Please print off a copy and bring to the WSS front office or email Linda Jensen at: linda_jensen@s42.ca

Poster design: Audrey S

Please complete this form by March 30th, 2023

Sept 18th start, 2023- Time TBD

Feb/ March 2023 for Sept 2024

Many thanks to: Emma H for creating the poster, our videographer and yearbook photographer, to Alex P for running the soundboard, Eli and Luna for their help with the stereo,  and Kaylib for yearbook, as well.

Editor: Gary Jensen

Our next concert is January 25th, 2023

Your son/ daughter will have band 8 all Semester 2and still have a rotation of elective classes for Semester 1. Band is FREE. If securing an instrument is a challenge for your family please contact Mrs. Jensen at ljensen@sd42.ca and arrangements will be made for you. 

Instruments in the band class: 

Flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, percussion and bass.

WSS Students Hitting a Virtual high Note- SD42 Website May 20th, 2020

Westview Secondary music director Linda Jensen has a flute in her hand, and her MacBook is propped up on a trumpet case as she conducts a Zoom session from her dining room with her Beginning Band 6/7 class.

“It did my heart good to be able to connect, talk, and answer questions today with my band students,” she says.

Since the suspension of in-class instruction, Jensen has embraced new technology and come up with creative online exercises to keep her choir, band and jazz band students engaged with distance learning. 

In late March, Jensen sent students an online survey asking them how they would like to continue learning to play/sing. “Overwhelmingly, they wanted to continue with learning the songs we would have for term three, had we been in the classroom,” she explains.

So, Jensen started by setting up a website where she could set up weekly notes to the students and lessons to keep them engaged.  “I create video recordings of myself singing or playing their parts for designated sections of the pieces we are currently working on.”

To do that, she has set up a virtual recording studio in her dining room where she has all her instruments – piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and improvised percussion as well as a microphone and recording equipment to connect to her laptop. “I alternate between a playing/singing lesson and a listening activity.” 

She is also Zooming with her Beginning Band 6/7 class once a week to help those students individually because they are new to their instruments and require real-time feedback.

For choir, she has posted the recordings of the three songs they are working on and then she posts a video of herself going through the two or three parts, along with publishing warmup activities. 

“I also have recordings up for all the band classes to listen to and play along with,” she says, noting that she requests students to submit a 30-second recording of their progress by email. 

Recently, she gave students a listening exercise where they were to try and find two songs that were similar to each other, such as David Bowie’s Life On Mars? and Shiny from Moana. 

“I had some amazing results with that one.”

Another recent assignment was to listen to a virtual concert and answer 10 feedback questions. “I got this idea from Tim Burns at THSS,” she says.

 Jensen is also playing her instruments most nights at 7 pm – either solo or with her 19-year-old son – as a salute to health-care workers.  

“We post 45-second clips on my WSSMusic1180 Twitter and Instagram accounts. I have been encouraging my students to play outside at 7 pm, and parents have been sending me the video of them doing so!” 

Jensen finds that social media helps to keep students engaged. One week, she ran a series of photos featuring odd instruments and asked them to guess the names. She also posts tidbits of instrument knowledge, music cartoons and more.

 “I am trying to keep the students enthusiastic about learning music, having them continue to play or sing and learn something along the way,” she says.

“I miss being in the classroom in a big way. I have always loved teaching through music, and this is a challenge for me right now, and I am sure for my students. Some of the students have sent me notes telling me they feel a sense of comfort in seeing me on the website and engaging in our lessons. Music helps us.” 

Welcome to the 75+ new beginning band students starting Feb 8-12! 

Homework this week is page 6 in the SOE red book 1. Working on producing a sound and placing our fingers in the right spots :) 

Whole Note= 4 counts Whole Rest=  counts of silence 

Thanks Audrey! 

Please, keep your distance if you come across a bear! Bears are dangerous. DO NOT APPROACH. Back away slowly, eyes down, try to stay calm and no screaming! 

One of the silver linings during this COVID-19 pandemic, is that I as am being forced to stay at home, I have looked to my roots with regards to playing and singing music.  I play my flute more now in my personal life than at any other time in the past 23 years.  I lost my voice yesterday, from singing so much to Karaoke! 

When I was in high school I fell in love with music. I played in the Concert Band, Jazz Band, sang in the school choir club and my church choir as well played flute in the Community Concert Band. My life was full of music, so when my dad told me at age 13 to ..."get a job doing what you'll love and you will never work a day in your life..." I looked around me. I loved music and Guiding. I loved working with other children my age (11-18). So, from that moment in grade 8, I made it my personal goal to become a teacher and learn all the instruments I possibly could (and could afford).  I love teaching :) I teach through music and I look forward to getting up and going to 'work' every single day. 

I miss my students. I miss the personal interactions. I miss giving feedback (like a coach). I miss the team work.  It is difficult for us all, at this time. Please.... don't give up on your musical journey.... I won't give up on you, either. 

Be well,

Mrs. Jensen 

"Lean on me when you're not strong..."