Hot on a cold Jazz night
6 Thursday, February 6
Senior Student commons 7:00 p.m.
Message From the Director of arts
A warm and enthusiastic welcome to you, our HSC arts patron, as you join us to enjoy another year of excellence in the arts. Your steadfast support of our talented students is truly what enables us to cultivate a thriving artistic culture at the College, and we know that whether you are a first-time supporter or a repeat customer, this year’s performances will have you coming back for more!
At HSC we marvel at the courage and artistry of our talented students, as they take centre stage sharing their musicianship and dramatic flair with us. The arts are alive at HSC, and we proudly present a lineup that reflects our broader College culture of inclusivity, self-expression and community.
Our Senior Musical, Footloose, was an absolute tour-de-force featuring the formidable talents of our Senior School students, who danced and sang their hearts out for a joy-filled production. Likewise, our Middle School Musical, James and the Giant Peach, will showcase the incredible emerging talents of our Grades 5-8 performers in a production sure to uplift and inspire.
For those who enjoy the opportunity to spend an evening in stitches, our Senior Spring Play, The One Act Play That Goes Wrong, promises a witty and clever performance that will leave you chuckling all the way home.
The arts at HSC certainly encompass more than just theatre productions. Our Junior and Montessori School concerts throughout the year never fail to melt our hearts with their unbridled joy and colour. What’s more, the incredible talents of our student musicians will be on full display as they take the stage in concerts featuring our various music ensembles from Early Ed all the way up to the Grads of 2025.
It is time to enjoy the show. Know that your support means the world to our students and faculty who pour so much heart and soul into bringing their performances to the stage. This community spirit is what drives us forward, nurtures our spirits and enables us to provide the rich tapestry of experiences that allow our students to shine. The 19th century writer George Sand said: “The artist vocation is to send light into the human heart.”
Whether our students choose to pursue a life in the arts, or simply become lifelong supporters of the arts, we know they will continue to shine bright well beyond their years at HSC, and we hope that their experiences here will help them to send light into the world.
Nora Hammond
’98
Program Order
HSC Junior Jazz Band
HSC Senior Jazz Band
HSC Studio Quintet
Junior Jazz Set
Calle Caliente - Mike Lewis
Centerpiece - arr. Mike Story
Fever - arr. Paul Murtha Get Back - arr. Michael Sweeney
Senior Jazz Set
Oye Como Va by Tito Puente - arr. Paul Murtha
Little Sunflower - Freddie Hubbard, arr. Paul Murtha
Moanin’ - Bobby Timmons, arr. Michael Sweeney
Angel Eyes - Matt Dennis, arr. Carl Strommen
Make Me Smile - James Pankow, arr. Peter Blair
HSC Studio Quintet Set
Junior Jazz Band
Directed by Nora Hammond ’98
Saxophones
Rachael Xu
Leo Chen
Carina Ding
Declan Hammond
Andy Gu
Trombones
Nate Cheung
Spencer Barton
Ella Adams
Amy Jiang
Trumpets
Patrick Hammond
Zayan Khan
Avery Campbell
Madelene Bentham
Rhythm SecTion
Charlie Chou, Allisa Wu piano
Shawn Zheng bass
Tessa Tierney, Sophia Chen
drums & percussion
Senior Jazz Band
Directed by Allan Gaumond
Trumpets
Amelia Kiung
Lauren Calbeck
Gavin Lee
Saxophones
Alina Zhi
Maggie Hadler
Clara Lam
Finn Rebello
David Scherbatykh
Giaus Atse
Trombones
Kyle Ding
Edward Clark
Rhythm SecTion
Zachary Yu piano
Daren Zhang Guitar
Ismael Eyyubov bass
Rosiela Chen drums
HSC Studio Quintet
scott neilson saxophones
Scott Neilson is a multi-instrumentalist (piano, clarinet, saxophone, and flute) and music educator based in Hamilton, Ontario. A graduate of Mohawk College’s Applied Music program, he’s been a professional musician since age 16, including a 22-year residency at Toronto’s Reservoir Lounge. Neilson has also run his own teaching studio for nearly 30 years, taught at Hillfield Strathallan College for over 20 years, and served as the saxophone instructor at Mohawk College for over 10 years.
Mike Polci Trombone
Mike is a member of the trombone section of Orchestra London, Canada and he works regularly with the Orchestras of Hamilton, Kitchener and Windsor. He studied trombone with Joseph Castello at the University of Western Ontario. He has also performed with the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada.
Chris Platt Guitar
Toronto-based guitarist, Chris Platt performs regularly venues and has shared legends like Dave Liebman holds a degree from the a diploma from Mohawk teaches jazz guitar at Platt has appeared on including his debut album for a 2019 Julian Award internationally recognized released with Angela
Guitar
joel haynes drums
Burlington, Ontario native Joel has become a soughtafter jazz drummer, performing with top artists and at international festivals across the globe. A three-time “National Jazz Award” nominee (including CD and Drummer of the Year nods), he’s played on over 30 recordings as a sideman with artists like Seamus Blake and Russell Malone. He has released two albums, “The Time is Now” and “Transitions.” In addition to touring and recording, Joel maintains a busy teaching studio and has been teaching at HSC for 14 years.
Clark Johnston Bass
guitarist, composer, and educator regularly at prominent shared the stage with jazz Liebman and Dave Young. He the University of Toronto and Mohawk College, and currently at McMaster University. on several recordings, album Sky Glow (nominated Award of Excellence) and the recognized Sounds of Brazil (coTurone).
Bassist Clark Johnston began his professional career in 1994, performing with renowned musicians such as Peter Appleyard, Gene DiNovi, and Don Thompson. His original compositions can be heard on the albums A Road Forgotten and Pictures with Shields Johnston Fielding. Johnston holds a master’s degree in music composition from York University and currently teaches at both Mohawk College and McMaster University.
Land Acknowledgment
Hillfield Strathallan College is situated upon the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas. This land is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, which was an agreement between the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek and other Indigenous nations to share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. As members of the learning community at HSC, we are committed to honouring this covenant by working alongside our Indigenous neighbours and building a sustainable relationship with the land that we all cherish.