Last Monday’s Powerband concert, comprising students from R.F. Staples and Barrhead Composite High School, was a “complete success,” said RFS music director Anne-Marie Switzer.
The concert took place on May 6 at R.F. Staples, and was part of Music Monday, a Canada-wide initiative to celebrate music in everyday life, Switzer said.
“It was invigorating,” she said.
The band had more than 100 students in it, she said, but the biggest challenge was to combine the bands. Up until the afternoon of the concert, the two groups had not practised together.
That also meant Switzer and her BCHS counterpart, Kerri-lee Kostiw, had not been in front of the band until the afternoon rehearsal.
Despite that lack of full band time, Switzer said everything worked out well because the students know what they’re doing.
“I have to commend their musicianship,” she said. “They’re like professionals. Music is music and they just follow their instincts and follow the leader.”
She added she was really impressed with how all the students had been practicing the songs chosen for the Powerband on their own and were ready to go on Monday.
“Their musicality is impressive,” she said.
Part of what excited Switzer most at being part of the Powerband was seeing how well the two bands worked together. Normally the relationship between RFS and BCHS is more like a rivalry, but for this endeavour it was all about teamwork.
“I know music brings people together,” she said. “I’m proud of the sense of community we created.”
The idea behind creating the Powerband first came up in October 2012, but nothing really came together until March.
In March, the students were given their music to start practising, and kept working hard until they had each and every note down.
Switzer said she would like to see the schools continue working together, and make the Powerband an annual thing. Whether that would be on Music Monday every year, or in some other form, she thought it would be a fun thing to do.
