Hello all!  Please accept this as an invitation and reminder for our Christmas Concert!

It happens on December 11, 2019 at Notre Dame Collegiate.  Admission is $5 per person at the door (Credit Cards accepted for purchases over $10), and the concert begins at 6:00 PM.

​The Fine Arts Parents Association have asked me to request that every family bring in some baked goods for sale during intermission at our Christmas Concert.  They are requesting families bring in a dozen treats of your choice.  I request that you also bring in a quick note of the ingredients, to ensure food safety.

• Uniforms for every student includes black pants (not tights, jeans or sweatpants, actual pants), black shoes, black socks.  Grade 7s are to wear white shirts with no logos on them (they will be wearing the NDC Music Jackets over top).  All other grades should have white-button-up dress shirts.  Grade 7 Students will need to wear their uniforms to their Block 4 Class on Tuesday, even if they don't have band, to double-check their uniforms.  This will also be for marks.
• Every student is to arrive at the school by 5:30 PM.  Warm-ups and Tune-ups happen at that time.
• Each student is ina performance-based class that requires that they perform.  Therefore their participation is mandatory.
• Every student is expected to remain for the entirety of the performance.  We support a culture of mutual respect and support at NDC, so every student shows that mutual respect by being supportive audience members.
• When students are not on stage, they should be sitting with their families.  While music is being performed, students are expected to adhere to concert etiquette, as discussed in class.  The time for meeting up with friends will be during Intermission and after the concert is done.

​Students are also encouraged to help out with setup and cleanup before and after the concert, and receive community service hours for doing so.

I would also like to inform you of our new Raffle!  It's a Snap Raffle, meaning it will only be taking place for a short period of time ... 9 days!  Each Raffle ticket is $5, and we are selling 500 Tickets.  Proceeds go to support the Senior Wind Symphony's Toronto Trip.  The draw will take place on December 18.  There are 3 prizes;

• First Prize: 6 Terrace Suite Tickets to the Calgary Hitmen's Home Game against the Swift Current Broncos on January 12, 2020 (includes parking pass), prize donated by Western Financial Group.
• Second Prize: An Epiphone Acoustic Guitar donated by Long & McQuade Calgary, with the option to have it signed by all Senior Wind Symphony members.
• Third Prize: Tickets for Two to "An Evening of Valentines", the Valentines Banquet being organized by the Senior Symphonic Winds, including live music, dinner and babysitting service.

AGLC #796866 License #553152

My apologies for the delay on this message.  It has been an exciting startup to the year, but a busy one as well.  I can now fully confirm our after-school music program schedule, which is effective immediately;

Senior Jazz Combo - Monday mornings, 7:00 AM - 8:15 AM (Thursdays on weeks after long weekends)

String Ensemble - Tuesdays after school, 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM

Stage Band - Wednesdays after school, 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM

Steel Pans - Wednesday evenings, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

In the event of conflicts with other after-school activities (sports), our policy is to work with such situations on a one-on-one basis.  Solutions are almost always found, so that the student can still meet both commitments.

A note about supervision: Students cannot remain in the school unsupervised.  Please ensure that your student has a method of getting home (perhaps through carpooling options) or other teacher supervision once their rehearsals are done.

Thank you for participating in our after-school groups!  It is a big year for music already underway, and I am very excited for it!

Hello Grade 7 Families!  I am very excited to see instruments in your students hands today and tomorrow.  This is the start of an exciting musical journey!

Startup Camp is This Friday, all Grade 7 Band students are expected to attend. I have professional musicians coming in to work with your students on Friday, so your students will be staying after school that day.  Later on that night they will be performing in their first-ever Concert Band Performance, just for you!  Students will also receive marks for their participation.

The itinerary is as follows;
12:30 PM - School is out, students will be served Subway lunch.
1:00 PM - Clinics start, all students
2:20 PM - Mini-Recital (professionals perform for the students)
2:45 PM - Second set of Clinics
4:00 PM - Switch to Full Band Rehearsal, first time ever
5:15 PM - Team-building games
5:45 PM - Picasso's Pizza Supper
6:15 PM - Doors open at the school for our family audience members
6:30 PM - Grade 7s perform their first performance ever.
6:45 PM - Cleanup
7:00 PM - Startup Camp is done.

Students will be learning valuable skills on how to put their instruments together, take care of their instruments (and your investment), play with great sound, the first most-important notes, and prepare their performance for you, and they will get that instruction from specialists on their instruments in a more one-on-one way.  It is an invaluable experience, and we can thank the Highwood Lions for making it possible for us.

I'm looking forward to seeing you Friday night, and getting this year started with your students!

God bless,
​Joel Windsor

If your student needs a flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone or baritone, you need to contact Long & McQuade to rent such an instrument.

1. Call Long & McQuade at (403) 244-5555.
2. Ask for the Band Department
3. Tell them you want to rent an instrument, and have it sent to Notre Dame Collegiate with Mr. Windsor.

They will walk you through all the rest.

If you are in need of renting a baritone saxophone, bass clarinet or tuba, your student will need to meet with Mr. Windsor on Thursday at lunch.  That will be the last chance to rent from Notre Dame Collegiate this year.

Your student needs their instrument by Monday, September 9.  Please arrange for them to have an instrument by that date.

If your child already has a primary instrument assigned to them for Concert Band, they can have a different instrument rented to them for free from Notre Dame Collegiate.  We take a $50 deposit which you get back if the instrument doesn't need repairs.  The last chance to take advantage of this is on Thursday at lunch hour.
Example: David plays Tuba in Concert Band and has already rented it from NDC, but wants to play in the Stage Band. He works out with Mr. Windsor that Trombone is the best choice for him, so he rents a trombone from NDC for free, with the $50 deposit.​

Online.  Mr. Windsor and Mrs. Hartung are working to see your instrument rental costs posted on SchoolCashOnline, a system you have always been familiar with for school fees.  They should all be posted by Thursday morning September 5, at which point you can pay them online.
Please note: If your fees are not paid for by September 13, or an arrangement has not been made by calling (403) 652-2231, we will need to rescind your rental.  Please pay your fees in a timely fashion.

Students who use NDC equipment without owning it (like the percussion equipment, piano, or amplifiers) pay a "Usage Fee" of $40.  Steel Panners pay a "Usage Fee" of $20 if they aren't already paying for other percussion or electronic equipment.  This usage fee goes towards the cost of maintenance, repairs, and replacements.

Of course, but buyer beware.  If you are buying an instrument online that is less than $300 but says that it is "new", it's a sham, don't waste your money.  If you are buying an instrument from a warehouser like Canadian Tire, Walmart, or Costco, stop, don't waste your money.  If you want to buy used, Mr. Windsor recommends you seek advice from him first, so that you don't buy a lemon.  Mr. Windsor does have access to many instruments that are reasonably priced used instruments (mostly flutes, clarinets and trumpets) ranging from $50 to $250, so feel free to ask him about these options.

Well, your student will definitely need some supplies. You can buy your supplies online from Long & McQuade's website and you can usually get free shipping with their shipping allowance.  Alternatively, you can call the store (403) 244-5555 and buy by phone, asking them to deliver to NDC, but it may take up to 2 weeks to get here.

• Flutes need a polishing cloth.  That's usually it.
• Clarinets and saxophones need cleaning swabs.  You can usually get Clarinet kits from Long & McQuade.  Consider also getting a thumb rest and/or a toothguard.  It just makes life more comfortable.
• Clarinets and saxophones also need reeds.  Grade 7s first box of reeds should be "Rico 2.5 Strength" (the orange box).  Grade 8s will want the "Royal" reeds, and probably the same strength they played last year.  Grade 9s may want to take a half-step up in strength.  Seniors should seriously consider "Reserve" or "Van Doren" reeds, but if you're changing brands, don't change strength.
• All brass instruments will need oil based on the type of instrument they are (valve oil, slide oil or rotor oil), a cleaning brush or snake, and a polishing cloth.  Instrument Care Kits are also available through Long & McQuade.
• Percussionists should have their own drumsticks, medium-soft yarn mallets, timpani mallets and hard plastic mallets.  You may be able to get a deal on a "Mallet Bag" package from Long & McQuade.
• Strings players will need Rosin.

Please just ask.  Remember, I got you.

The year is approaching it's close.  It's been a wonderful year, and a proper Year-In-Review Blog will be coming to you by the end of the week.  In the meantime, we need to properly manage the end of the year activities.

Notre Dame Collegiate continues to grow its music program.  Thank you for your continued support for an amazing music education program!

If you want to rent your student's instrument early, please check your email for a message from Mr. Windsor regarding how to do that rental.  If you haven't received one, please email him for details.

Dear Grade 6 Families,
​   It is my pleasure to be a part of welcoming your family to Notre Dame Collegiate, and helping your students be prepared for the transition!  Transitioning to Grade 7 is relatively straightforward, and there are very few things that we need your input on to get your student completely ready for NDC.
   First, all students will need to decide their involvement in Band at NDC.  I encourage every student to study music, as there is plenty of research showing music as the only field of study that helps students systematically develop connections between every area of the brain, develop their own character and express their own personalities, and develop the 21st century skills of collaboration and creativity all within that same area of study.  That, and it is a huge amount of fun!

Stage Band is one of three extracurricular music courses offered at Notre Dame Collegiate.  It is known as "The Woodshedders", and features saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and the rhythm section consisting of piano, guitar, bass and drumset.  The "Panorama" Steel Pan Ensemble is unique to Notre Dame Collegiate and features Caribbean Pan Drums, and also provides opportunities for bass guitar players and drumset players.  The brand new St. Cecilia String Ensemble is a beginning level string group with opportunities for those with some more experience as well.  It features violins, violas, cellos and string basses.  Students can choose to join any of these after-school groups.

With this information you have a better idea what music will be like at Notre Dame Collegiate.  For those of you who were anticipating an Instrument Rental Night in June we cancelled in favour of a Fall option.  We will instead be renting instruments on September 3, 2019.  If you want to rent your student's instrument early, please check your email for a message from Mr. Windsor regarding how to do that rental.  If you haven't received one, please email him for details.

There are a number of assignments students should have complete by this point in time.  They can get these assignments completed at home.  Please help your students by giving them space and time to complete these tasks;

Grade 7 - Concert B-Flat Scale and Hexachords in Charms, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapter 1 for their clef only, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapters 2-4, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapter 26 Beginner Section Only, Breezin' Thru Composing First Composition

Grade 8/9 - List A and List B Pieces in Charms, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapters 2-6, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapter 26 Beginner and Intermediate Sections, Breezin' Thru Composing Theme and Variations Composition

Senior High - List A and List B Pieces in Charms, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapters 3-7, Breezin' Thru Theory Chapter 26 complete, Breezin' Thru Composing Theme and Variations Composition

First, let me extend to you my admiration for your students.  Marching Band is a different kind of commitment, one that allows students to demonstrate their work ethic, continual self-improvement, grace through adversity, and dedication.  These are the kinds of skills we hope students develop as they work their way toward the workforce, so to see them do as well as they are is exciting to me!

Our meeting time on Saturday is 8:30 AM at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church.  Please don't be late, as we will need to warm up and line up according to the needs of the parade organizers.

Students need to wear black pants, and an undershirt that is appropriate for the weather.  Current forecasts suggest that it will be cooler, much like this morning, but without the drizzling rain.  Please keep an eye on the forecasts just in case.  Running shoes are a must, but I'm not concerned about the colour (if you can choose black, great, if not, I'm not concerned).

Also, if your student requires medical tools such as inhalers or anti-histamines, please ensure your student brings it with them.  We will keep such tools with us in our wagon.  Sunscreen is a good idea, even if it is cloudy.  Sunglasses are also acceptable.

Students are responsible for bringing their instruments.  Percussionists are responsible for their sticks.  Snares, Basses, Quads and Tubas will be brought by Mr. Windsor.  All reed players should have a backup reed or two in their pocket just in case theirs breaks on the parade route.

We anticipate the parade being done at 11:00 AM, and beef-on-a-bun to be available after that in George Lane Park.  Your students' NDC Jackets are their tickets for free beef-on-a-bun, therefore they will be expected to keep their jackets and return them on Tuesday.  Jackets do not need to be washed, we will do so here at the school.

​I am really looking forward to this community outreach for our school once again.  The community enjoys seeing local musicians in the parade, and your students have been working hard memorizing music and practicing their parade drill to look and sound good!  Please support them as best as you can as they prepare for this performance!

Grade 7 Students who haven't completed this form are assumed to be participating.  Grade 8s and 9s who wish to participate must complete this form.

​The parade goes rain or shine.  In case of rain, we have the hoods on our jackets.  In case of shine, have your students put on sunscreen, and we will have lots of water on hand.  I also highly recommend bug repellent.

I am really looking forward to this community outreach for our school once again.  The community enjoys seeing local musicians in the parade, and your students have been working hard memorizing music and practicing their parade drill to look and sound good!  Please support them as best as you can as they prepare for this performance!