MUSIC / BAND

The Westmount band program provides opportunities from beginner to advanced levels of performance.  Student placement in the band program is determined through audition. All Band students are required to rent/purchase their instrument and supplies, and purchase their method book and workbook.  Students are also required to own the Band uniform, appropriate to their Band membership (orders are placed in late September).  A complete list of materials is distributed to registered students, or upon request.

High School students are eligible to earn 5 credits in each of their grade 10, 11 and 12 years under the course title, “Instrumental Music 10/20/30”  and marks will be submitted under this name at the completion of the school year.

Intermediate Band (Level III)
Pre-requisite:  Junior Band or 2 years of experience on instrument
This course is for students with at least 2 years of experience on their instrument, and previous experience playing in a Concert Band.  Study is more in-depth than in Junior Band and requires strong commitment to a regular practice routine.  Double bass is introduced at this level.

Senior Band (Level IV)
Pre-requisite:  Intermediate Band and Audition
Senior Band is designed for the most experienced and advanced band students.  Students must perform an audition before acceptance into the Senior Band, with emphasis placed on musicianship.

String Orchestra II
Pre-requisite:  String Orchestra I or one year of experience
Ensemble performance group for students with experience playing violin, viola, cello or double bass.  Students should have at least one year of experience playing their string instrument.  Open to Grades 6-12.  The school owns cellos and basses in limited numbers for students to play in rehearsals.  Violinists and violists are required to bring their own instrument for rehearsals.

Instrumental Jazz 15 (3 Credits)
Co-requisite:  Band 
The High School Instrumental Jazz program is a specific discipline worthy of study and is an integral part of the Fine Arts program which is process driven culminating with public performance opportunities. This genre is extremely demanding in that it provides an opportunity for students to work independently as critical thinkers, performers, and artists. Students engage in the study of complex harmonies, chordal progressions and rhythms only associated with this form of music.
Instrumental Jazz offers students the opportunity to study music as a performance based course. This unique area of study gives the student the opportunity to focus their learning by exploring and experiencing skills necessary to understand, communicate and perform publicly.  This course is created by, and offered with the permission of, Calgary Board of Education.

Jazz Band (Extra-curricular)
Junior/Senior Concert Band membership is mandatory for acceptance into one of the Jazz Bands.  Rehearsals are after school, once a week (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday).  Instrumentation is limited to alto sax, tenor sax, bari sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, drums, and guitar.

Stage Band (Extra-curricular)
Junior/Senior Concert Band membership is mandatory for acceptance into one of the Stage Bands.  Music is similar to the Jazz Bands, but instrumentation is open to any Concert Band instrument.  Stage Bands are not performance-based.  Rehearsals are after school, once a week (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday).