NWSS Music Department

Winter Choir Concert!

January 7th, 2010

Tuesday January 12th @ 7pm in Massey Theatre

Concert featuring all NWSS Choirs
Concert Choir
Junior Vocal Jazz
Senior Vocal Jazz
Chamber Choir
PLUS
The Barbershop Quartet featuring Myles Talbot Boyle, Gower Roberts, Thomas Lamont and Scott Grimsey
Solos by Krista Gibbard and Thomas Lamont
Also featuring Joe Kidney (bass), Will De Courcy (guitar/piano), Holly Withers (piano), Jeff Renz (drums/percussion), Cindy Shih (piano), Stefana Popowich (piano)

Admission by donation

All money raised will go towards choral clinics and workshops for fall 2010

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Powell River Trip

November 19th, 2009

The Chamber Choir and senior vocal jazz are planning a trip to Powell River April 22-25th. The cost is approx. $250. A $125 deposit is due Nov. 16th.
Questions? Email Ms. Proznick at kproznick@sd40.bc.ca

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Band Winter Concert Tuesday December 8th!!

November 6th, 2009

Tickets for the Winter Concert are being sold now!

Winter concert tickets are being pre-sold out of the band department office until November 22nd for $5. Send money with a band student and they can purchase tickets before or after class.
After November 22nd, tickets will only be available from the Massey Theatre Box Office for $7. www.masseytheatre.com or 604-521-5050

Some tickets were mistakenly printed with the incorrect date. Please check your ticket to confirm that the date is TUESDAY DECEMBER 8th, which is in fact the date of the Winter Concert 2009.

WINTER CHORAL CONCERT JANUARY 12th 2010. Be sure to stay tuned for ticket information. You don’t want to miss this premier event!

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San Fran Trip 2010

October 22nd, 2009

We are planning a trip to San Francisco Thursday April 15th to Tuesday April 20th 2010.

We will travel to Seattle by charter bus, then by train from Seattle to San Francisco. The trip cost includes all transportation, hotel, clinics/workshops for each ensemble, public performances, entry to Six Flags Amusement Park, tickets to the symphony and continental breakfasts each morning.

The trip cost will be approximately $700. We will know the exact amount after deposits have been collected and we have the exact number of participants.

At this time we are requesting a $175 non-refundable deposit for students who plan to participate due by November 2nd 2009.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Kelly Proznick at kproznick@sd40.bc.ca

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Whistler Trip Deposits

October 22nd, 2009

We are planning a trip with the Grade 9 and 10 jazz and concert bands to attend the Whistler Music Festival, Thursday May 6th to Sunday May 9th 2010.

This festival will give our bands an opportunity to perform, participate in clinics and workshops with professional musicians/educators, attend concerts, strengthen our NWSS music department community, network with other young BC musicians and hear groups from across the province and beyond.

The cost of the trip will be approximately $350. We will know the exact cost when we know the number of students participating. This includes hotel accommodation, bus transportation, festival fees and concert/clinic tickets. This trip cost does not include the cost of meals. Students will have to bring money for meals. We will be staying in condos with kitchens, so students can plan to cook meals in groups to be economical.

A TRIP DEPOSIT OF $125 IS DUE OCTOBER 12th 2009.

Contact Ms. Kelly Proznick with any questions or concerns at kproznick@sd40.bc.ca

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Chicken Sale Fundraiser

October 22nd, 2009

Chicken Sale!! Students are selling cases of chicken for all your holiday needs. Prices and products vary.
Students earn a profit of approximately $12 per case sold that goes directly into their individual band accounts to be used towards their spring trip.
Honey Garlic Wings
Hot and Spicy Wings
Frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
Frozen Boneless skinless chicken thighs (not individually wrapped)
Fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts
Fresh Boneless skinless chicken thighs

Get an order form from an NWSS Band or Choir student, or email Ms. Proznick at kproznick@sd40.bc.ca

Orders must be subimitted by November 27th, and pickup is on Saturday Dec 5th between 10 and noon in the round about in front of Pearson Office.

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Band Trips and Trip Fundraising

September 1st, 2009

Band trips are an important part of building community in our department. These trips are not a vacation, but rather an often intense educational opportunity that involve performance, workshops, clinics and concerts. Not only is it a great educational opportunity, traveling with the music “team” is a social opportunity that raises the standard of our ensembles by creating stronger bonds between musicians. Life-long friendships are formed, and students create memories that last long after high school.

The music department provides students with opportunities to fundraise to help pay for their individual trips. With the exception of concerts, the money raised by an individual student during a fundraiser will go directly towards that student’s trip cost. The music auxiliary treasurer keeps a record of each student’s account balance, much like a bank, and that money can be used towards the student’s trip costs. For example, if a student sells 10 entertainment books and each book earns them a profit of $9, they have $90 in their student account. That means that a trip costing $350 will now cost the family $260. If students participate in every fundraiser, the money quickly adds up. Last year, we had students who paid the entire trip amount through fundraising, and still had money in their accounts that they can access for the upcoming year. We had a student raise over $300 in the meat sales fundraiser alone.

It is expected that students in music ensembles will take advantage of the fundraising
opportunities provided throughout the year in an effort to attend the trips. We understand the importance of academic achievement and the concern of missed classes. Grade 9-10 trips rarely miss more than 1 day of classes, and we make every effort to keep trips a reasonable length with as little school missed as possible.

Grade 9/10 trips and choir trips are generally between $250 and $350. Senior trips are generally between $600 and $900. Trip locations will be announced in October.
We have strict rules and regulations to ensure a safe and secure environment for students on trips. Any parents/guardians wishing to accompany the group as a chaperone or wanting more information about trips can contact Ms. Proznick at kproznick@sd40.bc.ca or 604-517-6260.
Detailed trip information will be available in early October, and initial trip deposits will be due mid October.

Fundraisers at a glance:
October- Selling Entertainment Books
October- Chocolate Drive
November/December- Meat Sales
January- Clothing Drive

Stay informed about fundraisers through our website.

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Welcome to the 2009-2010 School Year!

September 1st, 2009

Hello students and parents!
Welcome to the new school year, which as usual will be a busy one for all the performing ensembles in our music department. Please take a moment to read the following information.

We welcome Ms. Sheridan to our department. Ms. Sheridan is with us for the year while Mr. Maskell is on a leave-of-absence. We are excited to have the chance to work with Ms. Sheridan, a musician and educator who brings fresh skills and talent to our department.

Instruments and Equipment:
Students generally supply their own instruments. Instruments can be rented through Long and McQuade Music, Tom Lee Music or Masullo Music. If you are considering purchasing an instrument and are unfamiliar with instruments, please consult with a music teacher before making your final decision. Many instruments on the market are poor quality, and playing these instruments often results in frustration. Good, reasonably priced instruments are available, and will help a young musician meet with success.

Below is a list of mandatory equipment for band classes:
Flute- cleaning rod, swab, polishing cloth
Oboe and Bassoon- At least 4 cane reeds, swab, cork grease, water container, polishing cloth
Clarinet and saxophone- box of 10 reeds (2.5 strength for gr.8/9), swab, cork grease, polishing cloth
Trumpet, French Horn, Euphonium, Tuba - valve oil, polishing cloth, slide grease
Trombone- Slide Cream (”slide-o-mix” is recommended), water spray bottle, polishing cloth, cleaning snake, slide grease
Percussion/Drums- Stick bag with 2 pairs of vic firth SD1 or 5A drumsticks, Medium hard xylophone/bell mallets (hard plastic), soft yarn mallets for vibes/suspended cymbal, Vic Firth T1 General timpani mallets
Bass Guitar- Patch cord, tuner (electric bass players enrolled in concert band will be expected to play acoustic bass, instruments will be provided by the school)

Student Instrument storage:
All instrument cases and music folders must be clearly labeled with the student’s name. The NWSS Music Department will make every effort to ensure that instruments are not stolen, but ultimately NWSS cannot be held responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen instruments. It is therefore incumbent upon each student to ensure that the instrument is labeled and stored away safely in the storage locker at the end of each rehearsal.

Evaluation and course information:
Please look at the information under “courses” for detailed assessment information.

Home Practice:
Home practice is the “homework” for band and choir classes. Students are expected to practice at least 20 minutes every 2nd day. We hope that parents will encourage students to maintain this standard.
Individual practice is essential for individual growth as well as productive group rehearsals. Students should come to rehearsals with their individual parts practiced so the ensemble can rehearse efficiently. The band room is generally available for practicing after school. There will be periodic assignments to evaluate student’s practice habits.
More information about practicing, including tips for musicians and parents, can be found on this website under “courses”, “expectations”.

If you have any questions, please contact your student’s music teacher at the email address below, or call the music department office at 604-517-6260
Sincerely,
Ms. K Proznick- kproznick@sd40.bc.ca
Mr. S Clements- sclements@sd40.bc.ca
Mr. P Zaenker- pzaenker@sd40.bc.ca
Ms. C Sheridan- csheridan@sd40.bc.ca

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Music Auxiliary 2009-2010

June 12th, 2009

Welcome to all the new NWSS band parents!
We are excited about the upcoming year. Soon we will have a calendar online for you to peruse, with all the concert dates, trips, fundraisers, clinics and other exciting events in the music department.

We hope that you will consider joining the N-Dub Music Parent Auxiliary. The music aux meets once a month, usually the first Wednesday of the month, at 7pm in the band room.

The first meeting of 2009-2010 is on Wednesday September 30th at 7pm in the band room at NWSS. The band room is located off of 8th avenue, across from Moody Park Arena. The band rooms are accessible from Massey Theatre lobby or from the loading bay in the rear of Massey Theatre.

Hope to see you there!
Music Department Staff