News

Every year, the British Columbia Music Educators’ Association (BCMEA) holds a multi-day professional development conference in Vancouver. As part of the proceedings, the association organizes and facilitates multiple days of intensive rehearsal followed by an evening concert for the BCMEA honour ensembles. Students from all across BC are invited...

As the new year begins, the Brentwood Jazz Band has been working as hard as ever to integrate both returning and new musicians. Taking our instruments and skills into account, Mr Newns, our band instructor, worked hard all summer to prepare songs that would suit our group. Currently, we are working on “All In For The Blues” - a fast tempo and...

Every first block arts afternoon, members of the Wind Ensemble get together in the Asper Room to practice music that we have picked with the help of our teacher, Mr Clausen. It’s only the beginning of October, but we are all now very excited for the first school event that we will be performing in: the Concert for A Winter’s Eve, the 5th and 6th...

Each year, Mrs Widenmaier, Mr Newns and Mrs Blake get together to discuss what musical experience they want to bring to the Brentwood stage. They take into account the returning students and select a show they believe that will feature and challenge the skills of the cast. This year the school will get to enjoy the comedy Spamalot, a stage version...

Last Wednesday, Dr. Kinza Tyrrell, who is the principal repetiteur for Vancouver Opera and a sessional instructor at UVIC, and Evelyn delaHaye, who is a working soprano and voice teacher, came across the Salish Sea to visit our school. They held a Master Class and invited some of our top performing artists to sing or play a piece of music they are...

As the light’s scintillated and the fog produced by the smoke machine covered the stage, the Brentwood Symphony Orchestra valiantly played Pirates of the Caribbean with precision and elegance as Mr Clausen flawlessly conducted the band for our final performance as a group for 2018-2019. Our musical groups prepared for their separate pieces...

A national rower, a provincial cross-country runner, and an international debater walk onto a stage. No, this is not the beginning of a poorly executed dad joke, this is Brentwood’s Concert for a Summer’s Eve. Not only did we have a wide array of people, but also an equally impressive array of music genres for the final concert of the year. From...

Entering into its 47th year of celebrating excellence, MusicFest Canada, The Nationals, brings thousands of students and educators from across the country together, over a one week period, to celebrate excellence in musical performance. It is an invitation only event: outstanding ensembles are invited to attend from affiliated regional and...

On Thursday May 2nd, the Wind Ensemble embarked on a journey to the Con Brio Festival in Whistler, BC. After vigorously preparing for our performance in the previous months with the help of our lovely instructors, Mr Tristan Clausen and Ms Kathryn Als, we had the privilege of scoring a Silver title at the festival. With the guidance and expertise...

Among the treasure chest of shining excellence in the performing arts programs at Brentwood, the choir is occasionally looked at as the silver piece among gold coins. However, in the last few months the Brentwood Pitches Vocal Ensemble has emerged as a hidden gem in our music program. As the Captain of Vocal Ensemble, in the last few months I...