Our Fine Arts program develops our students to glorify and worship God through their creative and innovative expressions in visual art, band, choir and musical theatre.
The Fine Arts program at WRCA presents at least 28 public performances (concerts, art shows, drama, etc.) over 37 school weeks, not including the worship teams that minister in weekly chapels. The Fine Arts program, and music program in particular receives enormous support from administration, staff and the parent community.
Our Fine Arts Coordinator, Mr. James Caswell, has a M. Ed in music education, has been recorded by CBC twice, been invited to compete nationally 12 times on 3 different instruments, and has played for Queen Elizabeth. He is sought after as a consultant to other school music programs in SCSBC and ACSI, as a clinician, an adjudicator at festivals in multiple provinces, and as guest conductor inter-provincially and internationally – the most recent being a trip to conduct Honors students from 8 schools and 7 countries in Hong Kong. He is working as an adjudicator and guest conductor at a festival next week. In addition to these roles, he is also active as a worship leader and as a credentialed pastor has also served as a music pastor since 1987. Under his leadership, WRCA went from 5 underperforming ensembles to 15 ensembles (many of them award winning at local and international festivals) in under 18 months. Currently, WRCA has 21 ensembles including 6 concert bands, 3 concert choirs, 2 worship ensembles, 2 jazz bands, 2 hand bell Choirs, String Orchestra, Full Orchestra, Jazz Combo, 2 IB DP Music cohorts, a program designed specifically for our Japanese students to form a band, and a brass quintet.
WRCA ensembles regularly receive invitations to Canada’s national festival – past ensembles have won their division at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival in the USA, and the lowest standing our ensembles have received since Mr. Caswell’s arrival 7 years ago is Silver. Our ensembles receive invitations to perform for local charity events and high-end events like the Vancouver Jazz Festival. Our Worship ensembles are invited to travel to places like Thailand and regional worship conferences for students to lead worship.
Music is rated on a scale of 1 (Beginner) to 6 (Professional). Most Canadian high school programs rarely pursue music above a level 3. WRCA senior ensembles routinely play selections in the Gr. 4-5 range – the same level of repertoire university ensembles perform.
In April 2024, our Senior Band and Senior Jazz Band were at the Whistler Cantando Festival (3,000 plus students from America and Canada). Our Senior band was awarded a silver medal and our Senior Jazz band got gold.
In 2022, at the Surrey Jazz Festival, WRCA Junior/Senior Band students excelled in their performances! Jaden M received the Outstanding Performance – Trumpet Player award, while the group won both the Rhythm Section Outstanding Performance award and Junior/Senior Band the Outstanding Performance award. (Note that WRCA’s Sr. Jazz ensemble competes in the Jr./Sr. Category because our band includes students in Gr. 10. We placed first competing against 9 other ensembles).
At the Junior School level, students are given many opportunities to explore music through choral and instrumental instruction. Senior students continue to learn an instrument and can participate in concert band, concert choir, jazz and handbell choir. In addition to concerts in the community, there are major performances throughout the year.
Our school is proud to have produced plays, school-wide musicals and Junior School Christmas programs featuring music and drama.
The performances are magical. The kids enjoy themselves while learning about the production behind the scenes in performing arts, acting, and teamwork it takes to put on a great show. – David Michel
Starting from Grade 6, students are taught by specialist teachers to develop and explore their creative expression in many different mediums. Students are encouraged to share and display their artwork throughout the school.
