Congratulations!

Things to Remember:
-Grade 8's - trip forms need to be handed in.


Congratulations!!!! 

We are VERY proud of all of the band students on wonderful performances and clinics.   Students were complimented on their performances, and their behaviour at the festival.   We have enjoyed sharing the clinicians comments with all students this week.   We have been reminding students that the year is not over, and we still have lots of things we will continue to work at.

In Grade 6 Band

In Grade 6 Band we decided we are sick of winter and so began a piece called Happy Summer Song.  We will be performing this when we go on school tours in May and at our year end concert.   We also listened to Mr. P.C. by John Coltrane.   This is a jazz standard and we began figuring it out by ear.   Grade 6's also continued to work on Concert Eb scale, some students began work on the Concert F scale and a handful of students began work on the Concert Ab scale.   We starting getting back on track in our blue method books as well.   We circled the lines to practice.   Most students are on about page 19.

In Grade 7 Band

In Grade 7 band we read new music.   Some of this music is for our Moose Jaw trip and some was just for fun.    We are beginning work on a Schubert melody.   This piece has many long tones, we will be working on supporting our sound and moving together as a group.   We also began work on a piece called Pandora.    This is based on Berlioz's "Dies Irae" theme from Symphonie Fantastique.   It is hard!  Students were told the only way it will ever be performance ready is if they practice individually.  Students were asked to take a look at measures 1-24 of Pandora.    In Grade 7 band we also experimented a little with solfege and which notes work together to make chords.     We will be continuing with this over the next few weeks.  

In Grade 8 Band 

Mr. Wilkinson was away most of the week with the flu and so we welcomed back Mr. Weist for a good portion of the week.   The grade 8's continue to work at getting ready for their trip which is quickly approaching.    We are hoping we will have Mr. Wilkinson back functioning as normal next week!  

Optimist Festival Week!

Things to Remember:
-Optimist Picture Forms (see side bar for extra forms)
-Grade 8 permission Forms

Optimist Week!
Optimist Festival week is here.   The students are sounding great and we are looking forward to performing and to our clinics.   All students are reminded to get some practicing in this weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone at the festival.    Parents are reminded they are welcome to come listen to us perform and welcome to join us for our clinics.    For more information about the festival, please check out the side bar, we have a link to the festival website.

Students are reminded to bring their instrument, have their music and be wearing their band t-shirt dark pants, dark shoes and dark socks when they arrive at the Center of the Arts.  They are also reminded to get in some final personal  practicing over the next few days.  

The run down of the week is:
Monday March 17 - Dress Rehearsals.
9:30-10:30 - Grade 6 Band Dress Rehearsal (All Schools)
10:35-11:35 - Grade 8 Band Dress Rehearsal
1:30-2:30- Grade 7 Band Dress Rehearsal (with the exception of McVeety students)
3:45 - 5:00- Jazz Band Dress Rehearsal

Tuesday March 18 - no band classes

Wednesday March 19
8:45a.m. - Grade 7 students meet at the Center of the Arts (Students are asked to bring a lunch with them)
*I will be there at 8:00a.m.to meet students that need to be dropped off early.  If students need to be dropped off before that, please let me know.
10:12a.m. - Grade 7 students perform
11:45a.m. - Grade 7 students are bused back to their schools
4:30p.m.  - Jazz Students meet at the Center (if students need a ride, please let us know.  They are asked to bring a lunch or bagged supper with them.)
5:30 - Jazz students perform (They perform in the basement of the Center,)
7:15 - Jazz students will be done.

Thursday March 20
7:30-8:30a.m. - Junior Winds Dress Rehearsal
12:30 - Grade 8 students are bused to the Center of the Arts
2:00 - Grade 8's will perform
3:45 - They will need a ride from the Center Home.  (Please let us know if anyone will have problems getting home.)

Friday March 21
8:00a.m. - Grade 6 Students meet at the Center of the Arts
*I will be there by 7:30 in case students need to be dropped off early.
9:00a.m. - Grade 6 Students perform
10:15 - Students will be bused back to their schools.   Massey students will walk home from Massey or go home with their parents.   Grade 6's who are in Junior Winds will stay with us.  
11:35 - Junior Winds students will be bused over to the Center of the Arts.
1:14 - Junior Winds performs
2:45 - Junior Winds will be bused back to their schools.  Massey students will walk home from Massey or go home with their parents.