Spring Break and Easter Vacations
Delta Community Music will be on Spring Break from Monday March 19th until Sunday April 1st inclusive. There will be no regularly scheduled classes during this time, but please consult with your teacher as individual teachers may have scheduled makeup lessons over the break period.
For the Easter Break there are no scheduled classes Friday April 6 or Monday April 9, 2012
Upcoming Group Classes – Sping Term
- Triple Threat Theatre Class – term 3 April 16 – June 11. Sign up and info about the class available on our website
- Music for Tots – term 3 Monday April 2 – June 4th (8 sessions). 2:15 – 3pm Mondays at the music school
- African Drumming with Kris Bowerman – term 3 April 4 – June 6th. 10 weeks. $140 plus $10 registration plus $5 annual membership fee. As this is an intermediate class (not a beginning class, there is a beginning class with Kris available through Delta Continuing Education (school board)) new students need to meet with the instructor first to make sure they are eligible to take this course. Wednesday evenings 7:30 – 9pm at the music school.
- Sarah Westwick is running a beginning ensemble masterclass for young string players in early Suzuki books once per month usually the first Sunday of the month. If you are interested in learning more about this leave a note for Sarah at the school office.
Faculty News
Our faculty not only is very dedicated to our students, but are also very busy musicians in their own spheres.
- Congratulations to cellist Bo Peng who has become the newest member of the Borealis String Quartet, based right here in Vancouver BC. Bo will be touring later in March with this group to California and this summer will be performing in Germany and Italy with the ensemble. Bo is also now on faculty at the new VSO School music teaching both cello and chamber music, and is an Adjudicator next month for the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society Orchestral Instruments Scholarship Competition.
- Our guitar and bass instructor John Walsh has just completed a ten day tour of Australia with singer Dan Mangan. Congratulations to Dan for receiving four Juno nominations last month and to John who was also the bass player on those recordings.
- Pianist Suzanne Klukas has been busy performing with Caroline Harder, Mezzo-Soprano; Dale Throness, Baritone; and Connie Gitlin, Clarinet. Works by Brahms, Vaughan Williams, and Fleming. Robert Fleming was a distinguished Canadian composer and the uncle of Judy Pierce, who is on the board of DCMS. Also Suzanne performed in a house concert this past weekend with Connie Gitlin. Connie has recently moved to the west coast after retiring as principal clarinet of the Winnipeg Symphony and Manitoba Chamber orchestras. Suzanne will also be performing in a faculty concert at Trinity Western University Sunday March 11th at 2:30pm.
- Our percussion instructor Elliot Polsky was in Whitehorse this past weekend to take part in a big musical collaboration and performance with aboriginal artists from all across the north, as part of the cultural festival for the 2012 Canada winter games.
- Violinist John Littlejohn is touring in Ontario performing a series of school concerts throughout Toronto and southern Ontario with the Infinitus String Trio at the end of March.
- Violinist Sarah Westwick and clarinetist Stephen Robb performed earlier in February with Cameron Wilson, Joe Trio, Leslie Dala, Mark McGreggor, Joe Elworthy and others in a memorial concert for Violinist and conductor and former DCMS instructor Wallace Leung (1968 – 2002) in recognition of the tenth anniversary of his passing. The concert held at the recital hall of the Vancouver Academy of Music and organized by Leslie Dala featured music associated with Wallace. Former DCMS piano instructor Sylvie Beaudoin also came up from Baltimore, Maryland to perform at this event as well. Funds were raised for the Wallace Leung Memorial Scholarship at the Vancouver Academy of Music.
- Pianist Bernie Duerksen is busy preparing for a performance of the Dvorak Piano Quartet for a concert this spring as a part of the West Coast Chamber Music Series. The concert will be April 1st at the Unitarian Church in Vancouver.
- Pianist Cheryl Carruthers is busy working for the Royal Academy of Dance (Toronto) accompanying Ballet classes and exams.
- Trumpeter Christopher Robertson performed with his Cosmos Brass Sextet this past October at a concert in Abbotsford BC and premiered a Fanfare for Brass Ensemble composed by Stephen Robb for the occasion.
2012 Scholarship Recital
The 2012 Scholarship Recital is scheduled for Sunday May 6 in the Kinsroom at Delta Community Music School. There are two age categories – 12 years and under, 13 – 21 years. Age is as of January 1st, 2012. More information and application forms will be available at the school after March 7th.
Students planning to continue on in post secondary studies in music after Grade 12 graduation may be eligible to apply for the Kennell Scholarship for post secondary study. If you are interested in this please drop a line to Stephen Robb, Music Director Delta Community Music School at the school office.
Academy Awards Night at Sharkey’s
Our music school was chosen as the designated charity for the Academy Awards Dinner Event held at Sharkey’s Seafood Bar and Grill Sunday Feb. 26. Thanks to Andre and his staff, Ken Priebe and Randy Vannatter for producing this event and helping us raise funds for our scholarship and bursary program . A presentation was made to the school on March 10 at the faculty concert and $1200 was raised for the students of DCMS!
South Delta Jazz Festival and Student Workshop
The ninth annual South Delta Jazz Festival runs July 3 – 7th 2012. Our faculty this year includes Len Aruliah (saxophone), Bill Clark (trumpet), Rob Kohler (bass), Brad Muirhead (trombone), Stan Taylor (drums) along with workshop directors Dr. Jared Burrows and Stephen Robb. Applications for the student workshop and more information will be available by mid March and on our website at southdeltajazzfesitval.com
Thrive City String Boot Camp
We will once again be hosting the Thrive City String Boot Camp this summer, directed by John Littlejohn. The Camp will run at the Delta Community Music School from July 16 – 27, 2012. More information and application information will be available later in the spring. Last year’s event was a great success with a partnership with students from St. James Academy (East Vancouver) and we also hosted several inner city students from the Baltimore area.
House Concert Singer / Songwriters Series
Our Second concert in the Series was held on Feb. 12, and featured John Mann from Spirit of the West. The concert was sold out a month in advance and received rave reviews. We may hold one more house concert this year in May. Stay tuned for more info.