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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-07-08, Page 7Wednesday, July 8, 2015 • News Record 7 St. Anne's music program propels students to university Laura Broadley Clinton News Record Here in Clinton there is a music pro- gram propelling students to higher education. St. Anne's has four students heading to the University of Western Ontario (UWO) to study in its music program this fall. Chris Derrough, Caleb Warnar, Sarah Hoy and Rachel Regier will all be join- ing four other alumni of St. Anne's stud- ying music at the university level next year. This is a great accomplishment for a rural school. The music program at UWO is one of the most prestigious in the country. The undergraduate pro- grams require potential candidates go through a difficult audition process and take additional tests to be accepted. Tom Garrick is a third -year student in the bachelor of music education at UWO, majoring in trombone. Music has been a part of Garrick's life since he was young. Originally from Seaforth, he started playing piano when he was five -years -old. Music was the beginning and the end for Garrick at St. Anne's in Clinton. "Music was my first class of grade nine. First day of high school," he said. It wasn't until Garrick entered grade nine that he first picked up the trom- bone. He chose it originally because it was something that he and his friends joked about but that soon changed. He continued his pursuit of the trombone and studied it for all four years he was at the school. Garrick said he hasn't mastered the instrument yet but he continues to work hard and loves it. Ever since Garrick remembers he has always wanted to be a teacher. St. Anne's music teacher, Josh Geddis, only furthered Garrick's determination. He Sarah Hoy will be starting at UWO in the fall as a flute major. Celtae-Lynne Baxter is a fourth-year vocal major student at UWO. Contributed photos Tom Garrick, left, Mr. Josh Geddis and Joel Heinbuch. Garrick is a third -year trombone major and Heinbuch is a third -year oboe major in the bachelor of music education at UWO. saw the positive influence a teacher can have on students. When Garrick arrived at St. Anne's he saw the way Geddis related to the stu- dents and the way he made things inter- esting. It impelled Garrick to pursue music education as a career. "Seeing the way he taught the class. Seeing the difference that you can make in people's lives through music solidi- fied my belief in wanting to be a music teacher," remembered Garrick. Music is an important part of stu- dents' lives. It's taught differently than other subjects as there is communica- tion and trust involved when everyone has a part to play, said Garrick. Over the past year, the St. Anne's music program has attained the school's first gold medal at a national concert band competition as well as performing an original commissioned piece. Niamh MacGuinty is majoring in saxophone This fall, Chris Derrough, will start as a at the University of Ottawa. trumpet major at UWO. Rachel Regier will be starting in the bachelor of Caleb Warnar is heading to UWO to study in the bachelor of music performance program at UWO in the falling, music education program with a major in percussion. majoring in piano.