Moose Jaw is used to hosting school bands during the month of May for the annual Moose Jaw

Band
and Choral Festival, but this year Peacock Jazz Band has taken on performing at the Vic Lewis Festival in
Canmore, AB. “It is really difficult to get a band ready to play this early in the year”, says Cameron
Church director of the band. “Often in jazz band students are not only exploring music in a new style,
but often are playing a second instrument, dealing with the intricacies that come with that. Students
are challenged to not just read the music, but also create their own as they improvise in solo sections.
There are fewer people on a part which helps each student to gain greater independence and
confidence in their own playing abilities.” The band is comprised of 15 students in grade 9-12 in the
music program. Through the last few years the band has had a chance to perform with Kelly Jefferson,
RCAF Jet Stream and take in clinics with other jazz professionals. “A festival opportunity like Vic Lewis is
unique for our students because they will have not just a performance opportunity and full band clinic,
but they will have instrument specific clinicians working alongside of them on top of that. We also get
to hear a couple of concerts featuring the clinicians at the festival. You never know what experience or
musical sound will inspire a student

Students have been fundraising through bottle drives and pizza sales within the school, but will
also be hosting a Rib and Caesar Night on Thursday, October 25th at Humpty’s to help offset the costs of
the trip. Tickets to the event are available at the door from 4-8pm or at the school leading up to the
event. If you would like to hear the band perform, they will featured on a December 14th concert at the
Mae Wilson Theatre along with the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra. Tickets for that event can be purchased
through the Mae Wilson box office.