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SUMMER
2013
21
Tatiana Bondavorich is looking decid-
edly frazzled. With the looming deadline
of the opening of the new Elementary
school not too far away, the music teacher
is spending all her free time with students
repeatedly practicing the music pieces.
The Secondary school band is coming
to the music room during recess or is it
the Middle School? Or has she perhaps
scheduled it for after school?
“It’s all of the above and it’s getting
crazy,” she said laughing. “During recess,
after school hours, Saturdays and over the
Christmas holiday. Whenever the school
is closed we come. We’re here practicing
all the time.”
The basic idea is for the two bands,
made up of guitarists, percussion, piano,
saxophone and flute, to play at the open-
ing ceremony held in May. She and
Randa Sabbah, the Director of the Music
Department, are on the lookout for tal-
ent. And not only student talent. Once
Bondavorich discovered that a teacher
plays the flute, he was instantly roped into
joining her band.
“We’re meeting on Saturday. I’ll see you
then,” she calls out to him as she speeds
down the stairs.
It turns out another teacher has a great
voice. “She may sing with us too,” Ban-
davorich grins. Should she ask the school’s
directors to belt out a song? And would
they actually do it? Maybe. It’s an idea.
The singing, however, comes under the
remit of Sabbah. She has three choirs to
whip into shape for the opening cer-
emony. First she has to choose the songs.
“Arabic, French or English?” she won-
dered. “The lyrics have to be meaningful.”
The choirs will be accompanied by Bon-
davorich’s band. A few dancers will also
appear on stage.
“The kids are so happy,” said Bondavorich.
“They come to practice on their own.They
are giving us no trouble. It’s a lot of time
but it’s fun.”
Four months later, all the endless rehears-
als were worth it. On May 14, the inau-
guration of the G & R Irani Auditorium
was held.The instrumental band, choirs,
pianists came together in a brilliant dis-
play of talent.
“Maybe we stop teaching academics and
become a school of arts,” laughed Sabbah
as she stood on stage.
Not very likely, but there was no question
that IC is the place to be in Lebanon for
musically talented students.
The Inauguration of G&R Irani Auditorium
IC’s
Got
Talent