In all instrumental music courses, students learn music theory, music history, listening, dictation, ear training and the performance of repertoire, studies, chamber music, technique and solos. There is opportunity to compose and arrange music, attend performances throughout the city as field trips and plan and perform in your own solo recital as a senior student.
Brass woodwind and percussion instruments are taught in Instrumental Band classes, grades 7-12. All students are placed in a large performing ensemble:
Junior Winds plays repertoire at the 200-300 level
Intermediate Concert Winds plays repertoire at the 300-400 level
Senior Wind Symphony plays repertoire at the 500-600 level
Jazz Band with an open-training option as well as a core group
All students are placed in an ensemble according to their playing and reading ability,
regardless of age or grade. All bands participate in Music Festivals such as: the Ontario Band Association Concert Band Festival, the Kiwanis Music Festival, and the TCDSB Music Festival.
Awards Our ensembles participate yearly in OBA Concert Band Festival and the Kiwanis Music Festival. The band department received over 15 first place awards in the Kiwanis Music Festival from 1992- 2005. Here are some of the other awards they've received more recently:
2006 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award
2007 Gold Award Brass Section of Excellence Award
2008 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award
2009 Gold Award Brass & Percussion Sections of Excellence Awards
2010 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award
2011 Gold Award Brass & Woodwind Sections of Excellence Awards
2012 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award
2013 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award, Overall Excellent Ensemble Award
2014 Gold Award Brass Section of Excellence Award
2015 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award, Overall Excellent Ensemble Award
2016 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award, Overall Excellent Ensemble Award, Kiwanis-Jazz Band 1st Place Provincial Final, 1st Place Challenge Class Provincial Finals, 1st Place
2017 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award, Overall Excellent Ensemble Award, Kiwanis-Jazz Band 1st Place Provincial Final, Two 1st Place Challenge Class Provincial Finals
2018 Gold Award Woodwind Section of Excellence Award, Overall Excellent Ensemble Award, Kiwanis-Jazz Band 1st Place
Jazz Program Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts has two extra curricular Jazz groups: a Big Band (Jazz Band),that plays jazz, big band swing, Latin fusion and improvised pieces, and Jazz Combo a smaller group that workshops its own arrangements and is highly improvisatory. In the spring of 2017, the Jazz Band worked with world reknowned conductor and adjudicator, Dr. Dale Lonis.
Band Tours The Wind Symphony has traveled nationally and internationally to perform and has received the following awards:
2006 Ottawa ON MusicFest National Finals Gold award
2007 Montréal QB Rhythms International Festival Superior (1st Place)
2008 New York NY Heritage Music Festival Gold Award & Best Ensemble
2010 Chicago IL Heritage Music Festival Gold Award & Best Ensemble
2012 Cleveland OH
2014 New York NY Carnegie Hall Festival
2016 Washington DC Rhythms International Festival Superior (1st Place)
2018 Whistler, BC Cantando Music Festival