Tag: music

Christopher Smith delves into why preparing for and delivering a performance is a skill we want all students to develop

Join our Senior School musicians on stage for a performance of 'The Armed Man'

No matter what time of day you walk through the Middle School, you are almost certain to be greeted by the sound of music...

Grade 10 students McKenna Williams and Amalia Mairet write about the Spring Break trip to Europe.

A great asset of a school like SMUS is having an amazing community of talent and expertise to draw upon to enrich our programs....

Junior School music teacher Ms. Kathryn Humphries is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature

Our annual Christmas Carol Service brings the community together for a beautiful evening of music and student reflections

After just three months of learning music, our talented young strings musicians took the stage this week and showed off their skills

July 14, 2016 Victoria News Fintan O'Brien '14 Young singer/songwriter raising funds for music camp

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...

Before I went to Europe on a Spring Break music tour, I had never left North America. Being able to see just how similar...

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...

In what is probably the most adorable show of the Christmas season, our Junior School played host this week to two performances of the...

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...

One of the most remarkable aspects of a SMUS education is the introduction to music at an early age. Students pick up their first...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

To cap off the holiday season, our Junior School hosted its annual Primary Christmas Concert this week, much to the delight of proud parents...

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...

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...

Playing a stringed, bowed instrument is no cake walk. It takes a lot of practice to get the technique correct, and a lot of...

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...

Each year the Small Ensembles Concert, the first major event of the music season, offers students the opportunity to perform in front of an...

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...

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...

The annual Jazz Night (either the 12th or 13th annual, depending on who you talk to) is a great event for the musicians to...

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...

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,...

Unlike most of our concerts, the Middle School Melodies in March concert is not an annual affair; rather, it happens on the years when...

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....

Our Junior School hosted their own very special Christmas concert this week. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 performed a few fun holiday pieces...

Our Carol Service encourages us all to connect with the spiritual side of this holiday season, whatever our faith or beliefs. Through music and...

Recently, both our Grade 4 and 5 Strings students gave performances at the Junior School. Below, young musicians talk about how it feels to...

A show with a solid foundation of standards punctuated by experimentation and nerves, the Small Ensembles concert is always a good time. With a...

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...

A few days ago, one of my colleagues recalled the occasion, over a decade ago, when she first heard our Grade Five string orchestra...

Depending on who you talk to, Jazz Night has been an annual event for anywhere from 12 - 17 years. A few changes marked...

The Concerto Concert always stands out in a very hectic concert season, perhaps because its format is so different from the rest of our...

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...

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...

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...

One of the dreams of any music teacher is to see their students go on to love and play music as an important part...

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...

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...

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...

Orff music instruction at the Junior School is a lively, child-centered approach to music that incorporates singing, dancing, acting and playing instruments

A yearly tradition, the Small Ensembles concert allows SMUS students the chance to show their musical stuff. In this video, the Vocal Jazz Ensemble...

Carols are a staple of Christmas celebration, and with a student body packed with amazing singers, it seems only natural that SMUS contributes a...

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...

Last week, our Grade 7 and 8 Strings students gave their first concert of the year. The afternoon featured both solo performers and the...

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...

Photos by Darin Steinkey Last week, the SMUS bands celebrated spring with their annual band concert in the Farquhar Auditorium at the University of...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 performed at a special tea for the grandparents and other guests last week. It was a wonderful and...

Middle School parents, students and staff were treated to a wonderful afternoon of music last week. Grade 7 and 8 strings students played a...

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,...

Victoria News August 16, 2011 Nick Houghton '06, Brin Porter '06 Good Times for the Party on High Street

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...

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...

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...

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...

The soloists were not alone on stage, but rather had the support of an entire orchestra. In each piece, there were moments of just...

It is a challenge to find a time for an event at the School these days - if you didn’t get it on the...

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...

Frequent SMUS guest Brendan McLeod — author, poet, musician — stopped by to share his brand new monologue with our students. The member of...

This Wednesday, band, strings and choral students from the Senior School performed music from around the world at the annual Large Ensembles Concert. The...

The Junior School has been very busy this month with many holiday events. This week, they held their own carol service, complete with a...

  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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Grade 11 student Tom Zheng has certainly made an impression at SMUS in his first year here, as he has DJed at many events,...

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....

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...

Before Spring Break, SMUS welcomed mathematics historian Glen Van Brummelen, who spoke to students about the interplay of music and mathematics. As part of...

The SMUS campus was bursting with music this Wednesday, as 300 student musicians and vocalists performed for an appreciative audience. The annual Large Ensembles...

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 has had a very musical month. The Grade 5 and Grade 4 Strings ensembles played their first concerts of the year, and...

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...

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 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...

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...

The 1st Annual Capital City Jazz Festival was in full swing in the SMUS gymnasium this Wednesday, featuring 153 talented young musicians from seven...

After six hours of rehearsing last Thursday afternoon, it is safe to state that the Middle School put together a stellar performance Thursday evening....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The first of several strings concerts took place this week, with the Grade 7/8 Strings class performing for parents, faculty, family members and...

It was hard not to spot the Senior School Keep the Beat Music Marathon participants on Friday. The musicians, sporting bright green War Child...