The grade 7 band students have been working hard this year, and I am looking forward to taking them on their first band trip! Mrs. Smith will be coming with us as a chaperone and, as always, we both expect our band students to be excellent representatives of East Wiltshire School.

A few things to remember:

• Each student is responsible for making sure that they take their own  music, instrument and any supplies needed for the performance (reeds, valve oil, etc.) to Summerside.
• Students are asked to please wear their uniforms including band vests (with white, long sleeve shirts), black pants, and dark shoes to school on Thursday. No blue jeans or ripped jeans, please. Black jeans, all black athletic pants, or yoga pants are fine.
• We will travel by school bus, and we will leave East Wiltshire at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Thursday following an early morning band rehearsal. Appropriate school bus behaviour is expected on the ride to Summerside.
•  Students are expected to listen attentively (without causing distractions of any kind) when other bands are performing. Cell phones should be turned off during the performances.
•  Please be aware that chaperones cannot be responsible for the loss or theft of any items during the field trip.
• The event is expected to finish at approximately 12:00 p.m..  Students should bring a snack to eat during the mid-morning break, and a water bottle is recommended.
• Pizza will be provided when we return to EWS.
• Students are responsible for catching up on any school work they miss during the day.  They should be prepared to return to regular classes following the pizza party.

Beginner Band Day: Schedule

7:30-7:35:  Arrive at EWS for early morning band practice in uniform

7:35-7:45:  Set up and warm up in the band room

7:45-8:45:  Early AM Band rehearsal

9:00:  Board buses and depart for Athena Consolidated School

Approx. 9:45:  Arrive at Athena

Performance Schedule:

10-11:00 a.m.

1. SIS                    
2. Athena
3. Stonepark          
4. ME Callaghan
5. Birchwood

11-11:15 a.m.   Break (students should bring a snack and a water bottle)

11:15-12:00 p.m.

1. Ecole Francois Buote                   
2. East Wiltshire
3. Amherst Cove        
4. Hernwood

12:00-Board school bus and return to EWS

1:00-  Pizza!

Students will return to regular classes following their pizza lunch. Students are responsible for finding out what they missed during morning classes, and catching up on any assignments, etc..

It’s going to be another busy week for band students! Please note the changes to the rehearsal schedule for this week:

Tuesday, May 7th: Grade 7 early am band 

Wednesday, May 8th: Grade 8 early am band, and Jazz Band after school (3:00-3:30 Pizza Party, 3:30-4:30 pm rehearsal. Please note the time change.

Thursday, May 9th: Grade 7 early am band, followed by field trip to Athena Consolidated to perform in the PEI Beginning Band Day showcase. Grade 7 students will have pizza in the band room at EWS when they return from Summerside. Uniforms are required for this performance. Details will be posted by Wednesday.

Friday, May 10th: Grade 9 early am band, followed by the Band Program Orientation Concert for grade 6 students from our feeder schools in the EWS gym at 9:30 a.m.. All four bands will perform (7, 8, 9, and Jazz). Students are asked to please wear uniforms for this concert. The following students have signed up (or have been asked) to perform instrument demonstrations and are asked to please have a demo melody prepared by mid-week: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XpoKlTYUITCfBkE-hZL5hTgbgJ6laNDlZrbjJ1ct0X8/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you, and have a great week!

Congratulations to the grade 9 band on winning the award for the Most Promising Middle School Band at the New Glasgow Music Festival awards presentation yesterday! The band’s performance was outstanding, and they deserved this recognition from the adjudicator. The award comes with a $100 cheque which we will use to support extra-curricular band activities.

Thank you to Ewan Campbell for representing East Wiltshire at the Holland College Community Band concert on April 30th. One student was chosen to perform in the concert from each of the six Island schools participating in the Band for Life program this year. Our Band for Life volunteer, John MacDonald, plays in the Holland College Community band, and he has been attending grade 7 and grade 9 early morning band rehearsals this year. We greatly appreciate the support and encouragement that he provides to our band members!

Thursday, May 9th:  Beginning Band Day at Athena Consolidated in Summerside. Grade 7 band students will participate. Grade 7 Band students will travel by school bus to Summerside. The event will being at 10:00 a.m. and should finish by 1:00 p.m. There will be a pizza party in the band room for the grade 7’s when we return to EWS. More details will be posted early next week. As usual, we will need help with transporting the larger instruments. Please send me an email at ampeters@edu.pe.ca if you are available. Thanks!

Friday, May 10th: Band Program Orientation Concert for grade 6 students (at East Wiltshire). All four bands will perform (7, 8, 9, and Jazz). Students are asked to wear uniforms for this concert which will begin in our gym at 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, May 29th: EWS Spring Concert 7:00 pm

TBA: Grade 8 Band Field Trip