Dear Poppy Music Families,
Welcome to the 2025/26 Season of the DW Poppy Music Program! I’m very excited to introduce Mr. Marco Del Rio who is joining us as Poppy’s choir director this year, covering for Ms. Chen while she is on maternity leave. Marco and I are looking forward to getting into music with the kids in Band, Choir and Jazz groups as soon as possible.
A copy of the 2025/26 Music Handbook which has our calendar, schedule, materials lists, policies, and course expectations was emailed home on September 4th/5th and hard copies have been distributed. Please take a few minutes to review it and add the dates to your family calendars. Also, please return the last page, signed by both the student and a parent/guardian by Friday, September 12th.
A few important reminders for all musicians here at Poppy:
- Senior Wind Ensemble (Also called SWE or Senior Band), Junior and Senior Choir, Junior and Senior Jazz Ensemble and Vocal Jazz (Off-Timetable Classes). We have a meeting in the Band Room (110) on Friday at lunch. If they are interested, don’t worry if these ensembles are not on your child’s schedule yet. We can add them when we see them.
- Off-Timetable rehearsals will start Monday/Tuesday September 8/9. The schedule is the same as last year and is on the first page of the handbook if you need a reminder.
- Calendar Dates / Performance Expectations – A full calendar of music events is on page 2 of the music handbook that is attached. A reminder for families that all concerts, festivals and other performances are course expectations, so please add those dates to your calendar as soon as you see them. (Junior and Senior Tours are optional but STRONGLY encouraged and we’ll send out info about those trips in the next week or so.)
- Parents – Our fall music parents meeting will be on 7:00pm on Tuesday, September 16 after the Grade 8 Parents Meeting. We will be talking about Junior and Senior Tours, Festivals, Concerts (Including both ESPRESSIVO’s!) and ways you can support your child’s musical experiences this year either at home or here at Poppy.
As usual, if you have any questions or concerns, please email us back and we will respond as soon we’re able. Thank you so much for supporting your child’s interest in music!
Mark & Marco