Garden Valley Collegiate’s (GVC) vocal jazz groups and jazz band went out on a high note last week, Thursday, with their final performances for the 2024-2025 school year. The Jazz Café, put on by a collective with a clear heart for music, put that passion on full display, with tears in eyes as the senior students said goodbye to their GVC ensemble life one final time before they graduate.
Preparing to perform
Melanie Urichuk, the Choral Director for GVC, said that putting on an event like this, in which every student gets a chance to shine and solo in front of friends and family, is not an easy thing to do.
“We build it into a semester-long project. So, in February, we introduced the idea of getting on a stage independently, picking the song, each student gets introduced to the idea of what a ‘standard’ is... and then they go hunting for one that they might like to sing on their own.”
She said that with performing solo, nerves definitely can come out, and over the years, there have been a few tears, but thankfully nobody has thrown up—yet.
“I think that by the time we get to this night, it’s pretty joyful.”
The sentiment behind the solo
The GVC Jazz Café has not always been a night dedicated to giving a student the chance to perform individually, and Urichuk speaks to the reasoning behind the shift over the years, and why giving students that chance is important.
“The kids aren’t quick to take credit for themselves. When we’re in a group setting, they’re very quick to say, ‘Oh, this person is the leader,’ or ‘so-and-sos got the best voice,’ but you really can’t push the credit off on to anybody else when you’re the solo person up there.”
Being able to take ownership of the performance and have the creative reins, to Urichuk, is pivotal to instilling a sense of self-awareness and self-confidence.
11 years of Jazz Cafe
This being the eleventh year of this version of Jazz Café, Urichuk says that the event has really grown over that time and become something that students take a great deal of pride in.
“The kids have really made it their own and built a community around it. We had over 200 people here tonight who bought tickets to come and support the kids, so it’s a pretty special feeling of community and celebration.”
A testament to that community, the students are able to help build, even over the course of a single school year, is the presence of their student teacher long after his term was complete.
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“I’m grateful to have a student teacher this year who’s really invested in jazz and is a fabulous jazz piano player. Jackson Hacault. He’s from Brandon University, and so he stayed a full three extra weeks to be able to conduct at our concert and our jazz cafe tonight just to support the kids and follow through, so that’s pretty phenomenal,” she said, “and Rylan Hiebert played drums, he was wonderful.”
As the night came to a close, the students showed their appreciation to Hacault by giving him a gift, saying their thanks, and then set about taking down the stands, mics and tables themselves, that sense of collaboration and ownership of the GVC Jazz Café on full display, for some, for the last time.
At least, on that side of the lights.
