Band

The CCAA Band Department has been a vital and dynamic part of the Music Department for its past 30 years. We proudly carry our reputation of being fun-loving, dynamic and dedicated to music and each other.

Teachers, along with Guest Artists engage students in a variety of small and large ensembles which are level appropriate to students’ musical skills. For our youngest students in Grade 7-9 we have our Junior Winds, which is the TCDSB Honour Band. Our Grade 9-10 students form the Intermediate Concert Winds, and our senior students are part of the Wind Symphony. Although most of our ensembles are grade specific, we encourage students to be part of as many groups as possible. This allows younger students with advanced musical skills to join the upper level ensembles. Our most popular ensemble is the Jazz Band, which is open to all grades, and students from other arts areas as well. The Jazz Combo is a student-led, self-driven ensemble who performs in many in and outside of school events.

We are excited to be able to collaborate with other departments in events like the school musical and integrated school performances. Our traditional pit orchestras always include senior students from the Band department who are able to play multiple instruments at an advanced level. Typically, our Grade 11 students work with the Dance Department to create collaborative performances in the Spring.

Within the Band Department, we run ensemble sectionals led by student section leaders and our senior students have the opportunity to conduct. Our collaborative, class based chamber ensembles are popular with the students, and always achieve high standards with their performances.

Peer mentoring is an integral part of the Band Department. Students in every grade work with younger peers to mentor them on basic performance skills and build positive connections throughout the years. Our senior students visit elementary schools and assist students as expert instrumentalists.

We are truly proud of our concert bands, Jazz Band and chamber ensembles who enter the Ontario Band Association Festival and the Kiwanis Music Festival bi-annually, and always perform at the highest level amongst all Ontario schools.

Alternating with the local Festivals and Competitions, we take part in a Festival based Trip to Canadian or International destinations, which have always been the highlight of the Band Department. We took part in the Cantando Music Festival in April 2024 in Whistler, BC where all of our ensembles achieved the Gold standing. Our Festival Winds and Jazz Band received a special mention and were invited to perform at the closing concert. Our integrated performances with the dance department were a highlight of this Festival.

Our graduates are amongst the most successful musicians in and around the World. We have a 100% acceptance rate to top Universities and many of our graduates receive scholarships and multiple offers to institutions like University of Toronto, Glenn Gould School of Music, McGill University, Berklee School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman School of Music.