National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Tuesday, September 29th: Grade 7 early am band (7:45-8:45)

Wednesday, September 30th : No classes (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)

Thursday, October 1st: Grade 9 early am band (7:45-8:45)

Mount Allison’s popular Honour Band will take place on-campus Saturday, October 31, 2026. This one-day event combines the finest students in the Maritimes with some of Mount Allison’s own music students, and will inspire and motivate our keenest players. Please note that there are two levels, and two bands: 

• The Garnet Honour Band, conducted by Dr. Kiera Galway, performs music of grade level 2-2.5. 

• The Gold Honour Band, conducted by Prof. James Kalyn, plays music of grade level 3-4. 

Based on the experiences of East Wiltshire band students over the past few years, I would suggest that the program is most suitable for grade 9 students and advanced grade 8 players.

Students must arrange for their own transportation to and from Mount Allison University for this event. Carpooling is encouraged!  Sackville, NB Google Maps

If your child would like to apply, please complete and return the form (email is fine). Students must return applications before the deadline. Late applications cannot be accepted due to the timelines set out by the university. Printed copies will be available in the band area on Monday.

2026 Mount Allison University Honour Band Application

2026 Mount Allison Honour Band Schedule

We are ordering new band t-shirts which grade 7 band students will wear this year with black pants for concerts and band events. The cost ($10) will be covered by band fees.  

Grade 7 band students are asked to please provide their t-shirt size on Google Form below.

2026-27 Band T-Shirts Order Form

T-shirts are standard youth/adult sizes and sizing samples will be shown in class.  Please place orders by Wednesday, September 30th at 3:00 pm. Thank you!

I know that parents will be meeting with homeroom teachers this evening (Tuesday, September 22nd), so I wanted to provide a brief slide show which includes some basic information about the EWS Band Program.

EWS Band Program: Meet the Teacher Slides

If questions come up that your student can’t answer, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ampeters@edu.pe.ca. Thank you!

This year the annual band fee will be $50 to help cover the rising cost of instrument repairs and maintenance. The band fee is also used to help cover the cost of band supplies (reeds, sticks and mallets, valve oil, slide cream, cleaning cloths, tuning rods, cork grease, etc.), as well as festival registration fees, clinician fees, and band uniforms. The PSB provides band instruments for students to use for free (no monthly rental fee) through the school budget.  The PSB also supplies textbooks, binders, pencils, and sheet music for the band program. A fundraising campaign will be held later in the year to support educational field trips.

Band fees can be paid online (SchoolCash). Please note that online payments are subject to a service charge. You may also pay cash or send in a cheque (made out to East Wiltshire School). Please enclose payments in an envelope labeled “Band Fee” and also provide  the student’s name and class.  If envelopes are as hard to find at your house as they are at mine, you may choose to place the payment in a Ziplock bag with a note inside stating the same information.

It would be appreciated if the band fee could be paid by Monday, October 5th.

Thank you for your support!

Grade 7 early morning band
 (First rehearsal: Tuesday, Sept. 22nd)

Grade 8 early morning band
 (First rehearsal: Wednesday, September 23rd)

Grade 9 early morning band
 (First Rehearsal: Thursday, September 24th)

Students are asked to be in the band room ready to play at 7:45 a.m. on early am band days. The doors to the school will be open at 7:30 a.m. Please send me an email if your child is unable to attend a rehearsal so that I can record the absence as excused. 

Thank you for your past and future support in providing transportation for your children to early morning band classes!

Please enter your email on this page and subscribe to receive emails regarding the band program. Thank you! https://eastwiltshireschoolband.com/

Welcome to another fantastic year of music at East Wiltshire! Whether your student is picking up an instrument for the very first time, building on skills acquired last year, or entering their final year at EWS, I am looking forward to making music with them this year.

EWS Band Program Goals

• To provide every student with the opportunity to learn and play a musical instrument.
• To develop and enhance musicianship through performance in a large ensemble.
• To build resilience, personal confidence, and social-emotional skills through shared musical experiences.

First Week Instrument Checklist

Grade 7: No need to bring instruments on grade 7 orientation day! After day one, please bring instruments on your scheduled band days.

Grades 8 & 9: Please bring your instruments on Wednesday, September 9th if possible!

Early Morning Band

We will not begin rehearsing in the early morning until we have had at least one full 6 day cycle of regular classes. Grade 7’s will rehearse on Tuesdays, Grade 8’s will rehearse on Wednesdays, and Grade 9’s will rehearse on Thursdays. A schedule of start dates will be posted later this week.

Stay Informed & Connected

I remind students about upcoming events regularly in class, but to ensure parents don’t miss key updates, please subscribe to our band website!

💻 Desktop / Laptop / Chromebook: Enter your preferred email address in the subscribe box on the home page at eastwiltshireband.wordpress.com.

📱 Mobile Devices: Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the subscription box.

If you no longer wish to receive updates, you can unsubscribe on the home page at any time.

Google Classroom

Each band class has its own Google Classroom where assignments, due dates, and practice resources will be posted regularly.

Instrument Care & Safety

Students are responsible for the daily care and maintenance of their assigned school-owned instruments. Cleaning protocols will be reviewed in class this month. For health and safety, students must only play their assigned instrument and follow proper cleaning routines.

Concerts & Performance Dates

Concerts are such a rewarding part of our program! Check out our Concerts and Upcoming Events 2026-27 page and mark your calendars as dates get confirmed. If a scheduling conflict comes up, please reach out in advance so we can work it out together!

Practice Cancellations
If an early morning rehearsal ever needs to be canceled or rescheduled, I will provide as much advance notice as possible. You can review our full policy on the Band Cancellation Policy page.

Thank you, and I’m looking forward to seeing students back at school this week!

We had a fantastic week at camp, and I’m looking forward to seeing all the band students back at EWS in September!

There are quite a few familiar faces in this video… Congratulations to all the EWS band campers on your hard work this week and on your excellent performances on concert day! 🎶👏

I’m looking forward to seeing new and returning EWS band students at Colonel Gray tomorrow!

PEI Central Band Camp Website

When?    Monday, August 24th – Friday, August 28th, 2026.      

Beginners (1st year):  8:30 am – 11:30 am (Monday)    9:00 am – 11:30 am (Tuesday-Friday)

Beginner Percussion and Saxophone (2nd year):  9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Intermediate/Advanced:  9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Where?  Colonel Gray High School, Charlottetown

Parents are responsible for their camper’s transportation to and from camp. We recommend carpooling and alternative transportation as much as possible.

What do I need to bring?  A water bottle and a nut-free snack.  Intermediate and Senior Students will also need their lunch and their band instrument.

Beginner students will be given their band instruments and music at camp.

Please note that band camp is both NUT FREE and SCENT FREE.

Instrument assignments for grade 7 band campers are listed below. Please note that all of the grade 7 students were accommodated this year with their first or second instrument choice wherever possible. Changes to instrument selections cannot, unfortunately, be made for band camp. I encourage students to keep an open mind, be prepared for new challenges, make new friends, and to have fun learning to play a new instrument next week!