By Ava Durrell

Two nights jam-packed with live music from 琉璃神社 Secondary School鈥檚 very own music department students weren鈥檛 enough for their year-end concerts. Featuring many local talents in 16 groups, Monday and Tuesday were packed from 7 to 9 p.m. each night with all sorts of musical abilities.

Charlotte Cruse, a grade 11 music student at KSS, found the two nights to be personally very inspiring.

鈥淵ear after year, Sheila French (music director at KSS) continues to be an absolutely spectacular director, being sure to give us many amazing opportunities and I feel so blessed that I have the privilege to work with her and my amazing peers.鈥�

Students in Grades 10, 11, and 12 at the school were challenged with their music repertoire, but put on a fantastic show for the audience. With the students showing off works like Bohemian Rhapsody, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Blue Skies, jazz and classical pieces alike came together to make these two nights extremely enjoyable for all attending.

For French, one of the music directors at KSS, she鈥檚 enjoyed doing these performances year after year.

鈥淥ur year-end KSS music concerts were absolutely spectacular,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am so proud of my students. They never disappoint. They are so musical and touch me with their joy for music and their dedication, as well as their commitment to excellence. They are a joy to be with-such nice people these kids are. Way to go parents.鈥�

French added that it is always hard to have the very last concert with the Grade 12鈥檚 that she has been teaching for the past three years, but also incredibly rewarding and beautiful to experience making music with them.

鈥淚 have so many going on in music and many of the rest will continue to make music a huge part of their lives. There is always a Jazz Band, Concert Band or Choir to be involved with in your community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am truly the 鈥榤ost blessed鈥� teacher in the school getting to be with these spectacular human beings day in and day out. They make my year every year.鈥�

Ava Durrell is a Grade 11 student at KSS and a youth writer for the 琉璃神社.