VIDEO: Schools come together for 2nd annual music fest in Maple Ridge

A music festival featuring the talents of students across the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows School District continues today, Tuesday, April 18, at Garibaldi Secondary.

Resonance on the Ridge Music Festival offers students a chance to perform in front of an audience and then get advice from an adjudicator.

Brian Weingartner, band director at Maple Ridge Secondary, said it was really great for his school to participate in an event like this. Having an opportunity to get advice from other musicians and educators in music was invaluable to his students.

“Getting to see what the other bands around town are doing and at other schools. It’s a really good community building event and it’s a really awesome opportunity to perform for each other and to learn from each other,” he said.

Brent Taylor, vice principal at Port Moody Secondary and an adjudicator at the event for the jazz portion of the festival, said more districts should be putting on an event like Resonance on the Ridge.

Taylor spent about 25 years at Point Grey Secondary in Vancouver as department head of the performing arts and he was one of three music teachers at the school.

“I really applaud the teachers for putting on this kind of event,” he said.

“I think it’s so important to get outside influence and kind of learn as much as possible from people outside the district,” Taylor noted.

Taylor said as a teacher, going to festivals was when he really learned a lot in a short amount of time. It was great professional development, he said.

“I think the fact that they are putting this on and in the format that they are doing it is a huge positive for the district,” he said.

Jim Littleford, a Vancouver musician and adjudicator, said it was fantastic to get all the student in one place to hear what each other are doing.

“So often you are in a bubble doing your thing so to go out and see, first of all, other kids doing the same thing you are doing and they are all here listening to each other, except when they are rehearsing and warming up to play,” Littleford said.

He added that it is really important for the music students to hear other levels, different sized groups, and the different kinds of music others are playing.

The second day of the second annual Resonance on the Ridge Music Festival will start off with the Garibaldi Secondary Grade 9 Junior Band at 8:45 a.m. , followed by the Maple Ridge Secondary Grade 8-10 Junior Concert Band, then the Garibaldi Grade 8 Band, and then a Junior Massed Band before lunch.

After lunch at 12:30 p.m. the Garibaldi Secondary Senior Concert Band will take to the stage, followed by the Pitt Meadows Secondary Band, then the Garibaldi Secondary Grade 10 Intermediate Band, the Maple Ridge Secondary Grade 10-12 Wind Ensemble, and then a Senior Massed Band at 3:30 p.m..