She’s one of West Vancouver’s most famous residents, and now, thanks to the donations and support of another prominent West Vancouver family, the Sarah McLachlan School of Music has a stunning new home. Last week, a special formal reception marked the official opening of the new school. Providing full scholarship music programs to less privileged students in Grade 4 – 12, this latest step helps bring to fruition a dream that started some nine years ago. “I want to give as many children as I can the chance to know how it feels to find their voice through music,” said McLachlan before she proudly joined the student choir on stage to sing for the audience of invited friends and guests. Also last week, West Vancouver’s Shannon and Emad Yacoub, of Glowbal Group restaurants (Coast, Italian Kitchen, Sanafir), hosted a sexy soiree opening party at their newest establishment – Black and Blue. This chic steak house now gives the restaurateurs a commanding presence along Alberni and turns the former business-y boulevard into one of Vancouver’s hottest see-and-be-seen streets.
01 – West Vancouver’s Lisa and Dona Wolverton, left, executive director and founder of the Wolverton Foundation respectively, hand over the keys to the new school to founder Sarah McLachlan and executive director Ann de la Hey.
02 – CTV anchor Coleen Christie, left, congratulates Black and Blue / Glowbal Group owner Shannon Bosa-Yacoub.
03 – Global TV personalities Anne Drewa, left, and Wesla Wong (who also happens to live in North Vancouver) are among the VIPs at the Black and Blue restaurant opening.
04 – West Vancouver businessmen Graham Lee, left, and Ron Orr enjoy a comfy seat in the back of Black and Blue restaurant where leather booths and tobacco leaf walls are a feature.
05 – North Vancouver’s Karim Chandani enjoys time with friends at the opening of Black and Blue restaurant.
06 – Soho Business Group’s Moe Somani and wife Salma Mitha make the trip from North Vancouver to see all the sparkle inside of the new Black and Blue restaurant.
07 – Grammy Award winning songwriter/singer Sarah McLachlan takes some time to chat with members of the student choir before performing on stage with them at the school opening party.
08 – Performing a beautiful duet for the crowd at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music opening night party are graduating students Vivian Tang, left, and Melody Zhou.
09 – Sarah McLachlan School of Music student Mariangel Cepeda says that the school has changed her life forever, and for the better.
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By Catherine Barr – Oct 27, 2011
Also as seen in print in the North Shore Outlook Newspaper on Nov 3, 2011
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