Since before Ivy even began her post-secondary studies at the University of Ottawa, she was recruited to be a part of the school's Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). Although Ivy has been a part of VSA since 2006, she had never participated at Ignite, before. Now, five years later, Ivy was proud to end her undergraduate student career, and time with VSA, by being part of the winning team at this year's Ignite Cultural Show in Toronto.
For three long months, many evenings and weekends of the VSA Ottawa (University of Ottawa and Carleton) Ignite 2011 team were spoken for by non-stop rehearsals. On March 19, 2011, at the Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts, VSA Ottawa went up against the Universities of Toronto, Waterloo/Laurier, Ryerson, McMaster, Queen's, Western and York. Out of the 8 groups competing, VSA Ottawa placed first, Ryerson second, and York came in third (to see a video of the winners being announced, click here). The Ignite competition was a fun way to unite Vietnamese-Canadian students from all over Ontario, but it was also a learning, cultural experience that teaches the value and meaning of our Vietnamese heritage.
Along with musicians/students Andrew Lusk and Ben Tramontini, Ivy helped launch the 5 Days for the Homeless 2011 campaign at the Opening Ceremonies on Sunday, March 13, 2011. Here are some photos, taken by Marie-Anne Laplante (V.P. Technologies of the 5 Days for the Homeless Committee).
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| Ivy singing in front of Morisset Library |
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| Michael on harmonica, Ivy, and Ben |
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| Ben performing |
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| Andrew performing |
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| Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson is pictured here with participants from the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management (left) and from Carleton University's Sprott School of Business (right). |
Ivy recently had a very eventful, but extremely enjoyable, weekend!
The evening of Friday, February 11th, she sang for the uOttawa Vietnamese Student Association's 5th Annual Coffeehouse. Having been a member of the Executive team when the uOttawa VSA held their first ever Coffeehouse in 2007, Ivy was proud to accept the current Executive team's invitation to sing.
On Sunday, February 13th, Ivy was honoured to perform the Canadian National Anthem and two songs at Ottawa's City Hall for the Vietnamese Community's New Year Reception event. Invited to attend, as well as perform, by Dr. Can Le, a very prominent member of the Vietnamese Community, Ivy was among many special guests, such as the Honourable John Baird, the Honourable Sheila Copps, the Honourable David Kilgour, Judy Trinh from the CBC, and many more.
It is events such as the ones that Ivy attended this past weekend, that make her especially proud of being Canadian, and of her Vietnamese heritage.
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| Ivy, singing "Can't Hurry Love" by Diana Ross and the Supremes, at the uOttawa VSA's 5th Annual Coffeehouse on February 11, 2011. |
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| A picture taken on February 13, 2011, at Ottawa's City Hall for the Vietnamese Community's New Year Reception. From left: The Honourable John Baird, Judy Trinh (CBC Reporter), Ivy O, Ha Quyen Nguyen, Quy Luong, and Dr. Can Le. |
(November 27, 2010)
| Snapped by local Ottawa photographer Quy Luong |
CASCO
(December 6, 2010)
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| A group photo of the amazingly talented singers/musicians in the dressing room |
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| The singers/musicians of CASCO 2010 performing 'Because' by the Beatles |
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| Ivy is pictured here with Megan, one of the singers, backstage at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Note: at the beginning of the video - the male singers/musicians' rendition of 'Hotel California' by the Eagles as performed on A-Morning; at 8:38 - a recording of the group rehearsing 'Season of Love' from RENT) Disclaimer: most of the musicians did not know that they were being taped during 'Season of Love' |
