The Middle School winter concerts mark the first moment each year when families can truly hear how far students have come. After months of quiet work in Band, Choir, and Strings, the performances starting at the end of November offer a clear look at the musical foundations forming in Grades 6 to 8. These concerts highlight a shared arc of growth, showing how students begin the year as tentative players and steadily become more confident, capable musicians. Middle School is the point where early skills start to strengthen, where students discover what excites them, and where many first imagine carrying their music into Senior School and beyond.
Strings: A Repertoire of Progress
“It is powerful when families can hear the progression,” said Strings teacher Christopher Smith. “The Grade 6s are solid and well prepared, but by Grade 7 you can hear a clear step up. By the time students reach String Orchestra or Grade 8, they are playing at a much more advanced level.” He added that this visible growth is both a reflection of the program’s structure and an invitation for students to imagine what might come next.
That progression was on full display at the Middle School Strings Concert, Nov. 26, which kicked off the Winter Concert series. Each grade group performed two contrasting pieces that balanced challenge with familiarity. Younger ensembles played music such as Over the Rainbow or Yesterday, familiar selections that helped bridge the gap between popular repertoire and the classical pieces by Bach and Tchaikovsky taken on by older students. The result was a picture of students developing both confidence and musical maturity. For those who discovered they wanted more, String Orchestra provided an additional layer of challenge that many eagerly embraced on Friday afternoons.
Band: New Players Rising Quickly
Band students will reveal their progress at the Winter Band Concert on Dec. 10 which features the Grade 7 Band, Grade 8 Band, Honour Band, and Jazz Band. Each ensemble will perform a colourful mix of pieces, including one holiday selection, chosen to reinforce last year’s skills while introducing new techniques and challenges.
“The biggest surprise this year has been the new Grade 7s,” said band teacher David Enns. “Many had never played a band instrument before September. Their enthusiasm and commitment have already exceeded expectations.” It is a large cohort this year, and the majority have made rapid progress, moving from early fundamentals to full-ensemble playing in just a few months.
As the concert approaches, their momentum accelerates. Enns said most students only begin to grasp the reality of a public performance as the final week arrives, when the excitement quickly builds. For the Jazz Band, the concert also marks a milestone: several students will perform improvised solos, a challenge that requires not only musical skill but also confidence and courage.
Enns said he hopes families will recognize how much the ensembles have grown since their last performance in May and enjoy the variety of styles and moods presented. For many students, the Winter Concert is the moment where they first hear — and feel — the progress they have made.
Choir: Finding Blend and Confidence
Choir students have been building momentum toward the All School Carol Service, a highlight of the season.
“With nearly fifty new students this year, my first focus is helping them find their voices,” said choir teacher Duncan Frater. “Some arrive singing off pitch and within three months they are matching harmony lines with confidence.” He added that different grades often experience a turning point when they finally sing in the venue, and full-group rehearsals in the chapel have helped both the Grade 7 and Grade 8 choirs find their blend.
“Being only one of a handful of schools in Canada with mandatory choir, I hope the audience notices that our culture of singing at SMUS is great for the students,” said Frater. “It is such a valuable form of expression and, at a time where we often focus on individuality, it gives us the opportunity to unite.”
The Middle School Bridge
Together, these programs create an important middle step in a longer journey. Students begin with foundational experiences in the Junior School, arrive in Grade 6 with varying skills and levels of confidence, and spend three years discovering what music can offer them.
Some continue because they enjoy it. Others begin to recognize real talent. Many start to lean into the challenge, finding pride in the work it takes to prepare for public performance.
Smith said that by the end of Middle School, students often see two possible paths ahead: continuing in the Senior School programs, where ensembles grow more sophisticated and opportunities expand, or carrying their love of music into other parts of life. Both outcomes matter.
A Season of Progress
The winter season’s concerts offer not just seasonal celebration, but a rare chance to hear students at different stages of this progression. They show what careful preparation, curiosity, and sustained practice can accomplish. They also reflect the shared work of three programs that, while separate day to day, help students discover their musical voice and decide where it might lead.
