For the students of Belmont Secondary School, their winter concert means more to them than just a one-off performance.
Not only is it a celebration of their love for music after months of hard work, itB次元官网网址檚 also an opportunity for students to give back to the community.
Entry to the concert on Dec.12 is by donation to the Goldstream Food Bank. The school will also be collecting donations of non-perishable food for the local organization which has seen demand for services continue to rise in 2024.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to give back because the community do a lot for us in school,B次元官网网址� said 16-year-old Nihitha Pottumutu. B次元官网网址淪o it's like a win-win situation.B次元官网网址�
The opportunity to help is a full-circle moment for 17-year-old Bela Chavez, who says her family accessed support from the food bank for two months when they first moved to the area a year ago.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really impactful to me that we are supporting the food bank, because they helped us,B次元官网网址� says the Grade 12 student. B次元官网网址淎nd I feel like everything good that you do comes back to you.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t's so important that we work together and help the people around us,B次元官网网址� adds 15-year-old Marie Roberts. B次元官网网址淏ecause we never know what some people are going through. I feel it's so important not to judge.B次元官网网址�
About the concert, the trio promise there is something to suit all music tastes.
B次元官网网址淚t's a winter concert, but it's not all Christmas music,B次元官网网址� says Roberts, who sings and plays trombone. "It's very diverse.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t really shows all the different types of musicians we have at the school,B次元官网网址� says singer, saxophonist and pianist, Chavez. B次元官网网址淏ecause we all like different styles and we play in different styles.B次元官网网址�
And Chavez is not wrong.
The concert will have an array of musical performances from the school choir, the senior and junior bands; music genres will range from R&B through to a selection of holiday classics.
There will also be a rather unusual performance of B次元官网网址橲on of Santa the Barbarian', which displays a darker side to the rosy-cheeked festive hero. The piece of music tells the story of a war between Santa and his son, using elements of more familiar holiday classics such as 'Jingle Bells'.
"It's pretty chaotic," says Roberts.
More accustomed to performing as part of a group, Pottumutu will be stepping outside of her comfort zone and will be performing solo for the first time at the winter concert.
B次元官网网址淚'm pretty nervous,B次元官网网址� says Pottumutu, who will be singing and playing guitar. B次元官网网址淏ut I'm pretty excited because it's like a song that's really dear to my heart.B次元官网网址�
She will be performing B次元官网网址楢 Velvet RingB次元官网网址�, a song by Big Thief, an American indie folk band.
B次元官网网址淚t's a song that I can listen over and over again to,B次元官网网址� said Pottumutu. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a really good song that has a really deep meaning.B次元官网网址�
The concert is the result of hours of rehearsal before, during and after school, which began as soon as students returned from the summer break in September.
But the time and effort is well worth it, say the music-loving trio.
B次元官网网址淭he concert is where everything pays off,B次元官网网址� says Pottumutu.
For Roberts, she believes the concert is an an opportunity for her and her fellow musicians to support each other and not be afraid of what other people think.
B次元官网网址淚t's really important that we have fun and really just get into the music that we're playing,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淢usic is what makes me happy and I feel like music should be something that makes everybody happy.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎ll the musicians are supporting you,B次元官网网址� adds Chavez. B次元官网网址淥ur parents and friends will be there as well. The audience is very supportive B次元官网网址� it just feels like a safe place to perform.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he music department is so supportive and loving, you can be friends with anybody,B次元官网网址� said Roberts. "And music is so much fun."
Belmont's winter concert is on Thursday Dec. 12 at the school. Doors open at 6.30 p.m., the concert starts at 7 p.m.
