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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 10, 2016 | 26 John Bkila Editor jbkila@oakvillebeaver.com Artscene "Connected to your Community" T.A. Blakelock (TAB) High School students Peter Joel Hooper (on drums, at left), (above, from left) Kyle Fitzgerald, Jennie Yu and Calan McDermid earned Honour Awards from the recently-held MusicFest Canada 2016 competition in Ottawa. Four TAB ensembles also earned gold and silver designations. | submitted photos T.A. Blakelock students net big wins at Ottawa's Musicfest Canada by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Four Oakville students recently netted big wins at the Musicfest Canada 2016 competition in Ottawa. Four T.A. Blakelock (TAB) High School ensembles earned gold and silver performing in front of music professionals and adjudicators, while four students also earned Honour Awards for their contribution to each band. "This achievement is what you get when you put 140 dedicated, talented students together and watch them become inspired through music making," said Brian Vincent, head of the music program at TAB. "It takes trust and courage to play to this standard of performance and achieve these results. These students are dedicated to highlevel music making." Gold and silver for TAB The local high school won gold for Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Wind Concert Band, with students Jennie Yu and Calan McDermid receiving an Honour Award for their respective ensembles. TAB claimed silver for Senior Jazz Orchestra and Junior Jazz Band, while students Kyle Fitzgerald and PJ Hooper were recognized with Honour Awards in their respective groups. The Wind Ensemble earned gold award after playing three pieces at the 500 level, widely considered one of the highest calibres of music. The ensemble was one of only four ensembles in the country to do so, solidifying Blakelock's reputation as one of Canada's topranked high school bands, according to Vincent. The MusicFest competition was held from May 9-14. TAB also held its spring concert on Tuesday (June 7) to close out the year. Approximately 300 student musicians The Blakelock music department has almost 300 student musicians across Grades 9-12 studying instrumental, guitar and vocal music, as well as several co-curricular groups -- including two concert bands, two jazz bands, a student-led choir and a drumline, which participate in a variety of events and competitions. Volunteer Recognition using PREB The Oakville Arts Council is hosting a workshop June 15, from 9:30 a.m.-noon, at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, 2302 Bridge Rd. The workshop will discuss using PREB-Ontario as a Volunteer Experience Recognition online tool. Register at http://goo.gl/R3rOl2. Grant Writing Group The Oakville Arts Council is hosting Grant Writing Group with Heather Mace June 21, from 6-9 p.m., at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, 2302 Bridge Rd. Register at http://goo.gl/ MmIpeb. Creative Connections Join Oakville Arts Council and Town of Oakville at Creative Connections free arts networking event Wednesday, June 29, from 7-8 p.m. Artists and cultural workers from all disciplines invited. Speaker: Anna Hewitt of Oakville Symphony Orchestra. Registration is not required, but appreciated. Meet at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, 2302 Bridge Rd. Visit www.oakvillearts.com/events. In the Arts... J E W E L E D A R T Works by students from Lucy Erksine's goldsmith technique jewelry class at the Oakville Art Society will be on display until Saturday (June 11) at the Oakville Galleries' Centennial Square location, 120 Navy St., alongside the OAS's Juried Art Show, which opened last Friday (June 3). | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or www.facebook. com/HaltonPhotog)