SMUS Ensembles Livin’ Large
February 7, 2012
Part I of footage from the 2012 Large Ensembles concert.
February 1, 2012 at the Farquhar auditorium at the University of Victoria.
SMUS Artists and Poets Show Their Eclectic Side
January 13, 2012
SMUS has partnered with Eclectic Gallery for a very unique show. Artists from Art Foundations 11/12 and poets from Writing 12 collaborated to create a collection of pieces that will be on sale to raise money for War Child Canada and the Amma organization.
Small Ensembles Perform Big Songs
December 9, 2011
by Danny Park, Grade 10
On Friday, December 2nd, the Alix Goolden Performance Hall at the Victoria Conservatory of Music was filled with sonorous sounds from SMUS small ensembles. The types of music played varied from classical music to jazz and swing.
The Concert Singers opened up the concert, followed by the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. The Concert Singers’ beautiful blend and the falsetto soloist set the tone for the rest of the concert. The contrast shown between the two vocal groups was very entertaining to listen to. The Vocal Jazz Ensemble’s rendition of “Somebody to Love” by Queen featured numerous soloists among the group.
Listen to “Somebody to Love”: Somebody To Love
The performances of the vocal ensembles were followed by the two bands, the Jazz Band and the Swing Band. The Jazz Band brought life to the atmosphere of the concert with their rhythmic style of playing. There were incredible solos from various instruments such as saxophones, trumpets, keyboard, and even drums. Their last piece demonstrated their superb technique.
The Swing Band began their set with a selection called “Tequila”, in which they shouted “Tequila” at the end of that piece. In another piece, they got the crowd clapping as they played the refrain. The Swing Band concluded the concert with a flashy piece featuring all the instruments.
Video by SMUS, partial footage courtesy Eric George
The hard work that went into the organization of the concert was evident. Thank you to the directors of the ensembles: Ms. Williams, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Reid, Mr. Farish and Mr. Flello.
A Memorable Afternoon of Middle School Recitations
December 2, 2011
The SMUS Middle School students performed at their recitations finals in early December. Recitations – a long-held school tradition where students memorize poems, monologues and other material – are learned in Language Arts classes by all students, who then perform for their peers and teachers. For an impressive recitation, students must not only learn their piece thoroughly but also portray emotion, incorporate movement and create a scene without any props. Ranging from the comical to the tragic, these performances are a great way for students to engage with literature, modern or otherwise, and to learn the basic elements of a good dramatic performance.
Strings Ensemble Stir Assembled
November 25, 2011
Middle School parents, students and staff were treated to a wonderful afternoon of music last week. Grade 7 and 8 strings students played a variety of pieces, including a few solo works.
Program
“Unison etude” by A. Corelli
“The Haunted Carousel” by Soon Hee Newbold
“Sonata from Opus 4″ by A. Corelli
(Preludio/Corrente/Grave/Sarabanda/Giga)
“Meditation from Thais” by J. Massenet
soloist: Luke Erasmus, violin
“Concerto in G+: Allegro” by F.J. Haydn
soloist: Joshua Litton, violin
“The Swan” by Saint Saens
soloist: Jason Yoo, cello
“Arlington Sketches” by E.del Borgo
A Howl of a Good Time in Boarding
November 22, 2011
It was a weekend full of Halloween-themed everything for boarders and house parents; from Brown Hall meals, to fireworks, to the boarding-wide talent show, Howlapalooza, everything had a bit of the holiday’s touch.
Photos by Ian Robertson and Chris Bateman
Video footage by Kent Leahy-Trill
Learn about The Spirit of Howlapalooza.
Miss Saigon Documentary
June 17, 2011
A behind the scenes look at the 2010 school musical, Miss Saigon. Filmed and directed by Hubert Wang ’11.
Pirates in Wonderland
June 9, 2011
The Grade 5 students perform this amazing musical for the entire SMUS Junior School.
Cross Campus Choral Concert 2011
June 8, 2011
Students from Grades 4-12 perform at the annual choral concert at Christ Church Cathedral.
The Simple Gift of Music
June 3, 2011
Video highlights from the annual Cross Campus Band Concert, featuring students in Grades 6-12.