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Okanagan students first choir to take on Canadian Paralympic song

Choral Showcase reveals collaboration with Shine, official song of 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo

The voices of Vernon’s youngest are shining loud and bright.

School choirs took the stage for the 40th annual Choral Showcase Wednesday, March 4 at the Performing Arts Centre.

Students from Mission Hill, Hillview, Beairsto, Silver Star, BX, Ellison, Alexis Park, Okanagan Landing and Coldstream elementary schools and even Seaton and Kalamalka secondary schools took part in the longstanding tradition.

The schools were split into three separate performances throughout the day, with each one culminating with special mass choir song.

The song, Shine, by Paul DeRosa (a Toronto-based musician), is the official song of the Canadian Paralympic team for Tokyo 2020.

The song has never collaborated with a choir, so DeRosa is delighted the Vernon School District kids have taken it on.

BX Elementary music teacher Alison Norris contacted DeRosa about her students singing the song.

While it’s the first mass choir to take on the inspirational song, it was one of the songs in the CBC Music Class Challenge. Several Vernon music classes took on the challenge, including Norris’ choir, but they unfortunately did not make the cut, this time.

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Jennifer Smith

About the Author: Jennifer Smith

Vernon has always been my home, and I've been working at The Morning Star since 2004.
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