Due to a scheduling conflict the upcoming family of schools concert with Gulf Shore school has been postponed.

We are following the regular early morning band rehearsal schedule this week

Jazz Band is canceled until February 7th. There will be Honour Band rehearsals after school from 3:15-4:15 p.m. on Wed. January 24th and Wed. January 31st.

We have been invited to perform in a family of schools band concert at Gulf Shore Consolidated on Tuesday, February 6th at 7:00 p.m. I will provide more details by the end of this week. Stay tuned!

We will follow the regular early morning band schedule this week.

Tuesday, January 16: Grade 7 early am band

Wednesday, January 17: Grade 8 early am band, and EWS Honour Band rehearsal after school from 3:15 -4:15

Thursday, January 18: Grade 9 early am band

*Jazz band rehearsals are canceled for January and will resume in February.

Please refer to the cancelation policy, and make safe decisions about winter driving based on conditions in your area: https://eastwiltshireschoolband.com/cancellation-policy/

Message from MusicFest Canada 🎶🇨🇦

Hello!

MusicFest Canada, “The Nationals” would like to invite your students to audition for the third annual Soho Sound Canadian Junior Honour Band, a national honour group for students in grades 6-9. We hope you will share this information with students in your band program!

The 2024 “virtual” SSCJHB will partner with esteemed university music educators from across the country in the virtual preparation and presentation of concert band works, under the direction of Cheryl & Darryl Ferguson. 

All SSCJHB musicians will participate in virtual rehearsals, enrichment sessions, meet students from across the country, and will also receive a masterclass from an esteemed instrumental instructor. This experience culminates with the international release of a professionally mastered performance, compiled using student recordings, under the auspices of the Coalition for Music Education on Music Monday May 6, 2024. 

Additionally, there will be exclusive scholarships that members of the Soho Sound Canadian Junior Honour Band can apply to receive!!! 

This is a fabulous opportunity for students to build their resume and their student profile as they look ahead to future applications and scholarships – please encourage students to take advantage of this unique NATIONAL event! 

This year’s ensemble will be an auditioned group. Auditions close on January 22, 2023. The fee for successful applicants is $40. 

More information (including audition requirements) can be found here: https://musicfest.ca/national-honour-ensembles/canadian-junior-honour-band/audition-procedure/

If you have questions about this program, please email cheryl.ferguson@musicfest.ca and/or darryl.ferguson@musicfest.ca

Thank you,
MusicFest

Grade 9 Honour Band sectional day at Birchwood is canceled for today and has been rescheduled to tomorrow (Friday).

Just a quick reminder that regularly scheduled extra-curricular rehearsals (grade 7, 8, and 9 early am, and after school jazz band) are canceled for this week.

Honours Band Updates

There will be honour band rehearsals on Wednesdays after school for the next three weeks. Jazz Band rehearsals on Wednesdays are canceled for the month of January and will resume in February.

The grade 9 Honour Band eastern area sectional day is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, January 11th from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. We will take taxis from East Wiltshire to the event at 8:00 a.m.. Students can access the Birchwood cafeteria (Famous Peppers pizza and lunch specials) or they may wish to bring a lunch. We will return to East Wiltshire in time for afternoon dismissal and regular busses.

*In the event of a school delay on Thursday, the sectional day will be canceled. Our storm date is Friday, January 12th. 

Please send me an email if you have any questions: ampeters@edu.pe.ca

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable holiday.

We will not be following the usual extracurricular rehearsal schedule this week as I will be working with the grade 9 Honour Band students in preparation for their sectional rehearsal day at Birchwood Intermediate on Thursday.

We will follow the regular Grade 7, 8, and 9 early morning band schedule next week (January 15-19).

Grade 9 Honour Band Rehearsal schedule for this week:

Tuesday, January 9th: Early am band (7:45-8:45)

Wednesday, January 10th: After school rehearsal (3:15-4:15)

Thursday, January 11th: Eastern Area Honour Band Rehearsal Day (9:00-2:30). Students will travel to and from Birchwood by taxi.

*There will be an Honour Band meeting on Monday, and if there are any conflicts with the rehearsal times above we will do our best work them out.

Thank you 😊

Congratulations to all of the band students on their fantastic performances at the Christmas concert! A special thank you to the MC’s who did such a great job of leading us through the concert program (Briar Docherty, Cora van Eyk, Willow Barbour, Skyla Lapointe, Jerry Zhang, Isaiah Casford, Alden Campbell, Jorja MacDonald, and Wesley Worrell). I’d also like to thank all of the EWS staff members who helped out before, during and after the show. And, finally, thank you to all of the band parents, guardians, friends, and family members; your support is greatly appreciated.

Early morning band and after school band practices are now finished for the first term. We will begin extra-curricular rehearsals again when we come back to school in January.

The 12 back-ordered grade 7 band t-shirts arrived at 2:00. An announcement was made asking Grade 7 band students to pick them up in the office. Four t-shirts were not claimed and these can be picked up tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the band area.

Thank you! 

It’s been a busy week and the music for the concert is sounding great. There will be three more busy rehearsal days before we relax a bit leading into the holidays. Please check the schedule below, and make sure that students are aware of which days they have band rehearsals. Most of this information has also been on the board in the band room for the past two weeks!

Uniforms:

All students will wear band uniforms (details are here: https://eastwiltshireschoolband.com/uniforms/ ) All grade 7 students have received band vests. Three vests were left in classrooms or hallways on the day they were handed out and were returned to me by grade 7 teachers, so if your child is missing theirs, please have them come and see me on Monday. The long sleeved white t-shirts for the grade 7 students will be passed out on Monday. 

Festive Accessories

Students are strongly encouraged to wear santa hats, light up necklaces, reindeer antlers, etc. to add to the fun atmosphere of this concert!

Concert Admission

This year raffle tickets for the “EWS Holiday Gift Box Raffle” will be sold at the concert with funds raised going toward families in need.

EWS staff have stuffed the Holiday Gift Box with crafts and gifts created or donated by EWS staff. We’ve made pickles, jams, jellies, salsa, and fudge. We’ve also made cutting boards, tree decorations, potholders, socks, mittens, coasters, quilted bowl cozies, a lap quilt, and a watercolor painting. We have some home decorations for the season all stuffed into one Holiday Gift Box that some lucky EWS community member could win in December!

The Holiday Gift Box raffle tickets will be available in the lobby at EWS before the band concert.

Tickets are one for $2.00  or three for $5.00 and  the draw for the winner will on December 13^th during the concert.  Donations will also be accepted at the door. 

 PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGES to the rehearsal schedule for next week.

Monday, Dec. 11

Grade 8 early AM Band 

Jazz Band Rehearsal: 3:15-4:15 (students should all be in attendance; please send me a note if there is a conflict)

Tuesday, Dec. 12

Grade 7 early AM Band

Wednesday, Dec. 13 (CONCERT DAY)

Day 2 (if the day in the 6 day cycle changes, the schedule will also change)

Grade 8 Early AM Band is cancelled

Period 1: Grade 9 run-through in the band room

Period 2: Grade 7 run-through in the band room

Period 3:  Grade 8 run-through in the band room

Period 4: 1:00-1:30:  Jazz Band will set up all of the band equipment in the gym and do a sound check

1:30-2:00:  Jazz band run-through in the gym

Period 5: 2:00-3:00:  Gym will be set up for the concert (chairs, sound, AV, etc.) 

6:30:  Students arrive for concert

7:00:  EWS CHRISTMAS CONCERT