About Our Classes

New Horizons Band of Toronto is a music education and performance program for mature adults who wish to play a concert band instrument in a friendly group setting.  Concert band instruments are:  flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba, bells, xylophone, drums & many other percussion instruments.  We offer band classes ranging from absolute beginner to advanced levels, conducted by experienced, professional music directors.  Classes are held once per week in the daytime or evening.  We also offer enrichment classes in jazz performance for members of our regular band classes. All classes are committed to supporting the work of ALL composers, including composers of color, female composers, and Canadian composers. We do not offer keyboard, strings or vocal instruction at this time.

Concert Band Classes

Beginner I

This class is open to new or “newish” woodwind, brass, and percussion players. If you have had one year (or less) experience playing, then this class is for you. This class is also open to anyone who wishes to learn a new concert band instrument.

The Beginner I class teaches instrument technique and basic music reading and rudiments, with a focus on posture, embouchure and getting a good characteristic sound from your instrument. No musical experience is necessary. This class performs at one NHBT concert each term.

Instrument Loaner Program: Each new registrant in the beginners’ program will be provided with a loaner instrument for the first term.  Some conditions may apply. This instrument loan program was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Our instrument petting zoo will take place on Monday September 12^th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at our rehearsal location. During this time, you can try out a variety of instruments and our teachers will help you pick the one that is right for you!

Classes for this level begin on Monday, September 19^th, 2022.

Beginner II

This welcomes players of any concert woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments with a moderate amount of band experience on their instrument – 1-2 years playing in a concert band setting.

In this class, the focus is on playing together as a group and following the conductor, while exploring a wide range of musical styles. Members of this class will play contemporary music, traditional concert band styles, and holiday-themed songs in a concert band ensemble. This class performs in public at two NHBT concerts per year.

Prerequisites: Rent/own an instrument or purchase a stick/mallet kit if playing percussion. Be able to read notes in the clef of your instrument, including above and below the staff.

Play the Concert B-flat Major scale, one octave.

Read rhythms in 3/4, 2/4, and 4/4 time including whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes.

Should not be writing in note names, fingerings, slide positions.

For percussion: Vic Firth rudiments – single stroke roll, flam, paradiddle (both hands), scales as above on mallet instruments.

Concert Band

This class welcomes players of any concert woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments with some band experience on their instrument – 2+ years playing in a Concert Band setting is recommended.

In this class, the focus is on performing pieces with dynamics, articulation, and expression, while following the conductor and playing as a group. This band is for those who wish to be challenged on their instrument and explore a wide range of musical styles in traditional concert band instrumentation. This class performs in public at two NHBT concerts per year.

Prerequisites: Rent/own an instrument or purchase a stick/mallet kit if playing percussion

Be able to read notes in the clef of your instrument, including up to two ledger lines above and below the staff

Be able to follow a conductor

Play the Concert B-flat Major scale, two octaves

Play Concert C, F, and E-flat Major scales (one or two octaves)

Play Concert g minor scale – all three forms

Read rhythms in 3/4, 2/4, 4/4, and 6/8 time including whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and dotted rhythms

For percussion: Vic Firth rudiments – double stroke roll, ratamacue, paradiddle (both hands), scales as above on mallet instruments

Symphonic Band

This class welcomes players of any concert woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Open to anyone who has significant band experience on their instrument – 4+ years playing in a Concert Band setting.

In this class, the focus is on developing a diverse repertoire and moving at a quicker pace while still creating enjoyable musical experiences. The class will perform pieces at tempo with good intonation, style, and expression. This band is for those who wish to be challenged on their instrument and explore a wide range of musical styles in traditional concert band instrumentation. This class performs in public at NHBT concerts and for special events in the community.

Prerequisites:

Rent/own an instrument or purchase a stick/mallet kit if playing percussion

Play with a characteristic tone.

Play the Concert B-flat Major scale and Concert g minor scale (all three forms) two octaves, from memory

Play Concert C, F, and E-flat Major scales (one or two octaves), and their relative minor scales

Read rhythms in simple, compound, and cut time. Mixed meter is used frequently.

For percussion: Vic Firth rudiments – double stroke roll, ratamacue, paradiddle (both hands), scales as above on mallet instruments, timpani skills

Wind Ensemble

This class welcomes experienced players of concert woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. This ensemble is limited to players with significant band experience on their instrument – 4+ years playing in a concert band setting. A performance assessment may be required for placement in this class.

The focus of this class is on developing a diverse repertoire for performance and moving at a quicker pace while still creating enjoyable musical experiences. The class aims to perform challenging pieces at tempo with good intonation, style, and expression. This band is for those who wish to be challenged on their instrument and explore a wide range of musical styles in traditional concert band instrumentation. This class performs in public at NHBT concerts and at numerous public events throughout the year. This class also creates reference recordings for other classes.

Prerequisites:

Rent/own an instrument or purchase a stick/mallet kit if playing percussion

Play with a characteristic tone

Play Concert Major and minor scales from five flats to three sharps – two octaves where possible, minor all three forms – from memory

Read rhythms in simple, compound, and cut time. Mixed meter is used frequently 

For percussion: Vic Firth rudiments – double stroke roll, ratamacue, paradiddle (both hands), scales as above on mallet instruments, timpani skills

Jazz Classes

To join a jazz class in person, members must also be enrolled in a concert band class. Those who wish to join online only do not have a co-requisite.

Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved in advance by the class teacher and the Head of Education. No exceptions will be granted until after 1 September 2022 and only apply for the term of registration.

A playing assessment may be required for jazz class enrollment

Intermediate Big Band – Course Description

This class will incorporate playing and listening to music of the jazz and Big Band era, examining classic models such as Les Brown and his orchestra, Benny Carter, and The Dorsey Brothers. It is open to all concert band instruments, but a musically balanced ensemble in the “live” format is to the advantage of all participants. 

Members will develop facility with swing rhythms and style patterns, participate in weekly studies and exercises geared toward achieving technical and creative proficiency within the idiom, and play arrangements that utilize the full sound spectrum available to the ensemble, all while encouraging independence between the woodwind, brass and rhythm sections.

Improvisation will be a component of the class, but within a nurturing, supportive, and fun environment.

Jazz and Swing are musical genres that require a certain amount of technical proficiency. This is not music that one learns how to play an instrument with. Members should be playing at the NHBT Concert Band level or above to benefit most from this class. For this ensemble, the drummer must be able to work 4 limbs independently and in time, and pitch players must be able to play, from the bottommost to topmost note on their instrument, the scales of concert Bb, Eb, Ab, C, F, G, D, A and their relative harmonic minor scales.

To join a jazz class in person, members must also be enrolled in a concert band class. Those who wish to join online only do not have a co-requisite.

Jazz Orchestra – Course Description

This ensemble is open to advanced rhythm section players – bass, drum kit, piano, guitar, vibraphone – and saxophones, trombones and trumpets, coalescing in an instrumentally balanced band that can take advantage of the wealth of good material available to the large jazz ensembles of today. 

Classes will consist of skill building exercises related to the genre, and as much repertoire as possible. Improvisation is expected of those who may have a solo appear in their part in any given piece, at any given time.

Participants who have completed at least one season of Intermediate Big Band and are playing at the NHBT Symphonic Band level or above will benefit most from this class. Wind players who can play all major and minor scales and arpeggios, covering the full range of their instruments, will be most comfortable in this group.

To join a jazz class in person, members must also be enrolled in a concert band class. Those who wish to join online only do not have a co-requisite.