Brentwood students take part in exciting opportunity

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

For more than 20 years, Brentwood Elementary School’s choir students have participated in the Alberta Children’s Choir South (ACC), forging the way for eight current ardent and talented individuals who will be participating in the opportunity once again this year – a circumstance not without its challenges.
Brentwood’s senior choir Grade 5 students Emma Moore and Tegan Deloli, as well as Grade 6 students Alyssa Poole, Ruth Dinunzio, Madeline Hvingklby, Zhara Harney, Keuna Drydale, and Jaden Frizzell, will not only be surrounded by nearly 100 students from across southern Alberta and receive instruction from world-renowned conductors Zimfira Poloz and Faye Klassen, but engage in music involving Norwegian, Spanish, and Hebrew languages.
“It’s kids who want to participate, who want to have that experience, who want to grow even farther and sing repertoire that’s more demanding and more challenging,” said Carolyn Steeves, music teacher at Brentwood Elementary School. “This year, in Norwegian, that’s very challenging and these kids that want to put that extra effort in so I see that kind of student coming forward each year. They’ve seen the children who’ve gone in the past, and they look up to them. I think they know it’s a big deal and they want to rise to the occasion.”
Steeves added that the local choristers generally return to the school with greater confidence and heightened leadership skills. She has noticed some students take on an active role in helping other students and step up to tackle solos.
Hvingklby, Harney, and Drydale all took part in the event last year, and are eager to participate again.
“All the students here really like to sing and participate in all the things we like to do in our school, but it gives those kids who really do go above and beyond a chance to do something extra,” said Steeves. “Not only does it give them the opportunity to do that, but it also gives them the opportunity to meet kids from other choirs across southern Alberta and work with world-class conductors. It’s really a wonderful opportunity for these children.”
The Alberta Children Choir’s is exposing the children to award-winning conductor, educator and adjudicator Zimfira Poloz, who has been teaching around the world. While the experience will required extensive practices, intense hours and discipline of the 11-to-15 year-olds, those who participated last year are looking forward to making new friends, learning different types of music, and getting to sing.
“I like to sing because I get to express myself and it sounds nice,” said Hvingklby. “I grew up with music because I play piano and my mom and sister play piano and we all sing our songs. Ever since Kindergarten, I always sang Twinkle Twinkle or something like that.”
Tegan Deloli, who said he was surrounded by music all his life, learned to play piano by ear and loves choral music. Participating in the ACC for the first time is an exciting event for the youngster who’s already passionate about Verdi, Puccini and Beethoven.
The Alberta Children’s Choir South concert will take place on Feb. 6 at the Knox United Church in Calgary at 7 p.m.