Want to join band, jazz band, or choir?

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Welcome to the GMS Music Program! If you are interested in learning an instrument and/or being a part of a band or choir, this page will have the information to get you started.

WHY PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILD TO BE IN BAND

Music program uniform: All music students require full-black outfits. This will consist of black pants/skirts that cover legs to the ankles, and a GMS school T-shirt with the logo on front. These band/choir shirts are given to all new students to GMS for free. If your child has lost or outgrown theirs, see Mrs. Gorman about how to get a replacement.

Please see the Music Program brochure below for general information.

GMS Music Program Brochure

This brochure will be handed out to grade 6 students before course selections happen.

I want to join band or choir in
grade 6 or 7:

Hooray! This is the best time in your schooling to get involved in the music program at GMS.

I am going into grade 6 this year...

When you are in grade 6 you will automatically get an exploratory music course as part of your electives wheel. However, if you would like to join choir, we often have spots for grade 6 students to join. Please have a parent/guardian email Mrs. Gorman at kimberly.gorman@sd23.bc.ca to get enrolled!

I am going into grade 7 this year...

In grade 7 you have the option to join concert band, choir, or both! Most students join by selecting these courses during course selections which are due prior to Spring Break. However, if you missed this deadline or have changed your mind, please email Mrs. Gorman at kimberly.gorman@sd23.bc.ca to get enrolled or put on the waitlist.

I want to join band or choir in
grade 8 or 9:

This is considered a late start, but that's ok! I know it can be challenging joining band or choir in grade 8 or 9 when other students have already been learning to play or sing for a year already.

For students who join band late, there are two options available to account for the prerequisites:

You can sign up for private lessons with a professional on the instrument you want to play and attend these lessons weekly until you catch up.
You can sign up for weekly mentorship during lunch time until you catch up. Students who choose this route will be paired with a grade 8 or 9 mentor who will practice with them once or twice a week. I will also step in occasionally to provide one-on-one mini lessons to make sure skills are being properly learned.

For choir students, you are welcome to join with no prerequisites. However, students who join in grade 8 or 9 are expected to practice and seek out help to make sure they can catch up on skills or concepts they may have missed.

Whichever category you or your child/student are in, please contact Mrs. Gorman through email to get the enrolment process started. kimberly.gorman@sd23.bc.ca

It is important to select band on the course selection sheets that are due before Spring Break. The timetable is built around these numbers and some years we have to turn late enrollments away if not enough classes were created.

Concert Band:

The best time to join band is in grade 7. The introductory band 7 course is designed to meet students where they are at and build musical skills from the ground up. While many students do join the program successfully in later grades, they are noticeably behind the other students at the start. Instrumental music takes consistent time and engagement over a long period of time to develop skill. ANY student is capable of catching up, but only if they engage fully in practice and playing outside of class time.

Jazz band:

Jazz is open to students in their second year of playing an instrument. This means that students typically join the jazz program in grade 8, but sometimes students have already been playing an instrument and are welcome to join early if there is space. Jazz Band is a graded class that takes place in the mornings from 7:45-8:45 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week. Consistent attendance is an expectation.

Choir

Choir can be joined at grade level, however, the student experience is always best when students join early and continue for multiple years. Choir rehearses Tuesdays at lunch and Wednesday mornings from 7:45 - 8:45 a.m. Choir is a graded course for credit. This means students will be assessed and attendance will be taken each rehearsal.

Concert Band FAQs

Q: What if I have never played an instrument before?

A: No sweat! At GMS, Introductory Band starts right at the basics. If you join band late (grade 8 or 9) you will be require to participate in additional lessons/mentorship to catch up. But don't worry - all students who practice manage to catch up just fine!

Q: Where do I get an instrument?

A: Visit the Band 7 page for all the information you need. Basically, you can rent or purchase an instrument.

Q: I want band, but can't afford the cost of an instrument. Can I still join?

A: Yes! At GMS we believe that there should be no barriers to learning an instrument. For families requiring financial assistance, we have a subsidy program available. Reach out to Mrs. Gorman through email for information on how to apply.

Jazz Band/Combo FAQs

Q: What's the difference between 'Jazz Combo' and 'Jazz Band?'

A: Jazz Combo is a small ensemble of less than 12 musicians. Combo students take improvised and written solos in most pieces. While these groups are teacher-led in the beginning, students gradually take over leadership and decision-making roles. Combo students tend to get a lot of performance opportunities. Jazz Band is a large ensemble that plays fully written out charts. Students are given opportunities for solos in all pieces, but not all students will get solos in performances.

Q: When can I join a jazz ensemble?

A: In your second year of playing an instrument. Even the most basic jazz charts are beyond the abilities of most beginning musicians.

Q: Do I have to learn to improvise?

A: Yes! Improvising is an integral part of being a musician, and all students (even in concert band!) will gain experience creating their own music.

Choir Program FAQs:

Q: How much does it cost to be involved in choir?

A: Short answer is: nothing. Long answer: There are many opportunities that come up throughout the year that can cost money. There is an optional choir retreat in the fall with clinics, workshops, and team-building. Some years, the senior choir students have the opportunity to travel with the band students on the senior tour. Students are also required to have a GMS black school shirt (given out free) plus formal black pants/skirts/shoes for our choir uniform.

Q: What if I can't sing well?

A: Singing is a skill that can be learned, just like playing an instrument! There are no prerequisites for choir! All students will improve their singing abilities in this course.

Q: What grade(s) is choir?

A: Choir is open to all grades! Because everyone comes into choir with the ability to make sound with their vocal chords, choir does not need a beginner level.

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