June 29, 2009
Glenmore Elementary students to perform with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra
KELOWNA, BC: Music students at Glenmore Elementary are looking forward to an amazing opportunity to perform in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra as part of OSO’s 50th anniversary season. “How Canada Came To Be – A Story of You and Me”, is an orchestral adaptation by Claude Lapalme of traditional folk songs along with original works written and arranged by Rhonda Draper, a Music Specialist at Glenmore Elementary. In 2007, Draper received the Governor General’s Award Winner for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History for her work on “How Canada Came to Be”.
This special one-hour concert directed by OSO Music Director and Conductor Rosemary Thomson will feature pianist Neville Bowman, Rhonda Draper, the Glenmore Grizzly Singers, and members of the OSO. In addition to outstanding musical performances, the concert includes storytelling, audience participation and large screen images of Canada’s past. Draper says the show brings to life the glory and drama of the Canadian story and helps people understand how they came to be Canadian. The show is aimed at Grades 1 to 6.
Performances:
Kelowna: Monday, April 12 at 9:45 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Kelowna Trinity Baptist Auditorium. Vernon: Tuesday, April 13 at 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. at Trinity United Church
Penticton: Wednesday, April 14 at 9:30 & 10:45 a.m. at the Bethel Tabernacle
Seats for the morning shows are $6 each for students or parent/educator. Large groups receive one free seat for every 10 reserved. Seats for the Monday evening show are $10 each for adults and seniors and $5 each for students. Beginning July 31, tickets will be available on Ticket Web for the Monday, April 12 Trinity Baptist evening show. Tickets will also be available at the door for all shows. Teachers can apply for support from the Mr. Music fund through October 16, 2009 by visiting www.cherniavsky@artstarts.com.
“Rhonda’s reputation for outstanding work in music education is well known in the Okanagan and beyond,” says John McMahon, Principal of Glenmore Elementary. “Recently, Maestra Rosemary Thomson moved with her family to the Okanagan and chose to live in the Glenmore Elementary catchment so that their children could attend the school where Rhonda teaches.”
The OSO is the largest performing arts organization in the BC Interior and offers music education outreach programs throughout the Valley. These programs are designed to make symphonic music exciting and accessible to all. The OSO has a long history of community and school involvement, most often by working directly with older students in their celebrated apprenticeship and mentorship program. They also actively support and assist educators who are working with instrumental groups such as KSS's Night Owl Orchestra, or with vocal groups such as the Rutland Senior Secondary singers, or the KSS jazz group (who recently appeared with the OSO in “Video Games Live” at Prospera Place). Last year, the OSO worked with young Irish dance groups in Vernon and Kelowna, who performed with the OSO in "Music that Dances."
Working with the Glenmore Grizzly Singers will be another new experience, and the interactivity between the onstage singers, Rhonda Draper, the OSO and the audience promises to yield exciting performances.
Each year the OSO performs special age-specific concerts for students in Penticton, Kelowna, and Vernon. Under the direction of Maestra Rosemary Thomson, OSO’s Music Director, singers and young players learn and grow through guided rehearsals. The OSO also connects with teachers and music specialists in four separate school districts and prepares workbooks for in-classroom use to enhance students’ listening and learning skills.
Attending OSA events help to support these valuable activities in the community.
Approved by the Superintendent on June 29, 2009
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For comments, please contact:
Rhonda Draper, Teacher, Glenmore Elementary, (250) 762 3209 and email: rdraper@sd23.bc.ca
John McMahon, Principal, Glenmore Elementary, (250) 762-3209
Okanagan Symphony Education, (250) 763-7544 or email: Admin@okanagansymphony.com
Mike Roberts, Superintendent of Schools (250) 860-8888
For background information, please contact Lisa Harrison lharriso@sd23.bc.ca or 470-3284.