School Band / Orchestra / Choir
Perform in a school ensemble long-term
Why It Matters
Shows exceptional discipline, time management, and sustained commitment. Years of musical training alongside strong academics is a combination admissions offices respect deeply.
How to Start
Sign up through your school's music department. Aim for progressive involvement: section member to section leader to ensemble leader over multiple years.
Commitment
- High commitment: several hours a week, often with evenings, weekends or travel.
- Best starting grade: G7
- G7 is the ideal start. Long-term commitment is what makes this EC stand out.
Programs It Supports
- Music
- Arts
- Education
- Kinesiology
Majors it supports
- Music – Audition-based - academic average requirements are lower but performance level is critical
- Education (BEd) – high 70s to high 80s
- Kinesiology – high 80s at most schools
Universities where it fits
Our profiles for these schools suggest School Band / Orchestra / Choir as a good fit for their applicants.
- Queen's University – Kingston, ON
- Wilfrid Laurier University – Waterloo, ON
- Brock University – St. Catharines, ON
- University of Victoria – Victoria, BC
- McGill University – Montreal, QC
- Université de Montréal – Montreal, QC
- Université Laval – Quebec City, QC
- Bishop's University – Lennoxville, QC
- MacEwan University – Edmonton, AB
- Acadia University – Wolfville, NS
- St. Francis Xavier University – Antigonish, NS
- University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
- Mount Allison University – Sackville, NB
- Memorial University of Newfoundland – St. John's, NL
- University of Prince Edward Island – Charlottetown, PE
Similar extracurriculars
- School Drama / Theatre Production – Perform, direct, or produce school plays
- Visual Arts Club / Portfolio Development – Build a body of work in visual art
- CBC First Page Student Writing Challenge – CBC Books' national creative writing challenge for G7-G12
- Film & Photography Club – Shoot, edit, and produce visual stories
- Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Exams – Canada's national music certification system
- School Play / Musical Director – Direct or stage-manage the annual school production
- Yearbook Editor-in-Chief – Manage a massive year-long design and publishing project
- Mural Painter / Beautification Committee – Design and paint permanent artwork in school hallways
- Improv Team / Comedy Troupe – Compete in local improv games or perform at lunch