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Elementary Band Invited to Canada’s National Music Festival

Even though they’ve only been playing their instruments since last September, Stride Avenue and Westridge band students wowed listeners at the Vancouver Kiwanis Band & Orchestra Festival. Adjudicators were so impressed with the Grade 7 combined beginning band that they received one of ten invitations to attend MusicFest, Canada’s national music festival.

The Vancouver Kiwanis Band & Orchestra Festival was held in May in Richmond. Forty ensembles from around BC and several from the United States performed, from beginning bands to advanced high school bands.

Peter Wenzek, their Burnaby Schools elementary beginning band teacher, said one of the adjudicators gave high praise to the student musicians, who are still new to the craft: “Thank you for making music and not just playing notes on the page.”

See and listen for yourself to the band in action.