The Chestermere Lake Middle School (CLMS) band has proven they can play with the best of them after winning a Gold Award at the MusicFest Canada Nationals last month.
“I was so happy that I started crying I was very, very happy,” said Grade 8 band member Nicole Taylor.
Taylor wasn’t the only member of the band to shed tears of joy when they found out that they had won a gold award at the national competition that was held in Toronto.
“There were a lot of people crying,” said CLMS Music Teacher Colleen May, “everybody performed really well.”
When they first arrived at the competition in Toronto, Taylor said it really sunk in just how many bands there were there.
“When we first got there, we sat down and watched one other band play and I was like, there’s a lot of bands here,” she said.
Understandably, when it was there turn to perform, Taylor was somewhat nervous.
“I started playing and I could tell that [I] was kind of shaking ‘cause I was so nervous,” she said.
However, when she looked up at May conducting them and saw how calm she was Taylor was able to settle into her performance with the band.
The band performed three pieces and completed a sight-reading exercise all of which were judged against a rubric.
Upon the completion of their performance, May was given an envelope with their scores and, as it turned out, their award.
“We waited until we got outside, and we were all having lunch and that’s when I showed them what we received,” she said, “we were kind of excited.”
The win comes after a year of hard work by both the band and May.
“They all work really hard, from the time they’re in Grade 7 till now it’s an unbelievable mature band that we have right now,” she said.
“I’m very proud of these children,” said May.
She said that the band has really matured and pulled together this year.
“They have really matured as musicians…playing music rather than just notes,” she said.
The band still tends to get stressed out a bit when faced with new music but May said they always rise to the challenge.
“I feel so honoured to be working with them,” she said.
The award is a storybook ending for the Grade 9 members of the band as they graduate and prepare for new challenges at high school next year.
The grade nine were instrumental in helping the school band earn their spot in the competition. The band’s win last school year at provincials got them their invite to nationals this year.
Each year as the grade nines graduate, May said its heartbreaking to see them go because she’d like to keep working with them.
“But they’re going to a great high school and a great program there,” she said.
May knows that her students will find success with their high school band.
For the Grade 8 band members the win gives and added boost of confidence as they prepare to take on the leadership role in the band as they enter into Grade 9 next year.
Taylor said that even with hers and the band’s successes, the added responsibilities next year makes her a little nervous.
“I think we know what we’re doing for the most part,” said Taylor.
“Over all…I just feel, honoured, cause I’m kind of teaching the next leaders of this program,” she said, “that’s kind of cool.”
May said that she’s already started to work with the grade eights making sure they know what their responsibilities will be next year.
“How they have to be the responsible and be examples for them and these guys can do it, I know they can do it,” she said.
