Senior (Grade 10-12) Wind Ensemble Generic Report Card Comments

Please remember that your students are given their band mark based on 5 categories; Performing (which includes concerts, solo/duet/trio performances at festival, and List A, B and C pieces), Creating (which includes the Breezin' Thru Composition and similar assignments), Responding (which currently includes a response to the Proteus Saxophone Quartet Concert), Collaboration (based on in-class checklists and activities), and Theory and Skills (measured in Breezin' Thru Theory, in-class skills tests and List A, B and C pieces).  The rubric and outline can be found on the Assessments Page of this website.  Details specific to your student ​are as follows;
  • In terms of Concerts, if a student misses one, they will need to find a new way to perform to make sure they demonstrate their development.
  • In terms of Breezin' Thru Composition, students have two assignments that should have been submitted by this point in time, each demonstrating the development of their understanding of the form and structure of composed music.
  • In terms of Responding, if your student wasn't at school for the Proteus Saxophone Quartet Concert, there are plenty of other concerts that are free within High River that students can attend and still complete the assignment before the next reporting period in a way that the learning can still be applied to our own performances.
  • In terms of Breezin' Thru Theory, students should be completed their clef in Chapter 1 and all of Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 which helps students to have the basic grammar of the written musical language.
  • In terms of skills assessments, each student has selected a "List A" piece and a "List B" piece out of their respective Royal Conservatory of Music repertoire.  Their List A piece should have already been recorded and submitted.  Their List B pieces are due at the end of March, and students will have access to their piano accompaniments on Google Drive by February 5, 2018.  Students will also be selecting a "List C" piece of their choosing, which can be from any genre.  Some students have already selected this, and are even playing them at Festival rather than recording them.

The Band Trip

The original April dates of the trip have been cancelled.  The new dates are May 12 through 14, 2018, and includes a visit to the University of Alberta and participation in the Alberta Band Association Festival of the Bands.

Coffee Fundraiser

Our next fundraiser is new, and very exciting!  Make sure you order your Rebel Bean Coffee, the proceeds of which will go to support Fine Arts at Notre Dame Collegiate.

Highwood Lions Music Festival

Every Senior Wind Ensemble student is participating in the Highwood Lions Music Festival performing solos, duets, trios or quartets.  Details on schedules are not yet available, but will be available through your profile at http://hlmf.musicfestivalsuite.com.  Likely your student will be performing on March 21, 2018.​

Students have the opportunity to book the Band Room or the TARDIS practice room at various times during the week.  Bookings are recorded on the Whiteboard in the Band Room.

Practice at Home

Students should be practicing their instruments regularly at home.  A good practice session includes at least a couple minutes doing "8's and 6's", a scale in an interesting rhythm, a section of the Wind Ensemble music assigned to them or a section of music they know we'll be working on next class, and either their List A, List B or List C piece.  For our students, a proper practice can range from 30-45 minutes, at least twice per week.