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Olympic Cougar Bands currently offer 6th - 8th grade Instrumental Education
This year we have 2 JAZZ BANDS: The Cats, and The Doras. Each band meets twice a week before school, starting at 6:30am!
Participation in The Cats is by Audition. Any band student can join The Doras!
Students learn wind and percussive instruments from the Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion families.
Woodwind Instruments currently offered: flute, clarinet, saxophone
Brass Instruments currently offered: Trumpet, trombone, and f horn
Percussion: Snare and Mallets
Hi! I'm Mr. Carney, your band teacher!
Hi! I'm Mr. Carney, your band teacher!
You can email me at ocarney@auburn.wednet.edu
About me....
I grew up in Alaska and moved to Washington when I was 18 to attend Central Washington University. I love playing and listening to Jazz music, bicycling, and driving fast vehicles. But most of all I love playing golf with my wife Sarah, who usually beats me.
I'm a middle school music teacher because some of the best teachers I've had were band teachers, and because band is awesome. Also, I absolutely love getting to know my students and getting to be a part of their lives. The middle school age is an interesting time for students. SO MUCH POTENTIAL AWAITS YOU! My goal is always to help you understand how much you can achieve when you learn what it means to stay positive and put in the work!
If you want to be challenged, then training to become a musician is for you. I love to make everything fun, but we will work hard along the way!
What's my instrument? When I was a kid I wanted to learn how to play the trombone, but it was too much money, so our music teacher found a beat-up saxophone that my family could afford. And I've been a saxophonist ever since. Now I love playing the flute, clarinet and trumpet, too. Funnily enough, the trombone doesn't like me as much as I like it!
5th grade band starts the 3rd week of school. Your 5th grade elementary teachers will get the information. 5th grader band meets Tuesday through Friday (starting at 7:40am) and we encourage students. to only start in 5th grade if they wake up easily! Over the course of the year there are many calendar conflicts between the elementary calendar and the middle school calendar that make it difficult for students to have successful attendance. For this reason we encourage students and families to start band in 6th grade. Most families choose this option and students who start in 6th grade have much more success than most students who start in the 5th grade. However, there are certain students who don't mind waking up early and they love coming to band as 5th graders. Every year there are about 15 students like this. If you think you have. a student who will love to get up early and do something extra before school, then 5th grade band is a good choice. If you are not sure, then I recommend they start in 6th grade :)
I'm a new band student. What should I do for an instrument?
I'm a new band student. What should I do for an instrument?
New band students will be taught about instruments during the first few weeks of school. We will then have a rental meeting on Thursday, September 21st for families who to rent instruments from a local music company who is coming to our school.
New band students will be taught about instruments during the first few weeks of school. We will then have a rental meeting on Thursday, September 21st for families who to rent instruments from a local music company who is coming to our school.
Some students wish to purchase online instruments. For the most part, online instruments that you can purchase through Amazon do not work well, and break too easily to be repaired. If you spend $100 on an Amazon clarinet or flute, it's possible that you will only get a few weeks of use out of it.
Some students wish to purchase online instruments. For the most part, online instruments that you can purchase through Amazon do not work well, and break too easily to be repaired. If you spend $100 on an Amazon clarinet or flute, it's possible that you will only get a few weeks of use out of it.
Many families choose to rent their instruments because this is one of the only ways to guarantee you are playing a quality instrument that will help the student become a musician. Poorly constructed instructed instruments usually only limit a student's chance of success.
Many families choose to rent their instruments because this is one of the only ways to guarantee you are playing a quality instrument that will help the student become a musician. Poorly constructed instructed instruments usually only limit a student's chance of success.
What about older instruments our family already has? If your family has access to an older flute, saxophone, trumpet, Bb clarinet, or trombone, you can certainly make these instruments work for your student. The best way is to take them to a local music store to have a repair tech make sure they are in playing condition. Overtime, the pads on instruments no longer hold in all the air, or the valves on a trumpet might seize, making it nearly impossible to play. But often, once these older instruments are refreshed by a repair technician, they play very well and can bring lots of enjoyment for beginning students.
What about older instruments our family already has? If your family has access to an older flute, saxophone, trumpet, Bb clarinet, or trombone, you can certainly make these instruments work for your student. The best way is to take them to a local music store to have a repair tech make sure they are in playing condition. Overtime, the pads on instruments no longer hold in all the air, or the valves on a trumpet might seize, making it nearly impossible to play. But often, once these older instruments are refreshed by a repair technician, they play very well and can bring lots of enjoyment for beginning students.
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