When does band class meet?
Beginning band meets as a regular class at different times throughout the school day for the entire school year. Students are grouped in classes according to what instrument they play. The teacher-student ratio is kept low to facilitate individual supervision of students' progress. Skills developed during beginner band are to prepare students for 7th and 8th grade band, so diligent practice during the school year is a must.
Check out our class schedule for more details.
What instruments are offered?
Beginners are started on flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion. We will help you choose the instrument that is best for you at our Instrument Fittings in the Spring.
How can my child be successful in Band?
The most important requirement for success is the desire to succeed. We begin students from a very basic yet detailed approach to learning the instrument. Students are taught basic fundamental building blocks that will make them successful through their senior year and beyond!
Should I rent or purchase an instrument?
It’s up to you. Renting an instrument will give your child the opportunity to begin in band with only a small initial investment. Your child can have the advantages of a brand new beginner model instrument, such as pride of ownership, freedom from error due to poor equipment, and the opportunity to be the best player they can be by having the best available instrument for their age level. Your child will have the instrument and mouthpiece recommended by the band directors. After their beginner year, most instruments can be upgraded to a professional level model.
What about buying used instruments?
Some used instruments are good bargains. However, you could possibly end up spending more money on repairs than the instrument is worth. For this reason, we ask that, if you do purchase a used instrument, try to let a director examine it prior to purchase. Local music stores and former band students are excellent sources of used instruments. We have found that instruments from pawn shops tend to be of dubious quality. WARNING: Please do not purchase a musical instrument from a department store, such as Amazon, Walmart, etc... These instruments tend to be poorly made, and once broken are usually not repairable. Again, we recommend that you RENT an instrument the first year from a reputable music company. We INSIST on every student having the recommended mouthpiece so that no student has a competitive advantage over another and so all students sound the same.
Can my child participate in both athletics and band at the same?
YES! If it fits into your class schedule, we make it work! There are many middle school/junior high students who are in band, athletics, and other organizations. Band directors, teachers, and coaches all work together to make schedules work for the benefit of the student.
Will my child be required to practice at home?
Yes. We ask for 20 to 30 minutes of practice at home, 3 to 5 times a week. Have your child play for you what they learned in class that week. Be encouraging, it may sound unrecognizable, but soon those weird sounds will turn into beautiful music.
Are private lessons available? Are they required?
Private lessons are strongly encouraged for all students, but aren't required. If your child takes private lessons, they will get one-on-one instruction from a professional musician/educator. Lessons are held once a week and can help challenge faster-paced students and strengthen slower-paced students. Lessons are very important and are one of the backbones of our program.
What if my student wants to play the drums?
Many students aspire to play “the drums”, which are actually part of an instrument family called percussion. Percussion students learn many different instruments including mallets (such as xylophone and marimba), auxiliary percussion (triangle, tambourine, etc.), and various drums. This class is very selective, so while we are happy to audition any student for percussion, we ask that you be open to trying out other instruments as well.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any other questions!