Friday 19 February 2016

Optimist Festival Dates

This is a re-post of the original from Dec. 10th.

2016 Optimist Band and Jazz festival dates were made official yesterday.

Please mark your calendars, as this is going to be one amazing festival run with 6 band at competition.

Optimist Concert Band - Convention Centre

Thursday, Feb. 25th

2:20 PM Gr. 9 Concert Band -  Performance time.
Students will be taken down and return by school bus.
12:45 Pick up at Westwood Collegiate (360 Rouge Rd) going to the Convention Centre
3:30 Pick -up at the convention centre returning to Westowod Collegiate (360 Rouge Rd)
4:00ISH - @Westwood

7:50 PM Grade 10 Concert Band - Performance
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the convention centre

3:30PM all percussionists meet in the band room to pack up instrumentation
6:50PM - All members must be at the convention centre and meet Mr. Edwards at the bottom of the main escalators.  We should be finished adjudication and photo by 8:00PM

Friday, Feb. 26th

6:05 PM - Symphonic Band

Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the convention centre

3:30PM all percussionists meet in the band room to pack up instrumentation
4:30PM  (NEW TIME) - All members must be at the convention centre and meet Mr. Edwards at the bottom of the main escalators.  We should be finished adjudication and photo by 7:00PM

Each year the Optimist festival is run by a group of dedicated volunteers from the various Optimist Clubs in Winnipeg.  For the past 7 years,in the spirit of volunteerism,  Westwood Collegiate has been the workforce that helps the administrative team pack up the festival.  All symphonic band members are encouraged to bring a change of clothes as we will be: stacking chairs, stands and putting the percussion section back in its boxes and helping festival organizers.  We will be done sometime around 9:30 with clean-up.

This does qualify for volunteer hours for those who need them.

Optimist Jazz Band - North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church 1315 Gateway.

Thursday March 3rd

2:40 PM Jr. Jazz Band -  Performance time.
Students will be taken down and return by school bus.
12:30 Pick up at Westwood Collegiate (360 Rouge Rd) going to North Kildonan Mennonite Bretheren Church 1315 Gateway
3:30 Pick -up at North Kildonan Mennonite Bretheren Church 1315 Gateway returning to Westwood Collegiate (360 Rouge Rd)
4:00ISH - @Westwood

Friday March 4th

4:40 PM Intermediate Jazz Band -  Performance time.
Students will be taken down and return by school bus.
2:30 Pick up at Westwood Collegiate (360 Rouge Rd) going to North Kildonan Mennonite Bretheren Church 1315 Gateway
5:40 Pick -up at North Kildonan Mennonite Bretheren Church 1315 Gateway returning to Westowod Collegiate (360 Rouge Rd)
6:20ish return to Westwood

Saturday March 5th
4:10 PM Sr. Jazz Band -  Performance time.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the NKMB church (1315 gateway)

Students must be at the church no later than 3:00PM
We should be finished the adjudication and photo by 5:00PM

Tuesday 9 February 2016

A note about Optimist Festival Photography


Optimist Festival 2016

Group photos from JJ Ali Photography

 JJ Ali Photography is proud to be the official photographer for the 2016 Optimist Festival.
We will provide a download of the group photo of your band(s) to you and all your musicians.
Prints will also be available for purchase at JJAliPhotography.com after
 the completion of the event.
One 8x12 print of each band will be sent to your school.
Your musicians won't have to worry about bringing money to order photos at the festival!
All they'll have to worry about is being a musician. 
All the group photo files will be available within a week
of the end of the festival. An email will be sent to you once the files are ready to be downloaded.
They will be available to download for 30 days only!

Please share this information with your students.
And if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us.
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Our new Practice Buddy



Tired of trying to play along with the recordings with your tiny built-in phone speaker?


Frustrated by running up to the stereo in the band room to pause and play the music for your sectional?

While feel frustrated no more.....  we're very excited to announce that the band room has a new practice buddy.  

Introduction the new BOSE mini bluetooth speaker.  You can easily hook up your device via bluetooth so that you can play  along with any or our band songs in any practice room.  

See Mr. Edwards to sign out this awesome addition to our program.

Monday 8 February 2016

Brandon Jazz Final Payment

By now you should have made two payments towards this tour.  If you have not please make sure you have made those payments in addition to the final one.  Brandon Jazz final payment has been set at $105.00.  School cash on line will open for this 3rd payment on Tuesday the 9th.  We ask that the final payment be made by Monday Feb. 15. For more information, click the BRANDON JAZZ 2016 link above.

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