A group of local student musicians has struck gold on the national stage.
The John McGregor Secondary School Concert Band has earned a Gold Standard during MusicFest Canada in Niagara Falls, the largest band competition in North America.
Under the direction of Curtis Clarke, the 26‑member ensemble of Grade 9–12 musicians took part in the event on May 11 with 8,000 other student performers from across the country.
The competition required the local band to perform three contrasting pieces, and a rigorous one‑hour adjudication session that included a sight‑reading of a brand‑new music piece with no preparation.
The local concert band was officially formed last year, touring feeder schools with holiday concerts before earning a Silver Plus rating at MusicFest Windsor, which qualified them for Nationals.
The band members were recently celebrated during a “Walk of Gold” through the halls of John McGregor Secondary School, where students and staff cheered on the musicians for earning one of the national competition’s highest distinctions.
