District band tour inspires young musicians
A mission to inspire district students with the joy of music took place last week at local elementary schools, as the School District 60 bands conducted their annual band tour.
For more than four decades, the bands have performed for elementary school students to show them what the district’s band program is all about, and to encourage them to learn an instrument. Beginner band starts in Grade 6, so North Peace Secondary School band teacher, David Price, with the help of “Ma” Murray Community School’s music teacher Sabrina Brooks, took the Concert Band and the Senior Jazz Band to the elementary schools and gave them a taste of the band experience.
Previous musical experience is not necessary, only a desire to try. Regardless of how long a student stays in the band program, it’s definitely worth a try, as Grade 12 students, Molly, Nora and Brooke can attest. They were all partly inspired to join band when the SD60 band visited their elementary schools during their Grade 5 year.
Brooke, who plays trumpet, said she was inspired by the tour, but also said that her mom was in band too, and that’s what got her into it.
“I was kind of the same way,” Nora said. “We had an old clarinet at home, and I said I’ll play the clarinet.”
Molly grew up with music in her family from an early age, as her dad used to teach band when she was little.
“I kind of grew up knowing what it was like. I got to go to New York with the high school band when they went, so it was kind of like that’s the way it’s going to go,” Molly said.
All three girls started band when they were in Grade 6, a couple of times a week, they were bused from their elementary schools to Bert Bowes Middle School which housed the band program at the time. With the completion of Anne Roberts Young Elementary School, the program’s headquarters moved into the large new music space located there.
“[ARYES] has the nicest band room in the district. Even nicer than schools that have band teachers for principals,” Brooks told the students at ARYES on Thursday during the band tour.
Students don’t have to have old instruments lying around at home in order to take band. When students and parents fill out the forms to show their interest in band – these forms were given out by the schools following the band visits last week – they choose several instruments that interest them, in order of preference. The school district has a number of instruments, and families can rent or purchase their own at the start of their Grade 6 year. But if the students do have access to an instrument at home already, that can make the choice easier.
There are a wide variety of instruments to choose from. In the woodwind section, students can learn the clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. Brass instruments include trumpet, trombone, baritone and tuba. Percussion, which includes drums and timpani, is another option.
Choosing an instrument can be a tough decision, Molly said. She initially was thinking of playing flute or tuba but was told she was too small to play tuba, so she started out on baritone instead. “But in Grade 9 I switched to my tuba.”
Playing a brass instrument has some challenges, but Brooke certainly thinks she picked the right instrument.
The girls have had the opportunity to learn other instruments as well, for example Nora also plays baritone saxophone in the jazz band, although on Thursday she was playing her clarinet when the Senior Jazz Band visited ARYES. She’s also tried trumpet. Brooke has tried the flugelhorn, clarinet and tenor saxophone.
“I think that’s what’s nice about band we have that opportunity,” said Molly. “I’ve learned trombone to the point where I can teach kids how to play it. I took a French horn home last year, and I’ve dabbled in saxophone. So, we have that opportunity when we get older to take out instruments and start learning other ones.”
There are quite a few bands in the district, not just concert bands, so there are a lot of opportunities to try different styles of music as well. In the beginning students will be in the Beginner Band, but there’s also the Senior Concert Band, the Senior Jazz Band, and the Northern Winds Community Band which is for adults in the community.
Each year, students have the opportunity to go on trips with a band, to learn from other musicians and compete. Last year, the Senior Concert Band went to Niagara Falls, and later competed at Nationals. This year, the students are fundraising to go to Whistler next month and Nationals in Toronto.
The fundraising concert held at the end of February at Ma Murray Community School raised approximately $8,000 toward these trips, and they have other on-going fundraisers.
Molly, Nora and Brooke encourage Grade 5 students to seriously consider signing up for Grade 6 band. It’s best to start in Grade 6, they said, where students have the opportunity to learn from the older musicians. Joining in Grade 7 is possible, but then kids risk missing out on that early opportunity for mentorship.
"It’s worth a try, and you make a lot of life-long friends,” Molly said.
Parents whose Grade 5 children brought home band information packages are asked to return the completed form to your school office as soon as possible, if your child is interested in joining band. For more information about the SD60 band program, check out the band website. If your child is interested in band, but didn’t bring home a package, you can find the link to registration information on the website.