Music Department Closes Year with Performances

By: D'Arcy Murphy
Photo Credit: Izabela Pitula

The school theatre was filled with the sound of music last Thursday as Holy Trinity's music department put on their annual Spring Music Night. Following up on the Acoustic Circus one day earlier, the concert added a musical flavour to Holy Trinity's school community. This Tuesday, the Senior Concert Band was back at it, performing at the Sounds of Joy festival in Hamilton.

TSO Trip

By: D'Arcy Murphy

http://www.mazoncanada.ca/kosherlicious/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/b.jpg

On Wednesday, May 6th, over 40 students from Holy Trinity, along with Mr. Harkin and Mrs. Mascarin (a retired HT teacher) travelled to Toronto for an exciting trip. The annual music department field trip did not disappoint this year with stops at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Eaton Centre, and Roy Thomson Hall to see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) play live.

Ash Wednesday Lenten Reflection

By: D’Arcy Murphy
Photo Credit: Maddi McNevitts

This past Wednesday, the staff and students of Holy Trinity gathered in the school theatre to commemorate Ash Wednesday. This day of fasting and abstinence observed by Catholics marks the beginning of Lent, and those who participate mark themselves with ashes.

All four grades assembled separately in the theatre during periods one and two. The liturgies were led by Mrs. Harkin, the school chaplain. Students proclaimed the readings and reflections, and after distributed the ashes. Mr. Harkin’s period two repertoire class provided a beautiful musical element to the services.

Following the liturgy, presentations from Mrs. Harkin and Mr. Christie explained HT’s charity campaigns for this Lenten season. For the St. Vincent de Paul Society, period two classes will be given an envelope to fill with donations to go towards the Easter meals of underprivileged families in Oakville. Many of these families in need have been affected by cancer, multiple-sclerosis, and sudden unemployment. For Mom2Mom Africa, classes were also asked to raise funds and purchase a backpack for a child in Africa. Small, child-sized knapsacks (along with a toonie stuffed into one of the pouches to pay for shipping costs) would be greatly appreciated.

Many people are confused by the traditions of Ash Wednesday. The day following Pancake Tuesday (when all of the sweet and rich foods are consumed and cleared from the house) is the start of Lent, the forty day period before Easter. Lent is a time for prayer, charitable giving, and fasting. Typically individuals pledge to give up something (such as chocolate or social media) or promise to increase a positive action (such as prayer or donating money) during the forty days and beyond. The ashes worn on the forehead in the sign of the cross are a visual aspect that direct us to God and remind us of our need for Him.

If you’re still looking for a creative Lenten promise, look below for some ideas. By the way, you don’t have to be Catholic to make the most of Lent as a time to help others!

1. Pledge to do a random act of kindness each day (ie. hold a door open for someone, etc.)
2. In solidarity with the homeless, sleep on the floor instead of on your bed or give up your pillow.
3. Give your parents a break and cook dinner.
4. Donate your time to a charity (ie. Saint Vincent de Paul, Oakville Fairshare Foodbank, etc.)
5. Take only cold showers.
6. Don’t wear makeup.
7. Read instead of watching TV.
8. Go to the sacrament of reconciliation.

Christmas Concert Preview

By: Joshua Volkers
Photo Credit: Taryn Bratz & Maddi McNevitts

Hello Titans! I am here to report to you what to expect from the Christmas Music Concert this year! For those of you that don’t know, everybody who is a part of the school’s music department (including the junior and senior bands, concert choir, jazz band, and guitar classes) is going to be performing amazing music on Thursday December 18th from 7:00 p.m. to, at the latest, 9:00 p.m. Anybody in possession of a ticket bought from Mr. Harkin before then is welcome. The tickets are $5 each, but anyone who is performing in the concert or has helped set it up will have backstage VIP access, so that’s the only way you are getting into this thing for free.

For anybody turned off by having to pay for it, allow me to win you over: the night will feature classic Christmas jingles that everybody should have heard, as well as other songs to mix things up. For example, Silent Night will be performed, but there is also a Spanish piece called ‘La Madre de Los Gatos’, which translates to 'the mother of the cats'. Each group will be performing anywhere from 3-6 pieces, so there will be plenty of content to enjoy- or potentially- roast. In addition to all of that, yours truly will be performing in the concert, struggling to play pieces by the band Kansas, Beethoven, and that famous German composer called, eh… it was… aha, that’s it: Franz Xaver Gruber.

So anybody who is looking to enjoy music for a couple of hours and is willing to pay $5 is welcome, again, from 7:00 p.m. to, at the latest, 9:00 p.m. Remember, this all goes down in the school theatre, so be there to enjoy it. And since it was Mr. Harkin who provided me with the info to write this little preview, I feel that I should inform you that he may or may not wield a flaming guitar by the end of the night. Probably not, but remember you wouldn’t be able to see it in person if it were to happen unless you’re there, so buy the tickets in Room 333 for the concert if you want, and we hope to see you there. 

Thank you Titans, and remember to be extra festive this time of year, look forward to your holiday vacations, and stay strong during culminating season!