More than 100 music students from thre Guelph high schools will take to the stage for a fundraising concert to kick off Pride Month.
They'll also get the lesson of a lifetime, as world renowned LGBTQIA2+ composer and conductor Randall Standridge will help lead the way.
The concert, featuring students from Guelph CVI, Centennial and John F. Ross, goes Saturday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at John F. Ross.
"Last year, we did a joint concert with the three schools, which was sort of a last-minute thing that we threw together," said Dan Austin, the instrumental music teacher and band director at GCVI.
"It was such a success, we felt like we wanted to do something bigger and better this year."
The wheels were put in motion, Standridge agreed and the Upper Grand District School Board's specialist high skills major program is funding the visit, Standridge's first to Canada.
Austin said he'll arrive on the Thursday before and rehearse with the students.
Grade 8 students with the UGDSB will get their own concert on Friday, before the public show on Saturday.
"It's a really amazing experience," Austin said of having the three schools come together. "We've done it before with them, you don't often get to play with 100 musicians at once, and they get that wonderful experience. It's just so rewarding for them, and it also builds community."
He said naturally, each school has a level of competitiveness with each other, but it's nice to be able to work together to showcase what they're doing together, not only for the school community, but the Guelph community as a whole.
The Saturday concert is free to attend, but donations will be welcomed at the door. All proceeds will go to benefit Egale Canada, an advocacy organization for 2SLGBTQI people and issues.
The Gay/Straight Alliance organizations within the three schools are helping in the effort, including speaking at the concerts and made the suggestion to support Egale with the concert.
Austin said the hope is to raise a few thousand dollars.
Standridge will bring the three bands together into one, and direct two pieces from his Unbroken Project, music that looks into mental health issues, inclusion and Standridge growing up as a gay man in the United States.
"It's so important when you get the composer of a piece," Austin said. "They're the ones who wrote it, it comes right from them and their experiences and their stories, and to be able to then learn about it and for students to have the task of then telling that story themselves musically, it's just such a wonderful experience for them to do.
He said it's one thing for teachers to teach this music to students.
It's a completely different thing to have Standridge come in to work with students and provide their perspective.
Austin added it's important to have Standridge there, someone who doesn't hide from his experiences or struggles, and openly speaks about them.
"We felt like he would kind of be the perfect voice for our students right now," he said. "To have somebody who is taking a stand and telling some really important stories in his work."
