Strathmore musicians rise to the top

and the Strathmore Children’s Choir 

 

Strathmore area students and choirs faired very well at the Final Concert and Award Presentations of the Drumheller and District Music Festival on March 23. 

Brooklyn Davidson, a 17-year-old Strathmore High School student and the Strathmore Children’s Choir ENCORE, both performed for a full house at the Greentree School.

The Brentwood School Junior and Senior Choir were awarded four choir awards given out during the evening. The Junior Choir was awarded the T. E. Keele Trophy, Grade 2 and 3 while the Senior Choir was awarded the G. Fred Anderson Memorial Plaque, Grade 4-6 and the W. R. Dean Memorial Plaque and McDonald’s Restaurant Drumheller Scholarship for the highest mark awarded to all competing school choruses. The Senior Choir also won the Grand Award: UFA Award of Excellence and Scholarship chosen by the adjudicator for excellence in choirs.

“I am particularly excited with this year’s Drumheller Festival results. Having both the Junior and Senior Choir recommended to Provincials hasn’t happened for a few years,” Mrs. Steeves said. “We have an awesome team in our choir programme and in our entire school. There is huge support for our music programme. This is a great day for Brentwood School.”

In addition three local pianists, studying with Carolyn Steeves, scooped up a number of awards. Brooklyn Davidson was awarded the Ross Ferby Scholarship for Piano Recital/Concert class Plan I & II, the Grand Award: Nicholas and Pearl Ferby Memorial Award of Excellence Scholarship for excellence in Piano. Grace Praeker and Susanne Sevick, Grade 4 classmates at Sacred Heart Academy, took four awards between them. 

Grace was awarded the Drumheller Music Teacher’s Trophy for highest mark in Canadian Composers classes, Plan I & II and the Sina Vickers Memorial Award for highest mark in Piano solos Plan II, Level 2-3 while Susanne was awarded the Alison Jensen Memorial Trophy for highest mark in Piano classes for 9 year olds and the Vera Marchuk Memorial Scholarship for highest mark in Piano solos 6 -12 year old.

Rayanne Laycock, a student of Loralee Laycock, had a great evening with a number of awards. She received the Amy Thompson Trophy for highest mark 10 years and under in Musical Theatre solos, the Louisa J. Howard Trophy for highest mark in Junior Folk Song solo classes 14 years and under, the Grand Award: EOG Resources Plaque and Traves Family Scholarship awarded to the competitor 12 and under receiving the highest mark.

“It was definitely a great representation by all of our Strathmore musicians,” said Laycock.  “I am thrilled with the outcome for my individual students, as well as the provincial nomination for the Strathmore Children’s Choir. 

They all worked very hard to make it this far, and it is nice to have them recognized for their efforts.”

Also performing at the concert on Friday night were Kortnee, Brooke, Brittyn and Khloe Paiha, sisters from Strathmore and students of Loralee Laycock, with their Musical theatre production number of “I Won’t Say” from Hercules.  

Brooke and Kortnee also won the John & Jean Edwards Memorial Scholarship for highest mark in Musical Theatre Duets, Trios, Ensembles and Production Numbers. Avery Johnson, also from Strathmore and a student of Laycock’s, won the Nacmine Community Association Scholarship.