Music Programs

Clayburn Middle School provides a host of music performance opportunities that include: 

• Grade 6 Band
• Grade 7 Band
• Grade 8 Band
• Jazz Band

Grade 6/7/8 Concert Band

A concert band consists of wind instruments and a percussion section.  Students joining concert band can choose one of the following instruments:

Check out the following resources for more information on Concert Bands and their instruments:

King’s Music “Introduction to Band”:

https://youtu.be/jgACbLrAMlU

Tom Lee Music “Instrument Safari”:

http://tomleemusic.ca/instrument-safari/

Band PODs

At Clayburn Middle School, band students are organized into PODs.  Each POD contains 2-3 class groups of students.  Grade 6/7/8 Band students are organized into approximately 15-20 grade-level groups.  Each group of band students will comprise part of a POD and be combined with a group of non-band students.  All grade 6/7/8 band classes occur within regular school hours, and band pod teachers accommodate band students with their class schedule to ensure that no instructional time is missed in the traditional classroom.  Registration is limited to 60 students per grade and will be prioritized on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Band Registration

Band registration occurs in late May, and band sign-up forms are due to the school office by the second Friday of June.  Here is some more specific information on band registration:

Grade 5 Students

Band Sign-up forms are sent to each of our Feeder Elementary Schools in May and are distributed to Grade 5 students/families by the Grade 5 Teachers.  Sign-up forms can be completed and returned to the Grade 5 Classroom teacher, who will send them to Clayburn Middle School through the inter-school mail system.

Grade 6 & 7 Band Students

Band Sign-up forms are distributed to our Grade 6 & 7 Band students during band class in late May. Forms must be completed and returned to the school office before the due date.

New Students to Clayburn Middle

If your child is new to Clayburn Middle School, they can request a band sign-up form through the school office at the time of registration.  You must ask for the form at the time of registration, as you cannot register for the band once the registration process is complete and your child has been assigned to a class.

Music Fee & Instrument Rentals

There is a fee of $20 for each student who registers in the band.  This fee covers the cost of purchasing method books, music arrangements, and other music supplies.  This fee does not cover the costs of renting an instrument.  Students are required to rent their instruments.  The school owns some of the larger, more costly instruments needed in the band.  The school can provide limited quantities of Tubas, Baritones, Double Bass, and Bass Clarinets. These instruments are available at a reduced rental charge to help cover the costs of cleaning and maintaining the instrument.  Please get in touch with Mr. Long if you want your child to use a school instrument. Also, please get in touch with Mr. Long or the school office regarding financial assistance for school-owned instrument rental and/or the music fee.

Jazz Band

The Clayburn Middle School Jazz Band is an extra-curricular performance group for band students looking for more challenging music-engaging performances and wanting to rock out to classic rock and jazz tunes.  The Jazz Band performs at several additional events in the local area and also plans a 2-night/3-day tour in April.  Jazz Band is exclusively for students already registered in the Grade 6/7/8 band. We open up piano, bass guitar, electric guitar, and drum spots to students not in the round. However, priority is first given to band students.

Registration

Jazz Band registration forms are distributed to band students during the second week of school in September.  Forms must be completed and returned to Mr. Long promptly.

Instrumentation

Jazz band instrumentation is limited in comparison to Concert Band.  It features saxophones (Alto, Tenor, and Bari), brass (Trumpets and Trombones), and rhythm (Piano, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, and Drum kit).  Clarinets can play the trumpet parts, Baritones (Euphoniums) can play the trombone parts, and Tubas can play Electric Bass.  If your child wants to join the Jazz Band but does not play one of the instruments above, please have them speak with Mr. Long to see what options are available.

Rehearsal – Wednesday, 7:15 am to 8:15 am

While Jazz Band rehearsal is scheduled on Wednesdays from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m., students must be ready to play at 7:15 a.m.  Mr. Long will open the band room at 7:00 a.m. and expects students to arrive between 7:00 and 7:10 a.m. to set up and prepare for rehearsal.  We work hard, but the trial is much more different than band rehearsal as we are Rocking Out with a complete Rhythm Section!

Jazz Band Rhythm Sectionals

Jazz Band Rhythm section will rehearse on Fridays at Lunch on an "as-needed basis." Rhythm Sectionals will be announced during rehearsal on Wednesday by Mr. Long when necessary.