Parents weekend held at St. Bernard

Published 9:00 am Sunday, November 4, 2018

St. Bernard students joined together to showcase the performing arts department of St. Bernard Preparatory School during Parents’ Weekend on Friday, October 26, 2018 in the Fazi Richard Athletic Center. This gala event, which included dinner and the performances, was part of an annual event held on the St. Bernard campus.

Parents’ Weekend began Friday afternoon as parents were given the opportunity to visit with faculty members for parent-teacher conferences. These sessions continued throughout the weekend and, despite the inclement weather, many parents took advantage of the opportunity to visit with the teachers of their sons and daughters.

The Friday evening event began with the President’s Reception hosted by Fr. Joel Martin, O.S.B., President of St. Bernard Preparatory School. Joining Fr. Joel as he greeted parents and grandparents, were Fr. Linus Klucsarits, O.S.B., Headmaster, and Fr. Marcus Voss, O.S.B, Director of Development.

The highlight of the evening was the performances of the Jazz and Concert Bands under the direction of Ken Simpson and the St. Bernard Choral Choirs directed by Michael Kastner.

Parents enjoyed tunes from all bands at St. Bernard. The beginner band presented an assortment of lines from the beginning band book. The Jazz Combo played, Girl from Impanema, Put Your Records On, It’s Only a Paper Moon, Isn’t She Lovely, and Cantaloupe Island. The concert band followed by playing Fairest of the Fair, Danny Boy, Music from Disney’s Hercules, March from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Beauty and the Beast.

In his first year at St. Bernard, Mr. Michael Kastner, Director of Fine Arts at St. Bernard, was overjoyed with his departments performances for the evening. The evening opened with Sieze the Day from Newsies, The Musicians, and Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel performed by the Middle School Choir. The High School Choir performed Bound for Jubilee, Sincerely, Tell My Father and We Are the World 25 for Haiti. Combined choirs performed Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), You Raise Me up and the grand Finale of God Bless the USA.

At the conclusion of the concert, Kastner recognized Fr. Joel Martin and Fr. Linus Kluscarits for their never ending support of the Fine Arts Department while at the same time recognizing Mr. Ken Simpson and his amazing band. Ms. Sharon Collier, teacher of the art department, called everyone’s attention to St. Bernard’s extraordinarily talented student artists. Their art was on display around the room.

“It was in incredible evening,” said Kastner. “It was our first concert of the season and the students certainly made it a wonderfully memorable experience.”

Dinner for the event was prepared by Flik Dining.