Bishop Allen Academy’s Music Program recently hosted its annual Winter Band Camp, a three-night, two-day intensive retreat at Teen Ranch under the direction of Bishop Allen music teacher Davide Garofalo. This year’s camp was particularly significant as it marked the return of the program for both Junior and Senior ensembles, focusing on the development of lifelong learning habits, community building, and creative collaboration.
Professional Mentorship
Supported by 16 accomplished professional musicians and educators from across the Greater Toronto Area, students engaged in a rigorous curriculum designed to push their musicality to the next level. Highlights of the intensive included:
Global Perspectives: An improvisation workshop led by Jonathan Kay (Humber College), where students explored musical ideologies found in Indian classical music.
Instrumental Mastery: 16 instrument-specific masterclasses led by a team of professional musicians and music educators affiliated with various secondary and post-secondary institutions.
Artistic Leadership: Sandi Chasson guest-conducted rehearsals, providing the final polish for the students' upcoming festival performance at the Ontario Band Association Provincial Music Festival.
Contemporary Collaboration: Toronto’s Big Smoke Brass led a workshop on contemporary music and a collaborative performance, followed by a high-energy professional concert.
The retreat balanced intensive study with community-building activities, including horseback riding and winter sports. The experience concluded with a Mass celebration at St. Timothy’s Parish. The congregation offered a warm welcome to the students, who were moved by a homily reminding them that their imagination and creativity are gifts from God, meant to better the lives of those in their communities.
