Branksome Hall

 branksome.on.ca

Branksome Hall (JK-12) is an IB continuum World School for girls that has been located in the downtown Toronto neighbourhood of Rosedale since 1903. The Junior School (JK-6) offers a wellrounded music curriculum including singing, recorder, baritone ukulele and transdisciplinary connections. The range of co-curricular offerings includes choirs, instrumental ensembles, musical theatre and more. In Middle School (7-8), all students choose between band, strings and vocal streams of music. Each of these streams of music continues as arts options in the Senior School (9-10), culminating with the option of IB Diploma students (11-12) choosing to study at either standard or higher level music. Branksome supports a robust Senior & Middle School co-curricular program with ensembles such as Concert Band, Wind Symphony, Jazz Band, String Orchestra, Chamber Strings and Concert Choir. Ensembles have opportunities to share their music with the community by performing at the annual Carol Service and Senior Spring Concert and other school events. The Arts Department stages a largescale theatre production every year, often featuring a majority-student pit band or orchestra. Recent shows include Narnia (2018), The Wizard of Oz (2019) and Seussical (2022). Branksome actively participates in CIS Music Festival, Ontario Band Association

Provincial Festival, Ontario Strings Association

Provincial Festival, and Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival. Branksome also has a sister school, Branksome Hall Asia, located on Jeju Island in South Korea.

Music Faculty: Adam Despinic, Agnes Ng, Luanne Schlueter, Angie Tang

Crestwood School & Preparatory College

 crestwood.on.ca

Crestwood Preparatory College is a university preparatory school for grades 7-12, which opened its doors in 2001. As part of the school’s motto of inspiring excellence and nurturing individuality, music is offered to all students, with the 7s and 8s learning as a semester course. At the same time, full-year classes are provided for students in grades 9-12. Gr. 7s spend the semester in music, learning percussion instruments, while Gr. 8-12 classes are centered on concert band instruments and performance. Beyond the core music program, Crestwood offers extracurricular music groups, including Jazz Band, Strings Club, Crestwood Voices choir and our popular Rock Band. Performance opportunities for all our groups include participation in the annual Arts and Technology Festival (one held in December and the other in May) and various school and community events ranging from Remembrance Day to graduation ceremonies and, in past years, various provincial music festivals and band trips. Another musical highlight is the Senior Concert Band performing as a pit band for the school plays, which included in past years: Treasure Island (2018), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2019), and Clue (2022). The band looks forward to providing music for this year’s production of She Kills Monsters. This year marks Crestwood Prep’s first time participating in CISMF, and we look forward to sending participants for years to come.

Music Faculty: Claudia Gurassi, Anthony Mariano