Beurling Academy Christmas concert and a hockey raffle winner

The school activities having wound down, and it was a sea of events at all schools including Beurling Academy and last Friday was a busy day. In Miss Maria Kastelorizios’ homeroom, her homeroom students were treated to a Subway/HITS FM lunch as a result of being the class who brought in the most items during the recent Food Drive. They brought in close to 300 non-perishables, almost one-third of the school’s total of 930. Not bad for the first year. The top student in that class was Kassandra Gauthier with 26 items.

As usual, the Annual Christmas concert last Friday under the direction of music teacher Gary Lindner was held and everybody had a rockin’ good time. A new format saw the different bands play in the first half and special solo acts in the second half.

All bands shone without a note missed and they all played with authority. From the first notes of Sec 5’s River Rat shuffle and Enter Sandman, you knew it was a gonna be an entertaining evening, and the confidence of Gary Lindner was in evidence as time and time again, as he came off stage and watched his students perform with aplomb.

The musical experience of the master himself was in evidence as Sec 4 blew the roof with Herbie Hancock’s classic Chameleon and featured neat solos by Jaden Scholes on the sax and by Devon “Mr. Cool” Walcott on trumpet.

The Sec 3 group was also on the jazz with their renditions of the rock and roll standard, “At the Hop”, “Beurling Blues”, and a great tribute to Michael Jackson on “Thriller,” and Sec 3 also had blistering solos by TJ Vaudry, Carlo Sparapani, and David Seguin.

The Sec 1 and 2 students showed their progress as well with selected medleys, along with the usual favorites, “Stand by Me” and the Kingsmen standard “Louie Louie”, which Gary Lindner is still trying to collect royalties since 1963.

The Honours Band, which are la crème de la crème of the music department were also smokin’ and on fire for Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4 and the theme from Rocky, “Gonna Fly Now”

In the second half it was time for the solo numbers. Joana Gasper singing Breathe by Taylor Swift accompanied Lindsey Campbell on guitar. Bush Pilot , a group comprised of students Devon Walcott, Jaden Scholes, and Matthew Cavaliere were rockin on Voodoo Child, and Lishbet Silva and family played original compositions and they seem to be ready to attack the folk and coffee club ci and small theatre circuit.

Sec 4’s Amanda Pidlisny after taking on Beatles” classics in the past, responded with skill on the flute to our challenge of taking on the Jackson Five’s 4th no.1 hit, “I’ll be there” and shone as well on Shania Twain’s From this Moment.

The highlight of the evening had to be when Gary Lindner recalled singer Tishawna Callender to sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to her dad seated on stage, who had arrived late and hadn’t seen the start of the show. It was a classy magical moment to be seen and a Merry Christmas to you Mr. Lindner.

Home and School had their Christmas raffle draw and made a few a people happy just before the Christmas break. Up for grabs was those coveted “Club seats” with all those amenities included like concession goodies, coat check, private elevator to the Club level.

Going to the Jan.3rd game at the Bell Centre against the Buffalo Sabres is Mr. Michael McKenzie. Winners of the other prizes were: Mr. Lou Menilla, and Martin Abbott. This raffle raised the awesome total of $1430, and once again, the students are the big winners with much needed funds for school activities

Finally, keep your Tuesday evenings open in February and March as CLC will be hosting a series of International Cuisine Workshops and even take the food home that you cook. Stay tuned for more details. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..