Rehearsing in Person!

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We are also offering an option to tune in to rehearsals via zoom. There may be times that this will be necessary for anyone in the band, for example if you have been travelling outside of our YT/BC/Nunavut/NWT bubble in the previous 14 days, if you have been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID or if you are feeling sick (even just a little sick, even if you think "it's just a cold") - in these cases, please DO NOT come to rehearsal. It's so important that we are extra careful when we meet to keep us all safe and also to show that we are able to do this safely.

So with that in mind, we have many things in place that will help to remind us of the Safe Six and as it applies to our particular situation of playing instruments together. Rehearsals will look very different, with spacing considerations and frequent sanitizing to be considered:

  • sanitize your hands when entering and leaving each rehearsal space;

  • sanitize your hands after wiping down, blowing out or draining the saliva from your instrument;

  • sanitize your hands before leaving your chair at the end of each 30 minute rehearsal period; and

  • sanitize your hands after touching your face.

Furthermore, it will be incredibly important to keep the hard surfaces we touch sanitized. So, with that in mind, we are in need of a volunteer coordinator for this year of COVID who will be responsible for making sure there is always someone available to do the necessary sanitizing. It would be good to cycle through as many people as we can so it's not just one person doing these jobs every week so maybe setting up a google poll or something similar will help. Here are the jobs we need done before and after each rehearsal:

  • sanitize high touch surfaces before and after rehearsals such as door handles of PCSS Entrance 3 and all doors between PCSS cafeteria and the Band Room;
  • sanitize the surfaces of the two bathrooms on the corridor between the cafeteria and the band room (i.e., door handles, the flush, taps and sink surfaces) before and after rehearsals;
  • make sure supplies of extra personal hand sanitizer and absorbent cloths are sufficient and hand them out when needed;
  • make sure our safety and direction posters are up for the beginning of rehearsal;
  • make sure everything is tucked away again and stored in the band room.

Join us!

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Thanks to everyone who has jumped in with two feet and signed up for band this year! For those who may still be on the fence (understandably given this new strange reality), it might help to know that we have waived band fees this year. We know it's hard to know at this point whether you will find it a good fit, but this way, you can try it out and see what you think without the pressure of a financial loss. And remember, there are a number of ways to be involved, from large to small ensemble, solo or duet jazz standards with your very own rhythm section and even working on a new instrument. I'm sure as we go along this road there will be more opportunities for creativity too... And if you want to find out more and ask any questions of your fearless band directors, Toby and Alex, remember to tune into next week's zoom calls (call in details will follow):

  • Tuesday 25th August (7-9pm) First Senior Band rehearsal and information meeting (8:30pm)
  • Wednesday 26th August (6:30-8pm) First Junior Band rehearsal and information meeting (7:30pm)
  • Thursday 27th august (7pm) Grade 8 Band parent and student information meeting

All-City Lives!

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Hi everyone, my goodness, there is so much going on in all our lives these days and so many unknowns. But, I wanted to reach out to let you know that no matter what, we have an exciting year of music making ahead. We may have to expand our horizons a bit and add some more strings to our bows but with that can come great opportunities and growth for all of us. 

As you know, as it stands right now, only non-wind instrumentalists can gather together to play (oh you lucky percussionists and guitar players!).  So following YTG Health and Social Services COVID safety protocols, our rehearsals, concerts and events will not be taking their normal form. However, this is not going to stop us making music together.  Your wonderful band teachers and administration team have had their creative caps on to plan a program that will keep us playing and having fun all through this upcoming season.  This is an exciting time when we have the opportunity to join our worldwide musical community who are also wrestling with the challenges of making music during this time and to share in novel approaches to music making.  More details on this will be coming soon but until then, there is an exciting initiative out of Metchosin, British Columbia - The Metchosin Virtual Community Concert Band, that we can become involved in right now that will whet our appetites for what we can do ourselves in the coming months. Our very own Katie Clare-Ennis has offered to post updates of her journey through this medium which will help us all understand how it works.  If this sounds interesting to you please go to https://www.metchosincommunityconcertband.org/join-the-virtual-band and choose the piece (or pieces) you would like to play. You can get an idea of the level and sound of the piece before you register. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully so you know what’s expected of the recording you will submit and also to get parent/guardian permission to sign up. The deadline for submission of recordings is coming soon, Monday 24th August, so don’t delay if you’re interested. You’ll also need to be able to make an online purchase of $10 per piece to register. You can then submit a receipt of payment to be reimbursed by All-City Band for this cost of registration (before 31st August please). If you cannot make an online purchase, please let me know and I’ll contact Metchosin Community Band directly to cover costs (allcitybandwhitehorse@gmail.com).   Thanks everyone and stay tuned for more updates, Marie.

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Alex James joins All-City Band!

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Introducing our new FH Collins band teacher and All-City Band Music Director Alexander James! Welcome to the ACBS family!

Alexander James developed a love for music growing up in Pickering, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, and Anishinabewaki. After graduating from Dunbarton High School where he played percussion in the senior concert band, and bass and then guitar in the senior jazz band, Alex attended York University where he achieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts focusing on music composition. Here he participated in a wide range of performance groups, including jazz choir, Japanese music ensemble, and Canadian Celtic folk ensemble. He then completed his Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University in the Outdoor and Experiential Education program.

Alex served as a board member of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada from 2012 to 2015 and continues to advocate for the importance of music education for all students.

In his spare time Alex loves to get outdoors. You can often find him mountain biking, fishing, or paddling.

In 2017 Alex moved to Pelly Crossing, Yukon Territory to teach music, art, english, and social studies for Selkirk First Nation. He comes to F.H. Collins Secondary School and the All City Band Society excited to take on new challenges and learn from the Whitehorse music community.

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Yukon Summer Music Camp

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If you are intending to go to the YSMC and play your band instrument, ask All-City Band for money!!! Scholarship expectations apply.

That's right Music Camp fans,

Yukon Summer Music Camp (with the approval of our Shakespeare-quoting CMOH and his team of accidental hero's at Health and Social Services) is actually happening from July 27 - 31 at the Yukon Arts Centre and the Old Fire Hall (thank you to Casey, Michele, Josh, Brenda and the whole YAC team) and Whispering Willows Recording Studio (big props to Matthew Lien).

We will be offering 38 wonderful, magical, amazing music classes for you all to enjoy.

If you've never experienced the awesome thing that Music Camp is, you're in for a massive treat.

Registration opens Tuesday June 16 - Stay tuned for our opening announcement!

We'll be posting on Artsnet, our website https://www.yukonmusic.ca/, on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yukonsummermusiccamp/, and instagram @yukonsummermusiccamp. Like us, follow us, ask to join our mailing list - get ready to click..

See you at camp folks!

Kat, Sophia and Team Music Camp x

PS: Here's a sneak peak at our class schedule to whet your whistle...

*Please note: This is the proposed schedule. Slight changes may occur before registration opens on Tuesday.

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Katherine McCallum
Yukon Summer Music Camp Coordinator
867.335.2288
www.yukonmusic.ca
www.facebook.com/yukonsummermusiccamp

Scholarships!

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All-City Band is offering scholarships for summer music courses! Usually we include a portion of travel expenses, however this year will be a bit different. There are courses online that will be considered for funding and private lessons will also be considered. As always, please fill out our usual scholarship form to apply (link below). The amount of funding will be based on funds available and the number of applications received. Funds for successful applicants will be distributed AFTER handing in confirmation of payment for music courses/lessons.

ANY band member may apply with the following conditions:

-Funding will only be for programs on instruments that will be played in our bands (concert or jazz).

-Applicants must guarantee that they will be in the PCSS/FH/All-City Band Programs for 2020/21. If not, money awarded must be returned. 

-Adult members may apply for scholarships however, preference will be given to youth members.

Go to https://allcityband.com/scholarships to download the PDF scholarship form. 

The deadline has been extended to JUNE 1ST.

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Goodbye & Welcome!

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After an engaging stint as Administrator Awesomeness, Tara Leenders is passing the torch to Marie Gallagher. Welcome Administrator Marie to the Admin team for All-City Band!

Marie started playing bassoon at 13 years old while in High School in Edinburgh. It wasn’t long before she was spending most of her evenings and holidays playing in various youth orchestras and touring Europe and the US. Later, while studying ecology at university, she played with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland as well as the Edinburgh Festival Orchestra and other semi-professional orchestras in the UK. These days Marie has been playing classical music on bassoon with Celestial Winds and Orchestra North as well as some funky baselines in the Fiddleheads Back Up Band. Marie has also recently begun studying the Irish whistle and plays with other traditional musicians here in Whitehorse.

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COVID-19 Band update

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18 March 2020

Regretfully, in light of COVID-19, All-City Bands is suspending it's rehearsal and performance season until further notice. With schools closed and the risk of spreading the virus to the vulnerable in our community, rehearsals are out of the question. Included in our cancellation notice are the following events:

  • The Jazz Band Communities trip to Haines Junction, Burwash Landing, and Beaver Creek April 2nd to 4th
  • Elementary School Concerts for April 7th to 9th
  • Rotary Music Festival April 21st to 25th.

The Yukon Arts Centre is closed until after the Easter break, but will likely continue to be closed for longer given the seriousness of the national response to the Corona virus. It is highly unlikely the May 4th concert will occur given the virus trend and the fact that rehearsals will have been suspended. That being said, we will keep you posted if there is any possibility of a performance that night.

The Band trip to MusicFest Canada 2020 is also looking like it'll be cancelled. We haven't received official word that the event itself is cancelled, but given the gravity of concern about rate of infection in Calgary, it's safe to bet that a cancellation notice will occur any day. Convincing members to attend MusicFest in light of an infected populace in Calgary would not be in our best interests. We will be looking into any possible refund possibilities and keep you posted on that front. A formal announcement regarding the MusicFest Canada trip will be forthcoming as soon as we receive further information.

Our Spring Purdy's Chocolate order is still on track with one exception...pick up will be changed to Wednesday, April 1st. All sellers will still be responsible to pick up their orders. We will be implementing heightened safety measures with our packaging and distribution. Sellers, please watch your email for further details.