Garage Band Program
Aspiring Rock Stars!
Are you in a rock band and looking to take that next step from jamming in your basement to something more serious? The Garage Band Program provides you with musical guidance, coaching in stage presence and our knowledgeable staff is always there to give you advice about the industry.
Not in a band, but want to be? That's okay! The Garage Band Program has a matching service, where musicians looking to start something can audition for the Program and will be placed with individuals of roughly the same skill level and musical interests.
How it works
Participants, aged 12 years and up, attend 2-hour rehearsals weekly, 2 performance practices per term, where our staff helps them learn new tunes and move in the right direction as a band.
The Garage Band Staff WILL help you
- Learn your songs
- Be professional on stage
- Write your own songs
- Learn how to book, promote, perform, etc.
The Garage Band Staff WILL NOT
- Tell you what songs to play (We only suggest!)
- Teach you how to play your instrument
Instruments
Drums, Bass, Guitar (acoustic/electric), Singers, Brass & Woodwinds, Keyboards, Strings and Percussion. Ability to do backup vocals is always an asset!
Styles
The Garage Band Program promotes music of all kinds, from folk to heavy metal!
Skill Levels
The Program focuses on the skill of playing in a band, not on playing your instrument, hence, you must already be able to play when you enroll. However, even if you don't yet play well enough to be a member of a band, the McGill Conservatory can still serve you; we offer private lessons in all instruments and for all levels.
Once-a-month Performance Practice
Once a month, Garage Band participants get together to perform for each other and practice their stage skills.
End-of-Session Blowout Rock Show!
At the end of each session, the participants in the Program put on a seriously rocking show. They are heavily involved in the promoting of the show itself, by putting up posters and selling tickets. In this way, they get to experience what real life is like in a band.
Dates & Fees
Fall – 10 weeks – 2 hrs / week
October to December
Winter – 10 weeks – 2 hrs / week
January to March
Spring – 10 weeks – 2 hrs / week
March to June
For more information on term dates and fees, please download the pdf document Dates & Fees.
Minimum 4 participants per band
Presence at all rehearsals is mandatory.
Missing more than 2 rehearsals will lead to exclusion from the show.
See Garage Band Students' Handbook
Downtown classes on Sunday afternoons
West-Island classes on Tuesday evenings
Auditions: to reserve an audition time please call the Conservatory Office. New students must register to reserve a space for their audition; a mandatory non-refundable deposit fee of $40.00 is required. This deposit will be applied to tuition fees when paying for the course.
Please read this document and fill it out before coming to the audition. PrepareAudition [.pdf]
