Dozens of students from St. George’s travel down to Vancouver Academy of Music (VAM) – located at Vanier Park in Kitsilano – every week to enrich themselves in music. This includes solo pianists to orchestral string musicians. All of these students show dedication to both VAM as well as their music by taking lessons and classes regularly after a long day of school.

The VAM Symphony Orchestra (VAMSO), for example, rehearses Friday nights as the extensive school week leads into the weekend. Yet the musicians still show enthusiasm and commitment week after week. As Joseph Elworthy, the Executive Director of VAM, believes, the aim of the Academy is “to nurture the personal development of our students through an engaged relationship with music and the performing arts”.

David Cheng, an accomplished an prominent Saints musician, is grateful to have VAM in his musical life. He says, “VAM is a place where musicians in Vancouver yearn to be; personally, I admire it for its experienced and great teachers.”

The music development that has been fostered at the Junior and Senior Schools, on all levels, helps to collaborate the efforts on behalf of teachers at both St. George’s and VAM to strengthen boys in an appreciation for music and the creative arts. The confidence to perform in a concert band or youth orchestra setting is symbolic of a team effort much like any of our favourite sports.

Everyone from Saints who is involved with musical concerts at Vancouver Academy of Music would welcome their fellow students and teachers attending their concerts! You can check the calendar at the VAM website here and see which of the numerous performances is most appealing. I highly recommend the VAMSO concerts; the ensemble is lead by Maestro Leslie Dala, and features many of the best musicians at VAM, many of whom are Saints students!

Here are the dates of this year’s final VAMSO concerts:

Saturday April 12, 8pm, Orpheum Theatre: VAMSO with the Vancouver Bach Choir

Sunday May 4, 2pm, Orpheum Theatre: Showcase concert featuring outstanding soloists with the VAMSO

As the famous scientist Albert Einstein once remarked, “The value of achievement lies within the achieving.” Much like being part of a sports team, creating music together with other people nourishes a sense of pride and appreciation, because every member of the group is necessary to the final product of a performance.