Loretto College girls’ bands set to perform Christmas concert

"Our little school has a lot of cool things going on," music director Glenn Donovan told The Villager in an interview, Tuesday, Dec. 2.

"Cool things," such as the annual Christmas concert-music program that’s set to take place at the school Thursday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. The event boasts performances by three different bands: the junior concert band, senior ‘varsity’ concert band and senior jazz ensemble.

Cecilia Nguyen, a Grade 12 student at Loretto College, has been a part of the school’s music program since she was in Grade 9.

"To me, nothing is more satisfying than going out to perform in front of a live audience with a group of girls and a teacher whom I consider family," Nguyen said. "It takes dedication, commitment and hard work to produce an exceptional band, which is what the LCS Music Program expects. As a member of Loretto College’s Music Program, I have learned that despite the blood, sweat and tears that are shed, all of our hard work and effort does pays off in the end."

This is a school whose music students have participated in as many as eight music festivals in recent years in both Toronto and the United States. Students will be fundraising for the majority of the school term so they can participate in the annual ‘Trills and Thrills’ band festival that takes place this spring in Cleveland, Ohio.

"We received a top band rating of ‘superior’ when we did this same festival back in 2011," Donovan said.

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In addition to the band concert, the music teacher has arranged for his students to perform a 30-minute show at the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame the day prior.

"Needless to say, the girls are very excited to have this opportunity," Donovan said.

If festivals and community events weren’t enough already, the band aims to perform at all school functions while hosting at least two of its own concerts a year. In addition to the three school bands, the all-female alumni jazz band ensemble, called ‘The Brunswick Revue’ was established in 2010. It performed as part of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival at the legendary "Rex" hotel in 2012.

The jazz band ensemble’s name is a nod to the school’s original location on Brunswick Avenue where it remained for 75 years until its relocation to the St. Clair-Dufferin Street neighbourhood.

"I still remember our first official band practice back in 2011 as a junior band member. We were all given charts to Band Room Boogie and Stand by Me," recalled Nguyen. "Mr. Donovan told us to sight-read the music obviously wanting to assess our playing abilities. Needless to say, we sounded terrible and as a joke, he recorded us that day. Just recently, Mr. Donovan pulled out those two recordings and played it for us – it was then that I realized how far we have come as musicians since the first day we entered the music program."

Despite the school’s musical accomplishments and endeavors, Loretto College’s enrolment is declining, Donovan said. Perhaps this is because the school is single-gendered, mused Donovan, who has been teaching at Loretto since 2009. This format doesn’t appeal to everyone, he said. Yet, Donovan would like to spread the word about all the school has to offer.

"I want to let people in the community know that LCS has an awesome music program," he said.

Nguyen will graduate this year and she’ll have fond memories of her high school, particularly her musical experience there.

"I know that the music program’s legacy will continue on, due to the hard work and determination of each and every music student enrolled in the program," she said.

Loretto College School is location at 151 Rosemount Ave. If you would like further details, visit www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettocollege