The Choral department consists of the 100-voice Concert Choir, an auditioned Chamber Choir, Evolution Choir (Jr Chamber), a Treble Choir (Seraphims), Low Voices Chorus (Troubadours), and “In Groove” Vocal Jazz ensemble. The award winning Magee Chamber Choir is the premier auditioned musical ensemble at Magee and is composed of senior level students dedicated to creating music at a very high level of choral artistry in a variety of styles and genres. Each member of the Chamber Choir is involved in at least 2 other ensembles including the large 100 voice concert choir, vocal jazz, and either a men’s or ladies ensemble. Some Chamber Choir members choose to sing with the evolution choir as well as mentors/peer tutors. The members of all choirs at Magee are devoted to the pursuit of musical excellence through the learning, understanding, and performance of quality repertoire and the sharing of musical joy, for it is through sharing music with one and other that we are able to grow as musicians and as people; making connections in our own lives, and with others.
The Magee Senior Strings Ensemble is made up of 25 talented members from grades 8 through 12. These senior members are part of a larger 70 piece Magee String Orchestra who rehearse for 80 minutes everyday of the week in semester 1. The Magee String Orchestra is on timetable in semester 1 and the Senior Strings Ensemble is off timetable mostly rehearsing in the mornings before school. Working on a vast array of repertoire, they have been challenged by transcriptions of major works, as well as pieces with varied styles and tempi. From classics from the baroque, romantic, and even further back, to opera choruses, ballet, and modern styles, this group has no boundaries in its drive to continually improve and to explore all facets of music. The group is very diverse in the member’s experience; we have students who have played for 2 years and some who have played for 14. They have built a special kinship of mentoring and encouraging each other. The one thing about this ensemble is that whatever they are playing, whether it is a sweet fluid line that makes the heart quiver, or a bouncing melody to get your toes tapping, they always play with energy and passion. And because of this, in the recent years they have continuously grown in numbers as well as musicality and matured as a group and as young people. They love to share their music with others!
The Magee Band department currently consists of over 300 students involved in 4 levels of concert band: Grade 8 Band (mixed advanced and beginners), Grade 9 Band, two levels of senior concert band: Intermediate Band (grade 10 students) and Wind Ensemble (auditioned grades 11 & 12). When numbers warrant it, we offer a class of beginning band 8. There are also two jazz bands: Junior and Senior. If students wish to be in jazz band, they must also be signed up for concert band. Many students play one instrument in concert band and a second instrument in jazz band. Depending on the year, there are small, chamber ensembles such as jazz combos, brass choir, flute choir, clarinet choir and sax ensemble.
Welcome to Magee music! 