School District 60 | Band

Join SD60 Beginner Band!

Sabrina Brooks — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 22:08:47 +0000

SD60 Band registration for Beginner Band 2024/2025 is OPEN!

Looking for more information about the SD60 Beginner Band Program? Click here.

Wanting to sign up for Beginner Band? Click here.

Watch highlights of our program:

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In District Tour a Success!

Sabrina Brooks — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 05:37:36 +0000

In the last week SD60 band students grades 7-12 visited elementary schools performing LIVE for the first time in 2 years! Students performed at all 11 local elementary schools that feed into the band program. Everyone, audience & performers alike, were excited and grateful to unite in what was for many schools the first full school assembly since Covid began in March 2020. Thank you to everyone who made these shows possible; you helped bring smiles to thousands of faces this last week.

Grade 7 Band & Junior Jazz Band – March 3, 2022 – Ma Murray & Anne Roberts

Grade 8/9 Band – March 1, 2022 – Charlie Lake, Bert Ambrose, Alwin Holland

Senior Jazz Band – March 4, 2022 – CM Finch, Robert Ogilvie, Ecole Central

Senior Concert Band – March 7, 2022 – Taylor, Baldonnel, Duncan Cran

***

The SD60 Band program is now accepting registrations for ALL grade 5 students in SD60 who want to join us!

Click here to sign up for Beginner Band 2022/2023!

Click here to download the information package for Beginner Band 2022/2023

Watch our recruitment video to see what being a part of SD60 Band is like!

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Sign up for Beginner Band 2022/2023 is now OPEN

Sabrina Brooks — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:15:07 +0000

The SD60 Band program is now accepting registrations for ALL grade 5 students in SD60 who want to join us!

Click here to sign up for Beginner Band 2022/2023!

Click here to download the information package for Beginner Band 2022/2023

Watch our recruitment video to see what being a part of SD60 Band is like!

All students grades 7-9 visited elementary schools performing LIVE for the first time in 2 years! We could not have been be more excited.

Grade 7 Band & Junior Jazz Band – March 3, 2022 – Ma Murray & Anne Roberts

Grade 8/9 Band – March 1, 2022 – Charlie Lake, Bert Ambrose, Alwin Holland

Senior Jazz Band – March 4, 2022 – CM Finch, Robert Ogilvie, Ecole Central

Senior Concert Band – March 7, 2022 – Taylor, Baldonnel, Duncan Cran

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Seniors Mentor Beginners in District-Wide Theory Olympics

Sabrina Brooks — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 22:53:59 +0000

Theory Olympics

On February 22, 2022 the Beginners from all 12 elementary schools competed against each other in the “Theory Olympics“. Students from the High School Band helped Mrs. Brooks create and present the questions.

Over the past few months, the seniors have been mentoring the beginners each week in theory, which they learned through a variety of games.

Music Theory teaches students how to read the music, and is an important part of learning to play music.

Check out the highlights from the night:

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Record number of SD60 Band students planning to continue on in music post-secondary!

Sabrina Brooks — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 22:49:35 +0000

It has been said that every storm ends in a rainbow, and the SD60 Band program has found theirs this pandemic.

A record number of SD60 Band students planning to continue on in music post-secondary this year!

The program, lead by co-ordinator Sandra Gunn, currently has 9 students planning music as their post-secondary career choice, and three grade 12s recently submitted their university auditions this week.

Mr. & Mrs. Brooks have been mentoring Karis Paracuelles, Rylee Francis and Brian Hoffman each Sunday on their audition pieces and Mr. Price has been working with them at North Peace Secondary School to make sure they have the necessary theory background. Local pianist Dana Peterson and Russell Eggleston from Sound in Town made sure their applications were as professional as possible and the students made use of the music room at Ma Murray school to record their audition.

Before the students left their regular band rehearsal to record their audition, their bandmates cheered them on. Spirit is strong in SD60 Band.

https://band.prn.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2022/02/20220208_200855.mp4

Have a listen to the audition recordings these students sent in to a variety of Canadian universities this week, and be sure to congratulate them on their hard work if you see them around town!

If you are looking for ways to support the SD60 Band Program and students like these, please contact the program co-ordinator Sandra Gunn. They are currently doing a fundraiser with Walker’s Greenhouses to raise money for trips to Whistler (High School) and Camp Cameron (Middle School).

The SD60 Band Program begins in grade 6. If you would like to register your grade 5 child for the 2022-2023 SD60 Band Program, registration is now open, and you can contact the beginner teachers Sabrina Brooks or David Price.

Karis Paracuelles, “The Periwinkle” from Gounod Romances

Karis Paracuelles, Cavatine by Saint-Saens

Rylee Francis, Bozza Aria & Study

Brian Hoffman, “The Periwinkle” from Gounod Romances

Brian Hoffman, Cavatine by Saint-Saens

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Walker’s Greenhouse Fundraiser

Sabrina Brooks — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 21:50:53 +0000

Hi Band Parents!

The Band is doing another fundraiser, this time with Walker Greenhouses. The way things work is in normal times, each year each group travels at least once per year. In the past, we have taken kids to New York, Cuba, Toronto… I have attached a photo of us with a group getting ready to fly to Ottawa a few years back so you can remember those beautiful pre-Covid times kids got to do cool things!

We set up an account for each student, and any money they raise gets set aside for future trips just for them. We are SO excited to get back into traveling as pandemic restrictions begin to ease up and so we are making sure we are fundraising now so your kids can have amazing middle school and high school experiences with us.

I have attached the order form to this email.

I really want to point out the gift cards as an ideal sell – I know I have a flower problem and I easily spent $200/year on flowers anyways… so the past few years I have been buying the gift cards from this band fundraiser as the band gets 20% off those gift cards, so I spend the $200 I would anyways, and the band gets $40 we can put towards the band! This is a really easy sell for you and your friends and family as I know I’m not the only one who gets carried away when the snow finally melts… not everyone is as crazy as me but even on a $100 gift card, $20 goes directly to your kid for future trips… great deal on something people would spend anyways!

Of course, there are also pre-selected flower baskets and plant starters for those of you who want to know exactly what you are getting in advance…. and a percentage of those sales go to your kid as well.

Forms are due March 2.

I am super excited to start dreaming for the fun trips that lay ahead for your kids in the band program!… Look at this photo and imagine your kids in it! Any questions, feel free to ask myself, David or Sandra

Mrs. Brooks

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Year End Highlights “Concert”

Sabrina Brooks — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 18:48:01 +0000

Hello friends and family of the SD60 Band Students!

Thank you so much to our colleague David Price for his amazing video editing skills to bring you a compilation of the Highlights of our Pandemic Band Year, our virtual “concert”.

The Senior Concert Band is our premier ensemble in SD60, directed by David Price. Mr. Price is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Music Education program, and has been directing the Senior Band for over a decade. The Senior Concert Band involves students from both North Peace Secondary and the Energetic Learning Campus. Sabrina Brooks is his assistant conductor.

Here is the Senior Band’s Year End Concert:

The Senior Jazz Band is directed by our local Jazz Master Nicholas Everett, Alice Maundrell (who studied with saxophone Jazz Giant Wendall Clanton), and Joe Brooks. It welcomes students from North Peace Secondary and the Energetic Learning Campus as well.

Here is their rendition of “Feeling Good”:

This was filmed and edited by band members Shannon Cote and Ashley McGillis.

The 8/9 Concert Band

The Grade 8/9 Concert Band is directed by the Co-ordinator of the SD60 Band Program, Sandra Gunn. Alice Maundrell is her assistant director. The Grade 8/9 band is planning on attending MusicFest Canada, the national band competition, next year now that Covid is coming to an end!

This year the 8/9 band enjoyed two online festival adjudications with prominent music adjudicators and that was one bonus of having the online version of the festivals is that we could have very prestigious musicians doing the adjudication. It was great to know that SD 60 band is able to achieve high festival awards (silver for 8/9) from national and international adjudicators. The 8/9 band loved to practice together at night band so much that night rehearsals were extended an extra month!

Here is the Grade 8/9 Concert Band Year End Concert:

The Grade 7 Band is directed by Alice Maundrell. Sandra Gunn is her assistant director.

The Beginner Band is made up of students from all 11 elementary schools, and is directed by Sabrina Brooks. David Price is the assistant director. This year they were still able to compete in the local PRN Festival and have a lot of fun, even with all the pandemic rules. We have our highest retention in history with most of our students carrying on into Grade 7 Band next year. Well done!

Snapshots from the last few weeks:

Here is the Beginner Band Year End Concert:

Band Awards:

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WHAT AN INTERESTING YEAR FOR BAND!!!

Sandra Gunn — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 22:31:36 +0000

Band students and teachers from grades 6 to 12 have had an exciting and sometimes challenging year! Highlights include: pop up concerts in and around Ma Murray, Bert Bowes and Dr Kearney!

Virtual concerts and festivals still meant that practice time and intense rehearsal classes were the focus of the year!

Please check back at the end of the school year for concert streaming information!

We all look forward to playing together next year!

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Results for Seniors at Festival are IN for Concert Band and Jazz Band!

Sabrina Brooks — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 03:35:30 +0000

Hello friends and family of the SD60 Senior Band Students!

The results for our Senior Band Festival Competition are IN… enjoy watching our performances for Senior Concert Band and Senior Jazz Band!

Even a Global Pandemic cannot stop the SD60 Senior Band: This September, we had our largest band in 20 years! While wonky schedules and quarantines have made meeting together every week a challenge, our senior band students have stuck it through and put forth tremendous work this year to create beautiful music.

The Senior Concert Band routinely performs & competes Locally, Nationally & Internationally in locations such as Grande Prairie, Edmonton, New York & Cuba.

The Senior Jazz Band is directed by our local Jazz Master Nicholas Everett, Alice Maundrell, and Joe Brooks. It welcomes students from North Peace Secondary and the Energetic Learning Campus as well.

Our adjudicator was the renowned Bob Rebagliati – his bands were always known to be the best of the best!

Here is the Senior Band getting reading to record their entry:

The results are now in:

SILVER – Senior Concert Band

Outside the Heather Hannaford Arts Space at Anne Roberts Young Elementary School.

SILVER – Senior Jazz Band

Inside the band room at North Peace Secondary.

And here are the links to the performances:

Senior Concert Band – Black Tower Overture

Senior Concert Band – Momento

Senior Concert Band – Blue Ridge Saga

Senior Jazz Band – Sing Sing Sing

Senior Jazz Band – In the Mood

Senior Jazz Band – Night Train

Enjoy our “concert”!

The adjudication comments:

Senior Band Adjudication Notes

Jazz Band notes coming soon!

The adjudication videos:

Senior Concert Band Adjudication – Memento

Senior Concert Band Adjudication – Blue Ridge

Senior Concert Band Adjudication – Black Tower

Senior Jazz Adjudication – Sing Sing Sing

Senior Jazz Adjudication – In the Mood

Senior Jazz Adjudication – Night Train

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The results for our Beginner Band Festival Competition are IN… enjoy watching our performances!

Sabrina Brooks — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 16:42:13 +0000

Hello friends and family of the SD60 Beginner Band!

The results for our Beginner Band Festival Competition are IN… enjoy watching our performances!

In early March, the students worked very hard preparing pieces for Adjudication in the Peace River North Festival. Thank you so much to the SD60 Board & Trustees, Margaret May, Rie Sasaki, the North Peace Cultural Centre, and the FSJ Arts Council for making this opportunity happen for our kids despite a pandemic! Kudos to them.

Our adjudicator was the renowned Bob Rebagliati – I remember being a little girl in band myself at festival and my band teacher making me sit down and listen to Bob’s groups play at festival because they were always the *best*. We were so lucky to have him for our kids!

The results are now in:

GOLD 88% – Margaret Ma Murray

GOLD 86% – Bert Ambrose & Duncan Cran

GOLD 85% – Ecole Central

SILVER 82% – CM FInch & Charlie Lake

SILVER 80% – Anne Roberts Young, Taylor & Baldonnel

photos coming soon

BRONZE 77% – Robert Ogilvie & Alwin Holland

photos coming soon

And here are the links to the performances:

Margaret Ma Murray: Ballet of the Dinosaur Hatchlings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeWQT_I9qh4