Skip to content

VIDEO: Langley Grade 7/8 musicians brings home gold in nationals

HD Stafford Middle School’s concert band wins national bragging rights and $3K upgrade to band room
31335835_web1_221216-LAT-RH-StaffordBandWinsNational-SD_2
H.D. Stafford Middle School’s Grade 7/8 concert band won its category in the CBC Music Class competition, with a rendition of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” (Langley School District/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Students and staff at H.D. Stafford Middle School are whistling a happy tune this week, after the school’s Grade 7 and 8 concert band earned a big win in CBC Radio’s Music Class Challenge.

After learning last week that they’d been named among the top 10 in their category in the nationwide contest, the band – led by teacher Brock Foerster – found out Wednesday morning that they had won it all, with their rendition of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.”

They edged out more than 30 other entries.

“This means a lot to us. This is a huge accomplishment,” Foerster said.

“Just to get the confirmation that we performed better than those other schools, it just means a lot to myself and the kids. It just shows that what we’re doing here is worthwhile.”

Foerster said that band members gathered together before school to find out if they had won.

“I didn’t just want to be at home and just check my phone to see the results, so I told the kids we were going to meet in the band room at 8 a.m. that morning and we were going to watch the video together,” he explained.

“So, we came in here, put on the video and as soon as we saw our faces up there on the screen, we just lost it.

“I’ll never forget that celebration.”

For the challenge, CBC provides bands a list of 20 Canadian songs they could choose, Foerster explained. He chose “Heart of Gold,” and spent the summer arranging it for his band, with some help from his wife, Jynelle Grigg, who is also a music teacher in the district.

“There are three harmonica solos in the song, and I gave each of those solos to a different instrument section of the band,” Foerster explained.

“These solos were very challenging, especially for Grade 7 and 8s. So, the fact that these kids were able to pull off such a technically difficult arrangement is just very impressive to me, and the fact that we got first place on top of that, I just couldn’t be feeling any better right now.”

The first-place finish also means the school wins $3,000 for the band room.

“The money’s going to get put to good use around the room here, buying some things we’ve really needed,” Foerster said.

The victory will be a huge boost for his students too, he said, adding that on his band website, the mission statement is that “some of the achievements we earn in band will serve as a springboard towards greater achievements in the future.”

“This is definitely building confidence. If you’re told you’re the best in Canada, I don’t know how that doesn’t build a little bit of confidence in you,” he said.

“We did put a lot of work into this project and just to see it pay off like this, is just so fulfilling and so gratifying. I think the kids will remember this for the rest of their lives.”

.


Have a story tip? Email: news@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
31335835_web1_221216-LAT-RH-StaffordBandWinsNational-SD_3
H.D. Stafford Middle School’s Grade 7/8 concert band won its category in the CBC Music Class competition, with a rendition of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” (Langley School District/Special to Langley Advance Times)