A Century of Remembrance: Schools Unite to Honour Veterans Through Music
Students from Lisgar Collegiate Institute and Glebe Collegiate Institute joined forces in a powerful musical tribute, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). This unique collaboration centered around a poem written by Douglas Ernest Paul, a Leading Aircraftman with the RCAF and a Lisgar alumnus.
Douglas wrote the poignant poem, “The Sun Sets in a Haze of Golden Mist,” just two days before his death in an air raid in 1941. More than 80 years later, students collaborated with Canadian composer Peter Meechan to bring Douglas’ words to life through an original instrumental composition.
In November 2024, more than 80 student musicians from Lisgar and Glebe came together to premiere the song at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.
"With this performance, we're really hoping to convey the emotions and messages of remembering the sacrifices that all the fallen soldiers have made for our country and using the performance as a way to spread that message even further." – Cadel, Glebe student
Students also created a video and artwork that explored the poem’s themes and paid tribute to the many Lisgar and Glebe alumni who have served in the RCAF over the past century. The project helped students connect with the stories and memories of veterans and highlighted the shared history between the schools.
"What's been really rewarding about this project is being able to play with another school. Glebe and Lisgar were once Ottawa Collegiate. They were in the same building about 100 years ago … It’s great to be back in those two bands and to play and perform together.” – Evan, Lisgar student
Watch this video to learn more about the project:
This unique initiative shone a spotlight on experiential and cross-curricular learning. It was recently featured in the Ontario Music Educators’ Association's journal, and teacher Lani Sommers will present it at the association’s upcoming conference.
Next year, Ms. Sommers and Lisgar and Glebe students plan to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Holland, a pivotal WWII event with strong ties to their schools’ alumni. They hope to involve feeder schools in a collaborative event, allowing students to share their historical knowledge with younger learners.
The RCAF project was made possible by a grant provided by the Veteran Affairs Canada Commemorative Partnership Program, grants from OCDSB Innovation and Adolescent Learning, and CTV Myers Team of the Week.
