Seaside Grade 6 Band

Spring has finally made an appearance and with spring comes the concert season. April is always a busy month with the EPEC Senior band going to Cape Breton to perform in a festival and the EPEC Junior band going to Halifax to perform in the Kiwanis Music Festival. Besides doing concerts it is also time to get the grade 5 students tested and ready for band in September. With all this going on there will be interruptions in the band class schedule. I have listed the dates below to hopefully make it easier for everyone to remember when to bring their instruments to school.

Please continue to encourage your children to practice their pieces and exercises at home. We are in the midst of preparing for our Spring Concert that will take place on May 31st. The concert is at 7:00pm in the EPEC gym. There will be a notice sent home with more information on that when we get closer to the date.

Students will be having full band rehearsals on May 14^th, 17^th, 24^th, and 28^th.

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Spring has finally arrived and that means that it is Spring Concert time once more. The students have been working hard to prepare an evening of wonderful sounds for everyone to enjoy. The concert will be held in the EPEC gym on May 31^st at 7:00 pm. Students should arrive at the school for warm-up no later than 6:20 pm. Your child will be expected to stay until the end of the concert as there is a finale, which involves all band students. All Seaside band students are expected to attend as it is part of their outcomes to take part in a performance. Students should be dressed in concert uniform which is black pants or skirt with a white collared shirt or blouse. The Seaside band students will be given a blue vest to wear for the concert when they arrive. I am looking for parents that can volunteer to supervise the students just before the concert and help with handing out and collecting the vests. Please contact me if you are available.

We will be having a bake sale before and after the concert to raise money for the EPEC band program. What better way to celebrate a successful concert than to go home with some yummy treats? If you would like to donate items, they should be cut, wrapped and ready to sell and labeled with ingredients. Items can be dropped off to the EPEC band room during the concert day or when they arrive on the night of the concert. For those who do not wish to indulge, but would like to support the program, there will be a donation box at the door.

It is also at this time of year that I have to start planning for next year’s band. It is important for me to know what instrumentation I will have so that I can choose appropriate music. This is a long process, so it is helpful to know early who will be taking band next year. Last week , the EPEC Senior band performed for the students to give them some early insight as to what they can accomplish if they continue on in music. After the concert, the Senior band went on to Cape Breton Music where they performed two concerts at Oceanview Education Centre.

Band at the Junior High level is a credit course meaning that a mark will appear on their report card. Once a student starts in September, they do not have the option of quitting. The students who choose not to take band will be required to take Art. Since many band students are artistic and may still be interested in taking art, the Art teacher usually offers an art club during a lunch time specifically for the band students. There are two band classes a week during school time. Students are also required to attend sectional rehearsals at lunch which will only occur about once a month. There is also one morning rehearsal a week before school which is strongly recommended for all band students to attend although bus students are exempt if they are unable to find alternate transportation. If a student chooses not to take band in grade 7 then they will not be eligible to take it again in any other grade. Students sometimes worry that band may conflict with other activities at the school; please be assured that this is not the case. I work very closely with the Phys. Ed teachers and other sports coaches to make sure that our times don’t cross. Occasionally extra practices or games may conflict, but it is just a matter of the student letting me know where they will be.

Please remember that students will have until the end of June to change their mind but its better if they can decide sooner. If you have any questions about the program at EPEC or if there is anything that I can do to help you with your decision, please feel free to contact me anytime. The attached form should be filled out and returned to me by April 30th.

For contact: EPEC 462-8401 ext. #7161064

Email jarnold@staff.ednet.ns.ca

Website: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/jarnold/

________ Would like a phone call to give more information on the program at EPEC