There has been a lot of activity in the band area this week as we prepare for upcoming spring band events for all four bands!

The first big event is PEI Band Days which is being held in Summerside at the Scott MacAulay Theatre at the College of Piping this year. Both the grade 8 concert band, and the grade 9 concert band will be performing on Tuesday, April 4th in the morning. Full participation in this event includes performing, participating in a clinic with an adjudicator, and listening to other bands.The students have been working hard to prepare their music, and they are excited to have the opportunity to go on a band field trip with their classmates.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)

What should I bring? Students have been asked to check to make sure that they know where their band uniforms are this week! Full uniforms (including black pants, band vests, white shirts, and dark shoes if possible) are required for these performances.  In addition to their instruments and music, students should bring a water bottle, a snack, and a packed lunch to eat when we get back to the school. 

How are we getting there, and when are we leaving? Organizing transportation for all of the intermediate and high school bands on the Island has been a huge challenge for the transportation folks at the PSB, but they have been able to make it work. They have provided two school buses outside of regular school hours so that we can arrive in Summerside on time. Grade 8 and Grade 9 band students must be at the school no later than 7:10 a.m. on Tuesday to load the buses and to load large instruments into the van. We are on a schedule and, unfortunately, we will not be able to wait for students who arrive late. If transportation is a problem, please let me know and I will try to help you find car pool options.

Can parents and guardians attend PEI Band Days performances? All performances are free, and the public is welcome to attend. We have decided to rent a small cargo van to transport the large instruments, so parent volunteers are no longer needed. If you are planning to drive to Summerside, and will be taking your student (and their instrument) in your own vehicle, please let me know.  Please note that the festival organizers have requested that all students arrive at the College of Piping at least 45 minutes before their performance time.

Two teacher chaperones (Mrs. Campbell, grade 8 VP, and Mrs. Scully, grade 9 teacher) will also be coming with us to Summerside to help out, and to enjoy the show. Mr. Cusack has offered to drive the van! Please remind your students of your expectations for their best behaviour during field trips. We want this to be a positive experience for everyone involved.

Grade 8 Concert Band Schedule for Tuesday, April 4th

7:10 a.m.:  Arrive at East Wiltshire; load large instruments into van, load school bus, and depart for Summerside

8:30-8:45 :  Watch SIS Grade 8 band perform in the Scott MacAulay theatre

8:45-9:00: Set-up instruments

9:00-9:30:  Rehearsal and warm-up

9:30-10:00:  Perform on stage and receive onstage clinic/adjudication

10:00-10:15:  Put away instruments and return to the theatre 

10:30-11:00:  Watch the EWS Grade 9 Band perform

11:00-11:30:  Watch the Charlottetown Rural Concert Band performance

11:40:  Load buses and return to East Wiltshire

12:40:  Eat lunch and return to classes for the afternoon

Grade 9 Concert Band Schedule for Tuesday, April 4th

7:10 a.m.:  Arrive at East Wiltshire; load large instruments into van, load school bus and depart for Summerside

8:30-9:00 :  Watch SIS Grade 8 band perform in the Scott MacAulay theatre

9:00-9:30:  Watch the Bluefield Concert Band perform

 9:30-9:45:  Watch East Wiltshire Grade 8 Band performance

9:45-10:00:  Set up instruments

10:00-10:30:  Rehearsal and warm up

10:30-11:00: Perform on stage and receive onstage clinic/adjudication

11:00-11:30:  Put away instruments and return to theatre if time allows 

11:40:  Load buses and return to East Wiltshire

12:40:  Eat lunch and return to classes for the afternoon

The full schedule for the PEI Band Days Festival can be found here: PEI BAND DAYS SCHEDULE

Please note these important changes to our rehearsal schedule for tomorrow and for next week. I will post the schedule again on Sunday evening, so please check back in case there are any changes.

Friday, March 31: Grade 8 Full Band Rehearsal during period 5 (2:00-3:00)

Monday, April 3rd: Grade 8 Early AM Band Rehearsal (7:45-8:50 am), Grade 9 Full Band Rehearsal during period 5 (2:00-3:00). Please come prepared with instruments and music.

Tuesday, April 4th: Grade 7 Early AM Band is canceled. Grade 8 and 9 Band students meet at EWS at 7:10 am to travel to Summerside to perform in the PEI Band Days Festival. Students will return to EWS for afternoon classes.

Wednesday, April 5th: Grade 8 Early AM Band is canceled, and after school jazz band is canceled (I will be attending Day 2 of the PEI Band Days festival)

Thursday, April 6th: Grade 9 Early AM is canceled. There will be a Jazz Band Rehearsal from 7:45-8:45 am for this week only.

Happy Easter! The regular early morning rehearsal schedule will resume after the holiday.

Band Days is back! Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend. Click on the link below to find out which Island school bands are performing and when!

We are still very much in need of some help with moving large instruments (which aren’t allowed on most school buses) to Summerside and back on Tuesday morning. Please send me an e-mail if you can help (ampeters@edu.pe.ca). Thank you!

Watch this page for more details over the next few days!

PEI BAND DAYS SCHEDULE

I hope you had a great weekend even with the wintery weather. Spring is a busy season for the band program, with lots of fun and important events for band students! Please note the changes to the band rehearsal schedule this week.

Tuesday, March 28th: Grade 9 Early AM Band Rehearsal. Grade 7 AM Band Rehearsal is canceled for tomorrow.

Following early morning band practice, the grade 9 band students (9B and 9D) will take a school bus to Bluefield to spend the morning with the grade 11-12 band. Students who do not attend the early morning rehearsal will not participate in the field trip unless the absence has been excused in advance due to a medical appointment, etc..

Wednesday, March 29th: Grade 8 Early AM Band, Jazz Band after school (3:15-4:30 pm)

Thursday, March 30th: Grade 9 Early AM Band

A few more upcoming band events include:

Tuesday, April 4^th:  PEI Band Day in Summerside (Grade 8 and 9 band students will participate). Students will travel by school bus. If anyone can help out that day by volunteering to take some of the larger instruments to Summerside please send me an e-mail. Thank you!

Here is the complete schedule for the two day event:

PEI Band Days Schedule 2023

Thursday, May 11^th:  Grade 7 Band Day in Summerside (Grade 7 band students will participate). As the date gets closer, I will again be looking for parents who can help to transport a few large instruments.

Wednesday, May 17^th-Thursday, May 18^th:  Grade 9 Band trip (details will be e-mailed to grade 9 parents by the end of the day today)

*Mrs. Smith and I are also working on organizing a band concert (7, 8, 9 bands and jazz band) for grade 6’s here at East Wiltshire in April….I’ll send that date out once it has been set.

Busy times! Please feel free to contact me at ampeters@edu.pe.ca if you have any questions. Thank you for your suport!

We will follow the regular early morning band schedule this week with one change: Jazz Band will be held on Tuesday after school for this week only as I have a music curriculum meeting after school on Wednesday.

Tuesday: Grade 7 early am band and Jazz Band after school (3:15pm -4:00pm)

Wednesday: Grade 8 early am band

Thursday: Grade 9 early am band

This week there will be a couple of changes to the early morning band schedule:

Tuesday, March 14: Grade 7 Early Morning Band

Wednesday, March 15: GRADE 8 EARLY MORNING BAND and JAZZ Band are CANCELED for this week (I will be attending a music curriculum meeting in Summerside)

Thursday, March 16: Grade 9 Early Morning Band

If there are any weather-related school delays or cancelations this week, please check the blog for updates.

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone enjoyed the Canada Games break as well as any traveling that you might have done over the past two weeks!

We will follow the regular early morning band rehearsal schedule this week, and jazz band will go ahead on Wednesday after school.

See you tomorrow (Day 2)!

Here is the online CBC article posted yesterday by Victoria Walton about the Band for Life program. Well done Aiden, Harry, and Allie!

Musicians Head Back to School

Hi everyone!

We made it to the last week before the two week Canada Games break! Please check with your students to make sure that they are up to date on band playing assignments (details are in Google Classroom), as well as theory chapters (Breezin’ Thru Theory), because report cards are coming up very quickly after we return to school in March! All students also have a practice guide (Winter Practice Challenge) to help them meet a goal of at least 3 practice sessions outside of classtime each week. Students are not expected to practice during the winter break as I know many are travelling, but instruments should still be taken home if possible at the end of the week!

We will follow the regular early morning band schedule again this week:

Tuesday, February 14: Grade 7 early am Band (7:45-8:50 am)

Wednesday, February 15: Grade 8 early am Band (7:45-8:50 am) and Jazz Band after school (3:15-4:15)

Thursday, February 16: Grade 9 early am Band (7:45-8:50 am)

In case you missed it on Island Morning, the EWS bands are participating in a new collaboration with the Holland College Community Band called Band for Life. So far we have a community band volunteer who plays with our grade 9 concert band, and one that just started coming to grade 7 band practices on Tuesday mornings. You can hear the CBC interview which aired last Thursday here! It was also featured later the same day on Maritime Noon.

Island Morning Band for Life Interview

We will follow the regular early morning band schedule again this week for grade 7, 8, 9, band and Jazz band.

Please note that all students have playing assignments to complete (details are in Google Classroom), and all students will be receiving a practice challenge this week for you to sign at the end of the month. Students should also be completing their practice drills (Chapters 1 and 2) in Breezing Thru Theory 🎶 .

It’s a bit chilly to think about ice cream, but I hope to have the Recipes in Jars ice cream party for those students who sold 6 or more jars on Friday, February 10th.

Stay warm out there!

My apologies for the late post. I was involved with the grade 9 Honour Band all weekend and I forgot to send it out.

We will follow the regular early morning band schedule this week for grade 7, 8, and 9, and we will have a jazz band rehearsal on Wednesday after school (3:15-4:00).