Tag: music
Swan Song: 30 Years of Music
Senior School strings teacher and Head of Music Donna Williams performs her last SMUS concert alongside Grade 11 and 12 musicians
Grade 9 Student Composer Debuts “Cyclonic Counterpoint”
Grade 9 student Houtian Zhong composed and conducted his latest piece, "Cyclonic Counterpoint," with the help of SMUS strings performers
SMUS in the News: Grade 2 Singers Earn Second Place in Canadian Music Class...
Grade 2 singers earn second place in the Primary Vocal category of the Canadian Music Class Challenge
Junior School December Concerts
Enjoy our Primary and Intermediate concerts, featuring great music from our Junior School students
The Culture of Performance
Christopher Smith delves into why preparing for and delivering a performance is a skill we want all students to develop
Share Your Talents On Stage With Us for ‘The Armed Man’
Join our Senior School musicians on stage for a performance of 'The Armed Man'
The Halls are Alive With the Sound of Music
No matter what time of day you walk through the Middle School, you are almost certain to be greeted by the sound of music...
Spring Break Trip 2019: Europe
Grade 10 students McKenna Williams and Amalia Mairet write about the Spring Break trip to Europe.
Inspiring the Next Generation
A great asset of a school like SMUS is having an amazing community of talent and expertise to draw upon to enrich our programs....
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Kathryn Humphries
Junior School music teacher Ms. Kathryn Humphries is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Putting the “Service” in Christmas Carol Service
Our annual Christmas Carol Service brings the community together for a beautiful evening of music and student reflections
Grade 4 String Musicians Make Their Public Debut
After just three months of learning music, our talented young strings musicians took the stage this week and showed off their skills
SMUS in the News: Singer/Songwriter Fintan O’Brien Raising Money for Youth Arts Camp
July 14, 2016
Victoria News
Fintan O'Brien '14
Young singer/songwriter raising funds for music camp
Middle School Band Clinics Offer Unique Learning Opportunities
Middle School musicians performed in the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival this week. For many of the Grade 6-8 students it was their first opportunity...
Spring Break Trip 2016: Europe
Before I went to Europe on a Spring Break music tour, I had never left North America. Being able to see just how similar...
SMUS Community Gathers for Fun Christmas Celebration
As with any family, the holiday season just doesn't feel complete unless everyone gathers together for some fun and merriment. And at SMUS, that...
Primary Students Spread Christmas Cheer at Concert
In what is probably the most adorable show of the Christmas season, our Junior School played host this week to two performances of the...
Music, Reflections Bring Christmas Carol Service to Life
Against the backdrop of the majestic Christ Church Cathedral, our annual Christmas Carol Service is a wonderful way for our school community to assemble and get into...
Grade 7 and 8 Students Put Strings Skills on Display
One of the most remarkable aspects of a SMUS education is the introduction to music at an early age. Students pick up their first...
SMUS Musician Shines in ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Symphony Performance
POP QUIZ: Which talented musician performed to a screaming crowd of more than 40,000 British Columbians this past long weekend?
a) Taylor Swift
b) SMUS student Ben...
Junior and Middle Schools Get Together for a Choral Evening
It's a great time of year for concerts. The kids have been practicing and are at the height of their musical ability. Everyone is...
Grade 12 Student Composes a Personal SMUS Musical Journey
The journey that is high school is unique and very personal for every student. Most don't express that full experience in a public forum; offering up something tangible that...
Cross-Campus Strings Show Highlights Musicians of All Ages
by Darin Steinkey
Some people are surprised to hear that SMUS students begin learning to play stringed instruments in Grade 4. The real surprise, to...
Pitch Perfect: Large Ensembles Concert
If there's one thing that's certain about attending a SMUS concert, it's that your ears are always in for an outstanding auditory smorgasbord. From...
Primary Students Jingle All The Way Onstage
To cap off the holiday season, our Junior School hosted its annual Primary Christmas Concert this week, much to the delight of proud parents...
Middle School Band Students Exude Christmas Cheer
A concert leading up to Christmas doesn't have to simply include traditional holiday music to make it a great show, and our Middle School band students...
Carol Service Brings Reflections on the Holiday Season
Our annual Carol Service is a joyous opportunity for members of the SMUS community to gather and reflect on what the holiday season means to...
Grade 4 Musicians Make Live Performance Debut
Playing a stringed, bowed instrument is no cake walk. It takes a lot of practice to get the technique correct, and a lot of...
Middle School Music: Learning Through Performance
SMUS has a number of amazing opportunities to rehearse and perform as a group and individually. Mrs. Smith's annual Strings Ensemble concert is one...
Small Ensembles: Small on Numbers, Big on Talent
Each year the Small Ensembles Concert, the first major event of the music season, offers students the opportunity to perform in front of an...
Grade 5 Students Bow and Pluck to Make Beautiful Music
Even the most famous rock stars get butterflies in their stomachs before they go onstage and put on a memorable show. But when our Grade 5 students...
Keeping the Beat For War Child
by Keeley Copeland, Grade 11
This year’s ‘Keep the Beat’ was a great success. The SMUS Arts Council worked together with students, staff and other...
Jazz Night Embraces Rock, Soul and the ’80s
The annual Jazz Night (either the 12th or 13th annual, depending on who you talk to) is a great event for the musicians to...
Young Voices, Old Songs at Choral Concert
Our Junior and Middle School choirs teamed up for a concert this week, filling Christ Church Cathedral with their lovely voices.
For the Grade 4...
Mixed Ensembles Concert "Out of this World"
by Jake Humphries, University Counsellor and Stage Crew
To be successful as a musician, a performer must have the "big picture" of what music is,...
Middle School Musicians in the Spotlight
Unlike most of our concerts, the Middle School Melodies in March concert is not an annual affair; rather, it happens on the years when...
Large Ensembles: The Diversity of Music
It was an exciting kick-off to the 2014 music season this week, as Band Director Gordon Clements made his debut on the Farquhar stage....
Tiny Voices Perform Holiday Tunes
Our Junior School hosted their own very special Christmas concert this week. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 performed a few fun holiday pieces...
Find Meaning in the Season
Our Carol Service encourages us all to connect with the spiritual side of this holiday season, whatever our faith or beliefs. Through music and...
Strings Musicians Review Concerts
Recently, both our Grade 4 and 5 Strings students gave performances at the Junior School. Below, young musicians talk about how it feels to...
Small Ensembles: Standards and Experiments
A show with a solid foundation of standards punctuated by experimentation and nerves, the Small Ensembles concert is always a good time. With a...
Middle School Musicians: Ragtime and Jazz
by Mary Smith, strings teacher
On a bright, sunny day the musicians in this Middle School string orchestra presented pieces by George Frederic Handel and...
Music Review
A few days ago, one of my colleagues recalled the occasion, over a decade ago, when she first heard our Grade Five string orchestra...
Standards and Solos for Jazz Night
Depending on who you talk to, Jazz Night has been an annual event for anywhere from 12 - 17 years. A few changes marked...
Concerto Spotlights Soloists
The Concerto Concert always stands out in a very hectic concert season, perhaps because its format is so different from the rest of our...
Going Solo at the Concerto Concert
With the Concerto Concert coming up on Wednesday, May 29 in the Farquhar Auditorium at the University of Victoria, we thought we'd offer a...
Campuses Unite in Song
by Darin Steinkey
I love shooting pictures at Christ Church. Although it's dark, the light is usually fairly even and the performers are set against...
Banding Together for a Farewell Concert
by Erin Anderson, editor
It was an exciting and moving concert that marked John Reid’s final appearance on UVic’s Farquhar stage. Special guests, dedicated songs...
Brian Christensen ’11: If I Should Fall
One of the dreams of any music teacher is to see their students go on to love and play music as an important part...
Cross Campus Strings: Firsts and Finals
In the opening show of concert season at SMUS, the Cross Campus Strings featured appearances (musically, anyway) from Mahler, Saint-Saëns, the League of Legends...
Paris and Amsterdam: Music & Culture
by Danny Park
Although it is difficult to express how spectacular this trip was, I will try.
On March 13th, 36 students and four wonderful music...
Large Ensembles: A View From the Wings
Although Jake Humphries writes about music as magic (and we agree), as you'll read below there is no magic to getting concerts organized. Jake...
What is an Orffestra?
Orff music instruction at the Junior School is a lively, child-centered approach to music that incorporates singing, dancing, acting and playing instruments
Tradition and Innovation Drive Small Ensembles
A yearly tradition, the Small Ensembles concert allows SMUS students the chance to show their musical stuff. In this video, the Vocal Jazz Ensemble...
Holiday Songs Brighten Winter Season
Carols are a staple of Christmas celebration, and with a student body packed with amazing singers, it seems only natural that SMUS contributes a...
Former Students Get Junior School Swinging
by Tim, Grade 10 percussionist in the Swing Band
On November 29th, 30 keen Senior Swing Band students accompanied Mr. Reid to the SMUS Junior...
Inside Our Strings Ensemble
Last week, our Grade 7 and 8 Strings students gave their first concert of the year. The afternoon featured both solo performers and the...
Never Too Young for Strings
by Angelina, Grade 5
On November 20, the SMUS Grade 5 students played a concert at the Junior School. To demonstrate our learning, we played...
Concert Bands Mix It Up for Spring
Photos by Darin Steinkey
Last week, the SMUS bands celebrated spring with their annual band concert in the Farquhar Auditorium at the University of...
Ten Years of Keeping the Beat
by Erin Anderson, editor
Last Friday was no ordinary day. Keep the Beat, the annual fundraiser for War Child Canada, returned to SMUS for its...
Choirs Present Movie Songs and Latin Classics
by Erin Anderson, editor
Last Tuesday, young voices filled the already crowded Christ Church Cathedral, as students from Grade 4-8 performed a range of choral...
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Armed Man
by Darin Steinkey, writer
When SMUS choir director Peter Butterfield first asked me to sing in the choir for the Music department’s spring showcase piece,...
Melodies From the Middle School
by Donna Williams, Head of Music
Anyone who was fortunate enough to be at UVic this Monday evening, was treated to an eclectic outpouring of...
The Path to Concert Performance
by Darin Steinkey
Throughout the concert season, the Large Ensembles is always a stand-out event. Because of the sheer numbers of students involved, the length...
SMUS Ensembles Livin’ Large
by Darin Steinkey, writer
How large is the Large Ensembles Concert? Very.
Almost 300 students took to the Farquhar Auditorium stage at the University of Victoria...
Small Ensembles Perform Big Songs
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...
Primary Students Give Holiday Show
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 performed at a special tea for the grandparents and other guests last week. It was a wonderful and...
Strings Students Give Stirring Performance
Middle School parents, students and staff were treated to a wonderful afternoon of music last week. Grade 7 and 8 strings students played a...
A Howl of a Good Time in Boarding
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,...
SMUS in the News: Good Times for the Party on High Street
Victoria News
August 16, 2011
Nick Houghton '06, Brin Porter '06
Good Times for the Party on High Street
Keep the Beat 2011 Breaks Records
At this year's annual Keep the Beat fundraiser, the SMUS Arts Council raised a record amount of money for War Child Canada: $8777.35. Selling...
Choral Concert Features Many Voices
Students in Grades 4-12 sang in the Cross-Campus Choral Concert at Christ Church Cathedral last night, performing a wide range of pieces. The youngest...
Keep the Beat 2011 Kicks Off On Friday
by Madeline Petersen, Grade 12
Friday May 27th is Keep the Beat, an annual fundraiser in support of War Child’s international projects that help kids...
Cross Campus Band Concert Scores Big
At this hectic time in the school year, it's great to have an opportunity for an enjoyable evening of music. On Wednesday night, band...
Concerto Concert Showcases Soloists
The soloists were not alone on stage, but rather had the support of an entire orchestra. In each piece, there were moments of just...
We few
It is a challenge to find a time for an event at the School these days - if you didn’t get it on the...
Student Uses Music to Fundraise
by Emily Hayashi, Grade 12
Looking back on my service trip to Kenya two years ago, I didn’t realize I was signing my initials beside...
Brendan McLeod Performs New Monologue
Frequent SMUS guest Brendan McLeod — author, poet, musician — stopped by to share his brand new monologue with our students. The member of...
Concert Covers A World of Music
This Wednesday, band, strings and choral students from the Senior School performed music from around the world at the annual Large Ensembles Concert. The...
Junior School Celebrates The Season
The Junior School has been very busy this month with many holiday events. This week, they held their own carol service, complete with a...
Small Ensembles Concert a Festive Event
by Erin Anderson, editor
This week, students graced the stage at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for the Small Ensembles Concert.
The Vocal Jazz Ensemble kicked...
Middle School Carol Service
by Amita
On December 2nd, the Middle School had its annual carol service. I sung in the Grade 8 choir. The two songs we sung...
Tim Williams ’83 Returns to SMUS
by Brandon Chow, Grade 12
Last Friday afternoon culminated in a dramatic finale for many participants in the music programme at the Senior School, with...
Boarding Students Howl for Halloween
by Donna Williams, Senior School Strings Teacher and Winslow House Staff Member
On Halloween night the entire boarding community, some 250 students and over 30...
Middle School Cellists Play with a Special Guest
by Athena and Keeley, Grade 8
On October 17th, Desmond Hoebig, a professional cellist, came to the Junior School with us. He played the Schumann...
SMUS Review: Middle School Cellists Perform
by Athena Kerins and Keeley Copeland, Grade 8
On October 17th, Desmond Hoebig, a professional cellist, came to the Junior School with us. He played...
The Fugitives Captivate SMUS
by Erin Anderson, editor
Last Friday, one the SMUS’ favourite musical guests returned to perform for students. Modern folk band The Fugitives brought their mix...
SMUS Student Tours with National Band
by Victor Ma, Grade 11 student
About six months ago, I was simply checking my email in the library when I noticed a new email...
SMUS Keeps Up the Beat
by Oliver Brooks, Grade 12 student
On Friday May 28th, SMUS had its 9th annual Keep the Beat music marathon and fundraiser for the non-profit...
Grade 2 Students Let the Bells Ring
by Mrs. Sharon Goodman
Several students from the Grade 2 class have been participating in a bell choir since January. Abby, Seung, Ben, Angelina, Joshua...
Junior School Musicians Shine in Victoria Festival
by Mary Smith, music teacher
The city of Victoria is enriched annually in the early spring by the presence of the Greater Victoria Performing Arts...
Baroque Concert Rocks the House
by Erin Anderson, editor
The annual Cross-Campus Strings Concert took a different turn this year, expanding its scope to include everything from the Baroque era...
An Evening of Poetry, Music, Art and Drama
by Kate Loomer, Grade 11
At the most recent Student Theatre Society production, Eric Protzer invited us into the world of an aging man reflecting...
Melodies From the Middle School
by Erin Anderson, editor
This Wednesday, the Middle School held a concert that was unusual in many ways. From the choirs, to the string ensembles...
The Borealis String Quartet at SMUS
by Jonathan Sudul, Grade 5
On January 25, Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 string students heard a recital by the Borealis String Quartet. There...
Concert Spotlights our Six String Nation
by Erin Anderson, editor
Though our amazing music students and staff never stop delivering astounding concerts, this week’s Spotlight on Canada Concert truly defied expectations....
Grade 4 Students Reflect on Canada's Identity
by the Grade 4J class
Jowi Taylor and Paul O'Brien's Six String Nation presentation inspired our Grade 4 students to think about a guitar in...
The Yale Alley Cats Kick Off 2010
by Erin Anderson, editor
Just as the school year got rolling again, Josh Evans ’08 returned to his old school to perform with the a...
Musical Guests Play for Junior Students
by Grade 5 students Madison Liew and Elise Marchessault
On Friday, November 27th the Senior School Swing Band cam to the Junior School to perform...
Middle School Christmas Service Reflections
by Rev. Keven Fletcher
One of the highlights of the Middle School Carol Service is the collection of reflections that the students offer on the...
Grade 7/8 Strings Shine in Schaffter Hall
by Athena Kerins, Grade 7
On Wednesday, parents of strings students crowded into Schaffter Hall to hear us play. We had not played in that...
Grade 5 Students Review Grade 5 Concert
by Grade 5 students Hannah Kitson, Elise Marchessault, and Katie McAulay
On November 24th at 11:00 am, the Grade 5 students gave a wonderful strings...
Nikki Chooi In Concert at SMUS
by Sydney, Grade 8 strings student
This past Tuesday my friends and I had the pleasure of hearing an amazing performance by Nikki Chooi and...
Brendan McLeod Mixes Music and Poetry
Mr. Young's classroom was packed this Thursday afternoon, with students crowding in to see Brendan McLeod, a member of the Fugitives troupe that often...
War Child Musician Ends his Tour at SMUS
Last Friday, SMUS students and staff saw Liam Titcomb give his last performance of his three-month national tour. Liam, who has released two full-lengths...
Q & A with DJ Legit
Grade 11 student Tom Zheng has certainly made an impression at SMUS in his first year here, as he has DJed at many events,...
The Sounds of Middle School
See slideshow
There was something for everyone at last night’s Middle School concert at the University of Victoria. Every student in the school took part....
Concerto Concert Shows Off Soloists
See slideshow
Our musicians delivered another excellent concert this week. The Concerto Concert, which comes once every two years, includes extremely challenging classical pieces from...
Music and Math Come Together
Before Spring Break, SMUS welcomed mathematics historian Glen Van Brummelen, who spoke to students about the interplay of music and mathematics. As part of...
Large Ensembles Deliver Astounding Sounds
The SMUS campus was bursting with music this Wednesday, as 300 student musicians and vocalists performed for an appreciative audience. The annual Large Ensembles...
Small Ensembles Put on a Powerful Show
This Wednesday, our musicians took to the Victoria Conservatory stage for the annual Small Ensembles concert, one of the highlights of the school year...
Junior School Swings with Strings
Junior School has had a very musical month. The Grade 5 and Grade 4 Strings ensembles played their first concerts of the year, and...
First Notes from Strings Ensemble
The Grade 7/8 Strings Ensemble held its first concert this week, performing for a packed hall of parents, staff, the Grade 6 Strings class...
Senior Choral Concert
choir
On Monday, the Christ Church Cathedral was filled with harmonious voices during the Senior Choir Concert. Gifted string musicians paired with brilliant singing made...
Jazz Served up with a Side of Ice Cream
jazz
On Tuesday, students, family and staff enjoyed a candle-lit evening of Jazz in the SMUS gym, with talented swing musicians from the Middle and...
Spring Band Concert
This Wednesday, Middle School and Senior School band students showed off their talents at the much-anticipated cross-campus Spring Band Concert.
The Brass Ensembles opened the...
1st Annual Capital City Jazz Festival
The 1st Annual Capital City Jazz Festival was in full swing in the SMUS gymnasium this Wednesday, featuring 153 talented young musicians from seven...
Middle School Musicians Shine
After six hours of rehearsing last Thursday afternoon, it is safe to state that the Middle School put together a stellar performance Thursday evening....
Choral Concert
Parents, staff, faculty and students gathered at Christ Church Cathedral Wednesday evening for the Cross-Campus Choral Concert. Students in Grades 4 through 12 performed...
Cross-Campus Strings Concert
Monday evening’s Cross-Campus Strings Concert was another showcase of SMUS’ talented music students. The event was held at the University of Victoria’s Farquhar Auditorium...
Students Get Good Notes at BandFest
The Grade 7 and 8 Concert Bands performed at BandFest 2008 at the University of Victoria last week. BandFest is an educationally oriented, non-competitive...
Key Success for Pianist
Grade 11 student Ben Kwok was recently selected to play piano with the Victoria Symphony for the Third Annual Young Musician’s Concerto Showcase. More...
High Praises for Festival Singers
The Pacific Baroque Festival presents "Vivaldi's Venice" this weekend at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and Christ Church Cathedral, where SMUS will be represented...
Students Swing and Sing
The Senior School’s musicians and vocalists put on a fabulous concert at the Victoria Conservatory of Music this Monday evening, performing jazz, swing, choir...
Grade 7/8 Students Bring Music to SMUS
The first of several strings concerts took place this week, with the Grade 7/8 Strings class performing for parents, faculty, family members and...
Keeping the Beat
It was hard not to spot the Senior School Keep the Beat Music Marathon participants on Friday. The musicians, sporting bright green War Child...
