Students at École H. J. Cody High School are deep in preparation work for the upcoming Arts Gala.
Music teacher Jonathan Thornton said the variety of projects that are underway should make for an exciting gala.
“Students in the music program have been practicing the various pieces they will be performing for months now, the visual arts students have been busy in the art room creating their pieces for the art show and the drama students are busy in production rehearsals for Little Women which we are going to be able to see a snippet of during the evening.”
The concert portion of the event will start with the Grade 9 band performing five pieces with a few ensemble and solo guitar pieces being spread throughout the concert.
The event will also feature two pieces performed by the Jazz band, a couple of big songs, and some Christmas carols performed by the senior high guitar class, Thornton added.
“The holiday music will be sprinkled here and there throughout the night but the music will not just be focused on holiday tunes.”
There is a ton of difference between participating in art and doing art in isolation, Thornton said.
“When you know that other people are going to be hearing or seeing your art you have way more ownership of it as you are creating it and much more pride is going into it to know that there is an end result to be able to share your art with somebody.”
As a teacher seeing the student’s hard work is something Thornton couldn’t be more proud of.
“They are putting in 110 per cent in all of the rehearsals that I am scheduling and I can tell that they are also putting in work behind the scenes. I am thankful for the work they do and I’m honoured to walk with and experience some art with them,” he said.
For the concert portion, a maximum of 130 people will be able to attend, but the first half of the evening including the art show, refreshments and the silent auction has no limit.
Through doing the Arts Gala the school hopes to have its arts programs more visible in the community.
“With this year being the second year of the Arts Gala we are trying to build a partnership between the town and the arts programs here at the school as much as we can,” Thornton said.
Any and all community members are welcome to attend the event, Thornton said.
“We would love to see as many community members as possible to build that partnership.”
The Arts Gala will be starting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14 with tickets for the event available to purchase ahead of time at the school’s office or at the door the night of.