 90.

The Burlington Music Festival was an opportunity for the students to perform and compare themselves with other groups, says Norbury.

Participating in the festival provides the students with experience performing under a bit of pressure, which is a good thing, says Norbury.

The festival is also a road trip, which all students love to go on, he adds.

Twenty-five vocal class members sang in the festival Nov. 13. They performed Mozart's Ave Verum and an up tempo gospel song called Great Great Morning. The choir was awarded a scholarship from the festival.

The concert band's 48 members performed three selections Nov. 15; Fanfare and Flourishes by James Curnow, Four Breton Dances by Broege and Flight of the Thunderbird by Saucedo.

"It was a very positive experience," says Norbury.

Norbury says the Burlington Music Festival is one of a few music festivals that happen in the fall.

He says there are plenty of other plans for the groups, including participation in the upcoming Golden Horseshoe Music Festival, the Peel Music Festival and Festival London.

King's Christian Collegiate opened in 2001 and is a member of the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools.

To learn more about King's, visit www.kingschristian.net.

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