Grade 7/8 - Optimist Band Festival!

Dear Martin Area Band Families,

It’s Optimist Festival time!!  On Thursday, March 21, the Grade 7/8 band students will be performing at the Optimist Band Festival at the Conexus Arts Centre. Please click here for a detailed itinerary.

Cost for this event is $6.00 and will be set up to pay at School Cash Online.  Our school division prefers online payment, but if you have to turn in cash or cheque, please label a sealed envelope.  Cheques should be made to your child’s school.

The Grade 7/8s will be on the main stage at 11:10am where they will perform two pieces for three adjudicators and an audience.  Following their performance, our band will have a clinic with one of the adjudicators, as well as have a group photo taken. Your son/daughter also has the option to have an individual or small group photo taken (please click here for the picture order form). If you choose to order pictures, please turn the order form/money in to us anytime prior to the festival.

We would love for family and friends, who are able, to come and listen to our performance and cheer us on!  If you are interested in helping out as a chaperone, and hanging out with us for that morning, leave your name and phone number at the bottom of this sheet and have your son/daughter turn it in as soon as possible.  An email is also ok. We would like to have 3-4 parents for each band along with us that day. You must have a Police Information Check on file with your school in order to be a chaperone.

All students will need to bring their instrument, music and be wearing their uniform (red band shirt, black pants/skirt, black socks, black shoes).

Buses will pick up at schools starting at 9:00am so please be on time for school! Buses will pick us up after the performance at 12:45pm so students will return to school for most of the afternoon.

Since Optimist is running over the lunch hour this year, you must send a bagged, non-microwaveable lunch with your student. If everything is running on schedule there might be time for students to purchase lunch at the Conexus Arts Centre’s canteen but we do not recommend relying on this – please send a lunch just in case.

***All students play an important role in our band, therefore, everyone needs to be with us that day.  Attendance can make or break our performances***

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns!

Grade 6 - Optimist Band Festival!

Hello Grade 6 Band Families,

It’s Optimist Festival time!!!  On Thursday, March 21st the Grade 6 band students will be performing at the Optimist Band Festival at the Conexus Arts Centre.  Please click here for a detailed itinerary.

Cost for this event is $7.00 and will be set up to pay at School Cash Online.  Our school division prefers online payment, but if you have to turn in cash or cheque, please label a sealed envelope.  Cheques should be made to your child’s school.

The Grade 6s will be on the main stage for their performance at 2:55pm where they will play two pieces for three adjudicators and an audience. Following their performance, our band will have a clinic with one of the adjudicators, as well as have a group photo taken. Your son/daughter also has the option to have an individual or small group photo taken (please click here to access the picture order form). If you choose to order pictures, please turn the order form/money in to us anytime prior to the festival.

We would love for family and friends, who are able, to come and listen to our performance and cheer us on!  If you are interested in helping out as a chaperone, and hanging out with us for that morning, leave your name and phone number at the bottom of this sheet and have your son/daughter turn it in as soon as possible.  An email is also ok. We would like to have 3-4 parents for each band along with us that day. You must have a Police Information Check on file with your school in order to be a chaperone.

All students will need to bring their instrument, music and be wearing their uniform (red band shirt, black pants/skirt, black socks, black shoes).

Buses will pick up at schools starting at 12:00 noon. Due to unavailability of buses until after the after school runs, students will not arrive back at their schools until 4:45-5:00pm. Families will need to plan for a ride home at this time. If you would rather pick up your child directly from the Conexus Arts Centre at 4:15pm that is also an option – if you choose this option please let us know via a note or email (robin.swann@rbe.sk.ca).

We will have opportunity to eat lunch at the Conexus prior to their performance and pictures.  Please send a bagged, non-microwaveable lunch or send your student with money to purchase lunch at the Conexus Arts Centre’s canteen.

***All students play an important role in our band, therefore, everyone needs to be with us that day.  Attendance can make or break our performances***

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns!

Grade 7/8 Jazz Band!

Dear Grade 7/8 Band Families,

We are excited to announce that we will be starting up the Martin Area Jazz Band next week! Jazz band is a an optional extra-curricular band that meets once a week after school to learn how to play jazz and gain an appreciation for one of North America’s original art forms. Students will gain valuable skills in smaller ensemble playing, musical improvisation, understanding musical theory, and playing in a style very different to what they experience in concert band.

Rehearsals will take place on every full band day (Day 2) from 3:30 to 4:30. Students will remain at Martin Collegiate after full band rehearsals, and will need to be picked up at 4:30 or given express permission to walk home as no bussing will be available to return students to their home school.

It is expected that students and parents will make arrangements to be able to attend jazz band for the school year, and that if complications with other activities arise, the student will make an effort to still attend jazz. The jazz band will have various performance opportunities throughout the year and it can be very difficult to have a performing band when many of its’ members have poor attendance. The Day 1-5 calendar can be found on Regina Public School’s website or at http://www.rbe.sk.ca/sites/default/files/daycal2018-2019.pdf

Each student should bring with them their instrument, a pencil, and their music folder to each rehearsal. It is necessary that each student play their main instrument unless approval is given by the teacher to play a new instrument. We will be working on advanced repertoire in jazz band that will be beyond the level of a student who is starting a new instrument.

The first rehearsal will be Thursday, February 7^th. Please return the bottom of this note at the next full band rehearsal OR send us an email if you and your child choose to participate in this year’s Martin Area Jazz Band!

We look forward to working with your child and helping to improve their musicianship through jazz!

Vanessa Strykiwsky, Lindsay Stetner & Robin Swann
Martin Area Band Team