Photo taken by Ryan & Graham Lindsey at Golden Horseshoe Music Festival 

By Jasmine Wong

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, St. Augustine’s concert band competed at the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival in Hamilton, Ontario. This music festival was hosted by the Ontario Band Association, where numerous schools demonstrated and shared their musical skills and creativity.

Our school’s high school band consists of ambitious students from grades 9-12 who meet around once a week to improve their musical skills. Conducted by Mr. Moncata, a music teacher at St. Augustine, the group played three pieces to demonstrate their musical abilities. 

The group played a repertoire consisting of “Ammerland” by Jacob de Haan, “Chasing Sunlight” by Cait Nishimura, and “Choreography” by Robert Sheldon. With these three pieces, the group was successful in achieving a gold rating and an invitation to perform at MusicFest Canada 53rd “The Nationals” 2025, hosted by York University Department of Music.

We were fortunate enough to be able to conduct an interview with Mr. Moncata, who, in his second year at St. Augustine, led the band to a successful first competition.

1. Considering that it is the first competition that the concert band has participated in, what did you learn during the duration of the Golden Horseshoe Festival journey with the band?

“This journey has been an incredible experience for both our students and myself. One of the biggest takeaways for me, is how much growth can happen when students are dedicated, passionate and given a goal to work toward. From the first rehearsal to our OBA GHF festival performance, the dedication, teamwork, and perseverance of these students has been truly inspiring. We also learned a lot about the level of musicianship required to compete at this level, how much we’re capable of as a band and how important it is to listen, adapt, and support one another as an ensemble and team.”

2. What are you most excited about or hoping to achieve as the band prepares to perform at nationals?

“Nationals is an amazing opportunity, and I’m most excited for the students to experience performing on an even bigger stage. It’s one thing to prepare for a provincial festival, but it’s another to take that preparation to the next level and perform among the best school ensembles across the country! I hope this experience further fuels their passion for music, strengthens their confidence as musicians, and shows them what’s possible when they put in the work.”

3. Do you have any comments you would like to make about this step in the competition, coming out of Golden Horseshoe Music Festival and going into nationals?

“Coming out of GHF with a Gold Award and an invitation to Nationals is a huge achievement, especially for a band that’s only in its second year. It’s a testament to the students’ dedication and willingness to push themselves. Going into Nationals, our focus will be on refining our sound, strengthening our musicality, and embracing the challenge with excitement rather than pressure. No matter what happens, they’ve already accomplished something incredible and made Titan history.”

4. What message would you like to send to the band and others who are interested in joining STA’s music program?

“To the band…congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished! Your hard work, passion, and commitment got you here, and I couldn’t be prouder. Keep striving to improve, support each other, and enjoy every moment of this journey and the joy that comes with making music with others. One band? One Sound!”

“To those thinking about joining—this is just the beginning! Music at STA is growing, and there’s a place for everyone, no matter your experience level. If you’re willing to learn, work hard, and have fun, we’d love to have you as part of our music and arts family.”

Special thanks to Mr. Moncata, Ms. Iwanenko, and Ms. Pagliaro for supporting and supervising the band during the competition day. The music festival was a success due to the hard work and hours of practice. With this achievement, the band has found inspiration and a sense of pride that will allow them to prepare their repertoire for their performance at nationals in May.