March 2, 2016
High school musicians from the Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario (CSCNO) had the experience of a lifetime at the 13th annual “Quand ça nous chante” music festival. Some 300 up-and-coming musicians from more than 30 Ontario Catholic and public francophone secondary schools took part in this gathering which took place from February 18 to 21 in Timmins.
Students from Val Caron’s École secondaire catholique l’Horizon’s music committee were presented with the “Coup de Cœur fierté franco-ontarienne” prize. This prize is awarded to a group of students for their outstanding pride and commitment in showcasing an original repertoire or existing songs from Franco-Ontarian artists. The Horizon student band offered a strong performance and stood out among the 32 participating secondary schools bands from across Ontario.
Zachary Clément, a grade 12 student at ÉSC l’Horizon, received one of ten top individual honours of the festival. He was presented with the “Coup de Coeur de la marraine” award (All-Star Team Award) for his extraordinary talent at the piano.
ÉSC l’Horizon’s music committee has earned a strong reputation for the quality of its presentations and for the immense talent of its band members. The young musicians are blessed with artistic support and guidance from teachers André Lachance and Chad Dubreuil. They are also guided by two volunteers: Julie Crispin, a former student, and Bob Lavergne, a former student’s parent. The school’s top-notch team succeeds in motivating the music committee to invest a great deal of passion in developing their talent and performing as a band.
“Members of Horizon’s music committee enjoyed having the opportunity to perform a 20-minute set for other students who have an equally strong passion for music. They received professional feedback regarding their performance and also took part in workshops led by professional artists,” explained ÉSC l’Horizon teacher Mr. André Lachance. “By being exposed to various styles of francophone music and through their contacts with other musicians from across the province, students were able to see and hear for themselves that the French-language music industry is alive and well in Ontario and that a musical career in French remains a real possibility.”
The Quand ça nous chante festival is an educational activity offered by the Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM).
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 learning environment and academic program that runs from early childhood to adult education, with some 7,000 students in 27 elementary and 10 secondary schools.
INFO:
Paul de la Riva
Interim Assistant Director of Communications and Community Development
Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario
(705) 673-5626, ext. 294
(705) 677-8195 – cell phone