The Olds High School (OHS) music department will end its concert season with a traditional band concert this Wednesday at 7 p.m., at the TransCanada Theatre.
Twenty Grade 12 students will also end their OHS music career during the concert.
“It will probably be a bittersweet moment for them. I know a lot of them, it's pretty sad,” said Karri Anderson, OHS band, choir, and guitar teacher.
Most of them will wear their grad clothes to the concert, as it will be their final chance to do so at the school.
As a way to acclimatize next year's new students, École Dear Meadow School Grade 8 students will also take part in the concert.
“I would say around 150 students will be participating in the concert, including the Deer Meadow kids,” said Anderson.
Concertgoers can expect to hear musical performances by the OHS Grade 9 students, the senior band, the stomp percussion group, the school's drumline, the choir, and the jazz band.
“People can expect all kinds of music from the concert,” said Anderson.
“It will be exciting, loud, and fun. No one will be bored, that's for sure.”
It will be the choir's first concert since going to the Alberta Music Festival, where it received a grade of 84 per cent.
“I don't know how that kind of falls in the spectrum,” said Anderson.
“There were 10 groups that competed with us. We were not in the top two but we did very well.”
The OHS band concert should last around two hours. During pauses, the school will also raffle off some prizes, including hanging flower baskets, gift cards, and an electric guitar with an amp.
Meanwhile, Anderson is already thinking about the next school year. She says that the senior band, which presently has 86 students, should be even bigger next year.
“With only about 17 from that group graduating, and the incoming group being quite large, I think we will be over 90 next year,” she said.
No tickets are required for the OHS band concert.
