Four Yorkton band students enjoyed an opportunity two weekends ago to participate in a provincial program with 125 other young people from 25 communities across southern Saskatchewan.
The two-day event, hosted this year at Dr. Martin LeBoldus Catholic School in Regina, “provides an enrichment experience for accomplished young musicians and is offered as a joint project between the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association and the Saskatchewan Band Association,” stated a press release.
The young Yorkton musicians, Laura Gillis (clarinet), Hayley Polochek (clarinet), Dave Torongoy (trombone) and Skylar Yurkiw (alto saxophone) were recommended by their band teachers Kerry Linsley (Good Spirit School Division) and Collette Karapita (Christ the Teacher Catholic Schools).
“They sight-read very well, they play very well and they’re well-behaved,” Karapita said describing the Yorkton group.
The students gained tremendous experience doing sectionals with specialists on their instruments many of whom are musicians from the Regina Symphony. That was followed by full-band rehearsals leading up to a free public concert Saturday evening led by provincially renowned band directors Karen McKenzie and Stacey Mortenson-Spokes.
“I’m thrilled to be conducting with the honour band this spring” Mortenson-Spokes said. “As an honour band alumni myself, I can say first hand it was life changing to have this unique opportunity to play with such motivated and musical kids from around the province. Now as a band director, I see that same impact when the students come back to their first band rehearsal after participating in the honour band weekend. It’s an amazing experience all around.”
Karapita said the students who get to go to this event benefit from being around equally accomplished musicians, which is not necessarily the case locally.
“They really like that everyone’s on the same level,” she said. “It can be frustrating for the kids who are doing really well, so it’s an extra perk for them.”
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