Band Camp offers entertainment and education

Smith Music students perform a concert at Vintage Petals Tea House in Morinville last Friday night. The students spent the week learning and performing more than a dozen songs.


By Stephen Dafoe

Morinville – Diners and shoppers along 100 Ave. and 100 St. got a little musical entertainment last week courtesy of students from Smith Music. Eight musicians performed at a number of area businesses between Aug. 17 and 20, breaking into two separate groups and ending the week as an eight-piece band.

“What we wanted to do was give students an opportunity to use basic professional skills to go and do performances,” said Smith Music owner Paul Smith. “A lot of times professional musicians will get together, learn songs very quickly and go out and play, and they try and make money. That’s what we do in the music business.”

Smith said the students learned nine songs on the Monday and began performing them Tuesday afternoon. By Friday the students had learned a total of 13 songs which they performed in a wrap up concert for friends and family at Vintage Petals Tea House.

The musician and music teacher said the students collected $120 in their guitar case over the week, teaching them a bit about the busking side of the music business. But while the monetary gain may have shown there is value in their art, most students were pleased with the learning experience and personal growth as musicians.

Band leader Zoe Downie said she was pleased with the group’s efforts and ability to work together.

“The week went pretty well with what we were doing,” she said. “I think we pulled it together really well. We worked really hard to get those songs as good as we could in the week that we were given. We practiced every day; we performed every day, and we worked really hard as a group. We worked together to make sure everything pulled together.”

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1 Comment

  1. It’s great to see businesses working with businesses, especially when kids are involved.

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