“For me, dance is communication, every kind of dance is like a language. I express myself through my body movements. Because when I first came back to Canada, my English was so ESL. In order to communicate with other people, I thought I should use something else to express myself. So, I chose to use…
“Music brings people together in a way that nothing else can.” – Tawndunn Quintet – Solana (13), Keilin (15), Mo (16), Joan (13), Haena (15) Shot backstage at the Conservatory and Bella Hall open house with members of the Advanced Performance Program
“To me, belonging is when one can comfortably and fully express their unique self without being judged. It’s about not having to worry if you’re ‘good enough’ to be with someone or a group of people. Belonging shouldn’t ask for change, but rather encourage a person to be who they are. You shouldn’t have to…
“Were you in the hallway when I first saw you?” “Yeah, and I was like, ‘Hey! I know you.’” “And we just became friends.” “Instantly?” “Pretty much.” – Ruby and Rose, 16 and 16
“I believe good mental health is a key thing that allows people to be successful. Currently, there has been many discrepancies on how mental health should be handled. We have fairly good organizations and programs that can help people get through their adversities and help them manage their mental and emotional health, but there isn’t…
“So many people in my life have struggled with mental illness and the stigma around it has held them back from being able to properly address their mental health. I wish that this wasn’t something that is so hard to talk about, but the fact is that it’s a real, significant issue. We can’t just sweep this…
“I’ve never been bored with it, or wanted to quit. My teacher keeps me interested, and I’m always learning new things. I know that I can pursue anything I want to and still have time to play the cello.” – Mark, 16
“I feel content reading. It opens your soul to comprehend the world in ways you weren’t aware of before.” – Julie, 17
“It definitely isn’t the easiest thing to talk about. There is so much stigma regarding mental health (especially since mental illness isn’t always visible), which prevents many individuals from reaching out and getting the support that they need. My advice to anyone struggling is to find someone you trust and start talking about it. Ask…
“My greatest struggle in applying to university is trying to get across who I am within the word limit.” – Farrah, 17
“We’re the musicians, we’re supposed to be heard, not seen…” – Jules, 17 Shot backstage at the Conservatory and Bella Hall open house with members of the Calgary Youth Orchestra
*feeling confused on trying to decide on a quote…* – Mark and Anthony, 16 and 14 (ft. Katie and Miranda, 15 and 15) Shot backstage at the Conservatory and Bella Hall open house with members of the Calgary Youth Orchestra
“Perfection in music does not exist. Just look at us playing the fifth movement.” – Jamie and Katie, 17 and 15 Shot backstage at the Conservatory and Bella Hall open house with members of the Calgary Youth Orchestra
“It’s a Lauren thing. Ooooh tsssss.” – Lauren (Marco) and Lauren (Polo), 16 and 16 Shot backstage at the Conservatory and Bella Hall open house with members of the Calgary Youth Orchestra.
“Pizza is my life man. I posted a picture of pizza with a transparent background on tumblr once, and it got like 20 000 notes. It was my 15 minutes of fame.” -Heidi, 16