An evening concert with refreshments and treats is the perfect send-off to Spring Break. Thursday night was the Music Department sponsored A Night At The Movies, a small ensembles concert with the Senior Jazz Band and the Wind Ensemble. At 7PM, the concert began; the auditorium was filled with students, staff, and other members of the Saints community.
The energy stayed lively throughout the entire night. The Jazz Band, led by Mr. Rob Murray, started off by playing an assortment of lively tunes, including Pink Panther, It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing, Lester Leaps In, and Round Midnight. The Wind Ensemble, with Dr. Dean Markel directing, followed, performing a wide range of movies and musicals including Beauty and the Beast, The Avengers, The Mandalorian, and La La Land. At the end, both bands joined to play an Austin Powers theme song together.
“The boys played excellent music and the atmosphere was great,” says John Demianczuk (’24).
Dr. Markel and Mr. Murray bonded over small concerts like these. Perhaps, we’ll see more collaborative concerts with the Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble in the future.
“It’s a cool switch [from the full band setting],” said Mr. Murray. “It’s also nice to have a smaller audience, so everything is intimate—intimate is good.”
Overall, the night was a resounding success. The Jazz Band will continue practicing in preparation for the BC Interior Jazz Fest in April, while the Wind Ensemble will be preparing more pieces for end-of-year concerts. The boys will also be hard at work on their Senior Concert Band repertoire as the Spring Concert nears!
