At the annual pie-and-ice cream band concert on June 15, Darren Kitsch presented awards to members of the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute beginner, junior and senior bands.
Held on the sloping lawn of the grounds of the Kamsack Hospital, the concert included selections performed by members of all three bands and following each band’s performance, members were recognized as the recipients of various awards.
The public purchased 192 slices of several varieties of pie which were made by students and staff of the KCI and served with ice cream and iced tea.
Following the beginner band’s performance, Kitsch presented attendance awards to: Zachary Burback, Will Zarchikoff, William MacGillivray, Josh Hilton, Kevin Luu, Curtis Berezowsky, Leah Schwartz, Austin Krawetz and Aiden Stone.
The Congeniality Award, which is presented “to a student who is courteous and respectful to staff and students, and demonstrates a co-operative and positive attitude throughout the school, was awarded to Alexandria Shingoose and Alexia Tourangeau.
The award for being the most improved junior band student went to Kevin Luu and Brady Hilton.
Kitsch presented the Overall Musicianship Award to Brandt Bloudoff, Cadence Campeau, Gerri Basaraba, Petrie Whitehawk and Leah Schwartz.
The Percussion Award was presented to Zachary Burback, and named the most promising musician was Dylan Weis.
For the junior band, the attendance award was presented to: Karen Luu, Kate Erhardt, Ilyana Carpenter-Bloudoff, Kira Kitsch, Kyler Kitsch, Ryan Bear, Jordyn Thomas, Ysabel Morenos, Sadie McGriskin, Mila Carpenter-Bloudoff and Kade Wishnevetski.
Receiving the Most Improved Award were Karen Luu, Odi Ogali and Ryan Bear.
Ryan Bear received the Percussion Award.
The Overall Musicianship Award went to Kate Erhardt, Ilyana Carpenter-Bloudoff and Ysabel Morenos.
Receiving the Most Promising Musician Award were Kade Wishnevetski, Kira Kitsch and Kyler Kitsch.
The Congeniality Award was presented toMila Carpenter-Bloudoff and Jenaci Pelly.
The Attendance Award for senior band members was presented to Kira Kitsch, Kyler Kitsch, Kade Wishnevetski, Ryan Bear, Addie Rousseau, Bre Bland, Paige Sterzer and Allison Thomsen.
The Most Improved Award went to RJ Bonus and Justin Zellerer.
Reuel Straub received the Percussion Award.
Donnie Weis was presented with the Community Volunteer Award.
The Overall Musicianship Award went to Josh Leis, Colin Tulloch, Paige Sterzer and Allison Thomsen.
Addie Rousseau was named the Most Promising Musician.
Kaylie Bowes and Marcel Schmidt were the recipients of the Leadership Award.
The Congeniality Award went to Addie Rousseau and RJ Bonus.
The Young Senior Band Award was presented to Charlotte Henderson, Curtis McGriskin, Kyler Kitsch, Kira Kitsch, Ryan Bear and Kade Wishnevetski.
A special “good-bye” was said to graduating students: Kaylie Bowes, Josh Leis (who was a member of the band program since Grade 5), Marcel Schmidt, Justin Zellerer, Reuel Straub and Addie Rousseau.
Kitsch thanked Barbara Tanner and students of her Foods 30 class for the pies, saying the event would not have been the same without the pie.
He thanked the parents for supporting their children this year in band; the KCI teachers and administration “for letting me pull students out as needed for all regular and extra band sectionals and rehearsals,” and the students “for your hard work and dedication to making live music.
“It is truly remarkable what you are able to accomplish as a group,” he said to the students.
Kitsch also thanked the Kamsack Hospital for the use of the grounds; the students of the 6A class and others who had helped move the equipment for the concert; Glenda Tulloch for helping make the tallies for the awards; Amanda Burback, for the use of a trailer to load and take equipment back to school; Donnie Weis and Reed Wishnevetski, who are community members who also played with the junior and senior bands, and Amanda Burback, Shannon Bielecki and Amanda Carpenter, who are members of the executive committee of the new Band Boosters.
“Thank you for your time and support this year and all that this group does to support music in the lives of our children,” he said of the Band Boosters.
“And I thank the community for coming out and supporting our students making live music,” he said. “Thank you.”
