On the weekend of love, 14-16 February 2025, the Sancta Maria College jazz musicians were granted an opportunity to go to Willow Park Christian Camp for ‘jazz camp’. This camp allowed us to enhance our musical skills and strengthen our relationships within the bands we belonged to. The camp consisted of our Big Band, Stage Band, and combos, which were all led by Lukas Fritsch, Kathleen Tomacruz & Josh Johnston, and a couple of fellow students, Maia Tay-Morrison and Aaron Chan.
The camp consisted of three rooms which allowed us to practice according to our schedule. The camp also had mini golf, tennis courts, volleyball courts, trampolines, and table tennis, all for when we needed some light relief from practicing. Although we had breaks in between each practice, some combos decided to use that time to rehearse. It truly was an amazing experience, and it allowed us to work together and improve our musical skills.
On the last day of camp, there was a small concert held in The Hall where we showcased what we had been practicing. Parents and caregivers were invited to watch, and everyone did an amazing job. As we all left, one by one, it was clear to say that this camp was enjoyable, and it allowed us to not only strengthen existing friendships but also create new ones.
A very big thank you to Mr. Gibbs who helped make this dream a reality. Another thank you to the staff of Willow Park Christian Camp who hosted and fed us and for opening up their space for us to use.
