Broadway Sing-Along to Benefit LBPSB Music Programs
by Chloë Ranaldi
The St. Thomas High school orchestra performed Broadway musical hits alongside four elementary schools choirs, St. Patrick Elementary School, Christmas Park Elementary School, St. John Fisher Senior Elementary School, and Clearpoint Elementary IB World.
On Saturday November 30th, Saint Thomas High School put together two Broadway Sing-Along concerts to raise funds for all LBPSB music programs.
A full circle moment
Kohana Donovan, a Saint-Thomas student in grade 11 says being part of the orchestra has been a highly rewarding experience.
Donovan, who has been playing the violin since grade 7, dedicates every Monday after school to practicing with the orchestra.
“It’s been so much fun. I love being around people and music,” Donovan said. “I made friendships with people in younger grades I wouldn’t have otherwise met or been friends with.”
Though she was nervous about performing, Donovan was eager for the experience, even though it wasn’t her first time on stage.
“It’s a bit nerve-wracking. I was part of the Broadway Sing-Along in the past, but that was with my elementary school, St. John Fisher,” she explained. “Now, it’s a very different experience. I’m nervous, but excited and confident because we’ve practiced a lot.”
Donovan says she’s glad they get to perform in front of an audience and the experience has been really gratifying.
Judy Pemberton, the Musical Director and producer of the event, first brought the Broadway-inspired show to life in 2018 and 2019. However, due to the pandemic, the concert was put on hiatus until this year.
“The best part of putting the show together is working with the kids,” Pemberton said. “I love helping them expand their horizons and seeing them grow through these experiences.”
She added that the energy brought by the elementary school students is a key highlight of the concert.
“They bring such enthusiasm and joy to the stage,” Pemberton noted. “They do a tremendous job.”
The students performed a variety of Broadway classics, including “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Grease Lightning,” among many others.
“The parents who come out to support their children are often surprised to find themselves singing along to songs they didn’t even know they remembered, or that they’ve never heard before,” Pemberton said. “It’s such a joyful experience for everyone.”
Christian Ingelevics, a music specialist at Christmas park says practicing together brought students of different ages closer together.
He says as the performance date got closer, “ students mentioned to [him] that they were excited but also nervous.”
Ingelevics says that even after more than 100 concerts in his career, he told the students that he also still gets nervous.
“I said to them, nerves are normal; experienced performers get them, young people get them, and old people get them. So that nervousness happens to everyone when they get on stage”
He says being able to push through those feelings, and then shine on the stage while they performed, helped give students a sense of achievement.
“It gave them a positive sense of accomplishment and achievement working together as a group, putting together these songs, and working on them, and presenting them and getting over those nerves and anxiety.”
He says watching his students on stage, he could tell they were having a blast.
Students at St-Patrick Elementary School also performed at the 2pm show on November 30th.
St-Patrick Elementary School Music Teacher Jennifer Baltuonis says “it’s important to participate in events such as the Broadway Sing-Along.”
“It mainly has to do with our students being involved in the school board community,” she said. “They were very excited to have been singing with a real orchestra and adult singers.”
Clearpoint Elementary school performed at the 6 p.m. show, where the students also described feeling nervous before the performance started.
Music specialist Aline Lajoie said students described the experience as “an amazing experience,” that was “once in a lifetime.”
Students described being excited about seeing friends at St-John Fisher also performing at the same time.
Mme Lajoie says as a Music teacher, she was excited to be invited to attend and participate in a colleague’s concert.
“It is great to try something new, and different. I thought the exposure was beneficial for our school and all our students.”
She says the concert was an amazing way for all the schools to be reunited.
St John Fisher Elementary Sr. also performed at the 6 p.m show.
“This event brings so many members of our community together who love and appreciate music” said David Arless, Music Specialist at St. John Fisher Senior Elementary School.
“Our students get to experience the best of both worlds: performing on the big high school stage and also taking in the full interactive experience as an audience member when they are not performing.”
He says the highlight of the event for the students was performing on stage in front of the audience.
“I really loved to see the community spirit come alive through song and I was thrilled to see so many of our former SJF students who have continued in music as members of the Saint Thomas band! They were amazing!” he said.
All the funds raised from the St Thomas Broadway concerts will go to the LBPSB music programs.
The goal is to continue to support students love of music and learning.
