FAQ

Do you have a question about the Music Department or Grade 9 at Glendale High School? 

This is the page for you! Below, you will find various questions about the Music Department AND Grade 9! Hopefully, your question will be answered. 

*If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to our 100% student-run email! glendalehighschool.music@gmail.com

1. Will the music teachers help me after school if I need it? 

Definitely! The Lams have and will help students out after school when needed. They’ve even done video calls with students to help them with playing. Just email or ask them in person for help when needed.

2. Can I bring my school instrument home? Can I bring my own instrument to school? 

Yes, you can bring your school instrument home. You must be extremely careful and you must sign out your instrument, but you are able, and encouraged, to bring your instrument home. If you have your own instrument, you are allowed to bring it to school but having your own instrument is not necessary.

3. Can I switch instruments in the middle of the year? 

You can, but it could be a little tricky and not always advisable. Your music teacher would give the best advice on whether or not you can switch.

4. If I played an instrument in grade 7/8, do I have to play the same instrument in high school? 

You do not have to, but it may make it easier to do so. You are allowed to play a different instrument since you start from the beginning of the learning process in grade 9 music, but most people stick with the same instrument to make it easier on themselves.

5. Can I be in band if I’m not in music class?

You cannot be in band if you are not in music class. The music class and band course curriculum bounce off each other; the knowledge you learn in music class, you apply to the band course. If you are not in music class, it won’t be easy to keep up with learning new band music and techniques.

6. What other extracurriculars are there? Will they give me an opportunity to get to know other students?

Glendale has tons of extracurriculars, ranging from AV and robotics club to many sports, to things like the chess club, and GSA. They will all give you the opportunity to talk to and meet new students from all grades. In band, you often talk to the people around you and in sports and robotics, you communicate with others to work together.

7. Will I be able to find where my classes are? Will I have enough time? 

You have five minutes to get from class to class (in normal school times without COVID). That is PLENTY of time. On your first day of high school, it may all seem ‘big’ to you and you may not know where to go but you will find a ton of older students in the hallways that would be willing to help you. Teacher's in the hallway will also help you! You have a lot of support!

8. Do you do other things in music other than playing instruments? 

Yes. There is also music theory which is more about music notes and names, rhythms, piano names, and keys, etc. Another thing taught is music history, which goes through periods of music talking about music rhythms, styles, famous works, elements of music, etc, of that time. Also talked about are famous composers, the historic background of the eras they lived in, and other leading people.

9. Will people teach us how to use the locks on our lockers? 

If you participate in the “High School Here I Come” program offered in the summer, they will teach you how to use the locks on your lockers. If not, you can ask someone in the hall and they will definitely help you out!

10. Are the teachers at Glendale nice? Will they support me? 

The teachers at Glendale are very nice. They will support you and try to help you do well in school. Teachers would be happy to discuss your needs, and many even stay after school to help their students. They care about your well-being both inside and outside of the classroom.

11. What type of music do you play? 

Our bands play a variety of music, but it can depend on what grade/band you are in. During music classes, the class usually plays short lines in a method book to learn rhythms and other instrument skills like articulation and dynamics. However, in band, the group plays through whole pieces, which are much longer. Many pieces are written specifically for school bands, but there are usually a few pieces the students/audience will recognize at a concert (they could be popular songs, pieces from movies (the Senior Band did a medley from Frozen one year), or just famous classical/baroque pieces). The repertoire usually includes a mix of faster and slower pieces at slightly different skill levels, as well as at least one piece the students would know. In Jazz band, there are also a lot more genres covered, like swing, rock, blues, and jazz, and the pieces are usually more difficult to play. If you take a music class, you will also learn about and research many different and lesser-known types of music, although you might not always get a chance to play them. 

12. Do I need to know how to read music? Do I need to know music theory? 

Nope! We have many students that come into music class without previous knowledge, or experience. The Lams are always super patient, and willing to help you, as long as you’re willing to try!

13. What different instruments do you offer? Are they all wind instruments? 

Here at Glendale, we offer wind instruments but also guitar. Our wind instruments include: piccolo (though you must be a flute player and have some experience playing), flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon (you must play an instrument before, preferably flute, and switch to bassoon with permission from Mr. and Mrs. Lam), saxophone (alto, tenor, AND baritone), trumpet, trombone, baritone, and tuba. We also offer a guitar course that you are welcome to take in Grade 10, 11, and 12. You need no previous experience to sign up for the class. 

14. What different concerts and festivals does Glendale take part in and where are they held? 

The Glendale Bands have three concerts a year (the Fall Fare, the Wassail, and the Spring concert) that all take place in the gym, after school hours. The bands also compete in the Woodstock Rotary Festival every spring.

15. How do I join band/music class if I didn’t sign up for it on MyBlueprint? Can I still sign up if it has already started? 

Depending on how late into the year it is, you might not be able to, but you can join by talking to your guidance counselor and seeing if the switch can be made.

16. Will I be given the choice of what instrument I would like to play? 

Yes, you will be given the choice of what instrument you would like to play. Mr. or Mrs. Lam will show how each instrument works, how to put it together, what it sounds like, interesting facts about the instruments, and possibly provide demonstrations of playing the instrument. They will go through each instrument, and in the end, you will get to choose which instrument you would prefer to play.

17. Can I play more than one instrument? 

Yes, you can play more than one instrument. You might even be required to play a different instrument if you join a group like Jazz Band or sometimes Senior Band and the band needs someone to play a certain instrument (for example, in Jazz Band there are no flute players, so you might have to play saxophone instead, and when I joined Senior Band I learned to play bassoon because there were already two oboe players). There is also a guitar course in addition to the wind instruments course, so if you join you will also have to learn to play guitar in addition to your instrument. However, you don’t have to play more than one instrument if you don’t want to, it’s just an option to extend your abilities. If you are planning to play more than one instrument, also keep in mind that practicing will take a lot more time and effort, because you need to keep practicing regularly on all the instruments you play.

18. Can I play in both bands? 

There are three main bands at Glendale; which are the Junior Band, the Senior Band, and the Jazz Band. If you are interested in joining the jazz band, you need to have a strong musical work ethic and ask the music teachers about joining. Mostly the Junior Band is filled with grade 9 and 10 students and the Senior Band is filled with grade 11 and 12 students but when there are not enough students to fill a band, some students may be recruited to join from the other band. This does not happen very often but the students who are in both bands are typically students who have a strong interest in music. 

19. When is football? When are the other sports?

Some sports start at different times of the year, though typically tryouts will start within the first few weeks of school, and the tryouts usually occur after school hours or during lunch break, to avoid disrupting classes. Specific dates for Junior and Senior teams will be posted on the daily announcements - be sure to ask your homeroom teacher about them AND about who the coaches are! Some of our sports teams include: Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Hockey, Rugby, Soccer, Track & Field, Volleyball, Wrestling, Curling, Golf, Rowing, and Tennis (according to the 2019-2020 Student Handbook)!

20. Will the music teacher I have be nice? 

Yes, they are nice 1000%. They understand if you have never played an instrument before and they always support you when you play your instrument. 

21. Will I be able to be on a sports team if I’m in band? 

Yes, you can be on a sports team but band will always come first, as it is a course. If there’s a practice for your sports team on a band night, you need to come to band, but if it’s a game you may attend that game. If you have any further questions about when you need to attend band or the sport, Mr. or Mrs. Lam would gladly help you!