5th Grade Band
5th Grade Band Overview
Students begin learning to play instruments in 5th Grade at Auburn Public Schools. The students are introduced to brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments in music classes at Calvert Elementary, and instruments are selected at the beginning of the 5th grade year. Lessons are taught in small groups of homogeneous instruments, and the students also rehearse in a full band setting regularly.
Students are introduced to the essential fundamentals of beginning band, including posture, correct embouchure/playing position, tone production, technique, balance, and blend. In addition, the students will learn about the basic care and maintenance of their instruments.
The 5th Grade Band will be using the Standard of Excellence Book 1 as the primary method book, and will also perform a variety of core repertoire for beginning band. Please be sure to purchase the book and any other supplies before the year starts.
2023 Instrument Testing
We will be using instrument mouthpiece testing kits this year. They will be properly sanitized after each use. For more information please go to the following link: https://khs-america.com/new-tools-for-band-recruitment-from-jupiter/
Instrument Demonstration Video
Check out this great demonstration of band instruments! 5th Graders will have the option to start on the following instruments:
Flute
Clarinet
Alto Saxophone (with the opportunity to move to Tenor or Bari someday)
Trumpet (with the opportunity to move to french horn someday)
Trombone
Baritone (with the opportunity to move to tuba)
Percussion (auditioned group that will usually accept 3-4 students)
Weekly Practicing Tips
Students are asked to spend 60 minutes a week, or more, practicing on their own. It is important that each student spends the time on their own to improve their playing. We can manage a certain level of success during the traditional band class, but the students that spend the time on their own will have an added amount of success.
PRACTICE TIP: it is much better to have shorter, more consistent practice time (i.e. 15 minutes per day) rather than to cram all of the weekly practicing into one or two nights. Students who practice for shorter times more consistently throughout the week will develop and progress more rapidly on their instruments.
