September 1, 2015

Mandala, a band from École secondaire catholique l’Horizon in Val Caron, will perform on Saturday, September 12, at 3:30 p.m., at the Hanmer Shopping Centre during a Franco-Ontarian concert presented as part of Valley East Days. This free concert, offered to Valley East residents, will also include musician Dayv Poulin.

Mandala band members, all hailing from Valley East, take great pride in being able to share their musical talent and their passion for francophone music. Zachary Clément, Nicholas Fournier, Luc Huneault and Julien Laferrière recently displayed the breadth of their musical talent by winning this summer’s “Battle of the Bands 2015” at Science North during Canada Day celebrations.

Mandala was also named outstanding band at the 2015 La Brunante music contest and earned the coveted opportunity to play on stage during the 2016 edition of La Nuit sur l'étang. Earlier this winter, the four band members had the experience of a lifetime at the “Quand ça nous chante” provincial music festival, during which each member received the prestigious “outstanding musician” award and was named to the festival’s All-Star Team. This award is presented to students for in recognition of outstanding stage presence in a musical performance during the festival. The Horizon students secured four of the eight spots on the musical All-Star Team.

Mandala is a rock band composed of four talented students: Luc Huneault (vocals and guitar); Zachary Clément (keyboards); Julien Laferrière (drums); and Nicholas Fournier (vocals and bass). The band members met at l’Horizon when they joined the school’s music committee which offered them the opportunity to take part in many concerts and festivals during their high school studies.

“All of these students hailing from the Valley East community are passionate about their music and are always open to experimenting with new styles. Influenced by performers like Mastik and Dayv Poulin, they want to play quality Francophone music, enjoy themselves and promote their French culture. Having a preference for jazz, Mandala is also appreciated for its alternative style,” explained Mr. André Lachance, music teacher at ÉSC l’Horizon.

The Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario offers a French Catholic Educational Program that is widely recognized for its excellence. The CSCNO provides a quality academic program that runs from early childhood to adult education, with some 7,000 students enrolled in 27 elementary and 10 secondary schools.

Info:    

Paul de la Riva
Communications and Community Development Coordinator
Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario
(705) 673-5626, ext. 294 / (705) 677-8195 – cell phone