September 2025 Update

New Website: This is the new website for the St. John XXIII Music Program! This website will primarily be for the Junior High side of the program where updates will be published for families so they are in the know about what is happening in our fantastic music program. This is part of our music program's vision of growing through community engagement and community awareness. This website will be updated on a monthly basis (typically in the first few days of a month) with general information about our music program. Concert programs will also be published here and we will be providing more information about the benefits of taking music as well as scholarship information for students who choose to continue taking music into high school and beyond.

Concerts: This year there will be two concerts, both of which will be at the West Meadows Baptist Church located at 9333 199 St NW, Edmonton, AB.

• Winter Concert: Thursday, January 22, 2026 (Start time 6:30PM; student sound check 5:00PM)

• Spring Concert: Thursday, May 21, 2026 (Start time 6:30PM; student sound check 5:00PM)

Course Outlines: Junior High families, please ensure that you have gone through the course outline for your child's Music class. There is important information about grading, practice, and concerts this year. Course outlines are available here for your viewing.

Grade 7 Music Course Outline
Grade 8 Music Course Outline
Grade 9 Music Course Outline

Instrument Rental Form: Families, please remember to print out and fill in the Instrument Rental Form before Friday, September 26, 2025 if your child is using a school-owned instrument. The form has been attached below for easy access. Percussionists, please fill in "Percussion" when completing the form and there is no need to fill in an instrument serial number.

Instrument Rental Form

Student Individual Practice (Starting September 22): Junior High families, please note that weekly home practice is a very important part of your child's music education. In this year's course outline, students are expected (at the Junior High level) to spend an average of 2 hours each week practicing their instrument. Students are strongly encouraged to practice the concert music they are provided in class however students may seek out other sheet music online if they would like to go above and beyond what they are learning in class. Percussion students: We have 4 portable percussion sets that can be taken home on a nightly basis and can be signed out on a first-come-first-served basis. Students who do not have the ability to practice at home, or where practice time is limited at home can practice in the music room Mondays and Fridays from 7:30-8:10am as well as lunch recess on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If it is not possible to reach the full 2 hours weekly, please aim to at least get the majority of that completed each week.

Students are not expected to practice during major breaks such as Christmas Break and Spring Break, but they may take their instruments home during those times.

Practice vs. Rehearsal: Please note that during the school day, scheduled music classes are classified as "rehearsals." This means that we spend the time preparing pre-prepared music that has been practiced in advance. Practice is reserved as individual student work that is completed outside of class time. It is important to build a habit of regular individual practice so students are well prepared for high school music and beyond.

New to Band? Students who are new to our Junior High music program will be selecting a woodwind or brass instrument they would like to focus on throughout this school year. Students may choose to play the flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone/euphonium, or tuba. Depending on the class, percussion may be an option as long as there isn't a large percussion section already.