What is Band?
At Barre Town, Band is a class where you learn how to read music and play an instrument. We perform music in concerts throughout the year, and some band students play music at school events! 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade bands meet once per week, and many students take lessons in small groups as well. 7th and 8th Grade bands meet twice per week. You can be a part of the band for five years at Barre Town then continue through high school and college!
What instruments can I play in Band?
In your first year in Band, you can choose Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, or Trombone. In your second year, you may choose to stay on your instrument or you can try out to play Saxophone or Percussion. During the first week of school you will get to try the instruments to see which one "fits" you the best!
How do I sign up for Band?
4th Grade is automatically signed up for Band! This is your music class this year!
5th and 6th Grade can choose to take Band or Chorus by filling out a Google Form with Ms. Tarwater or Mrs. Mehuron.
7th and 8th Grade Band is an elective class. You can choose to take Band, Chorus, or Study Hall by filling out a Google Form with Ms. Tarwater or Mrs. Mehuron.
I'm in 5th/6th/7th/8th Grade. Is it too late to sign up for Band?
No! If you decide you want to take band, it is not too late until after the first few weeks of school. Until then, we can change your class. Email me at atarwbte@buusd.org. We want you making music with us in Band!
Where do I rent my Band instrument?
Ellis Music - (802) 234-6400, Bethel, VT
Ellis Music is a locally owned shop that Barre Town has been working with for many years. They are highly recommended! Their rental rates are affordable and their customer service is topnotch. A representative from Ellis Music visits the school once per week to check on your child's instrument and to bring them anything you order through the website or over the phone. If your child's instrument needs repairs, they are quick and high quality. Almost all of the cost of repairs is included in your rental fee! Through their rent-to-own program, you are making payments toward the purchase of the instrument, which is a great deal! You can order your rental through their website and they will bring the instrument to school on Instrument Delivery Night - September 13, 2021. You never even have to drive to the shop!
If you find that renting an instrument poses a financial hardship on your family, we have a limited number of school instruments available for a low one-time rental fee. Please reach out to me if you are interested in renting a school instrument.
Can I order an instrument from Amazon or eBay?
Please don't! The vast majority of these instruments are toys, even though they look real. Please, please do not buy them. Really. They stop working within a year, they cannot be repaired because the parts are not available, and your child will be frustrated that they are not progressing on their instrument. Investing in a rental from Ellis Music is the way to set your child up for success!
I have had good students quit Band because their instrument breaks. Truly, I understand wanting to save money, but buying a cheap instrument will result in frustration and broken parts.
Ellis Music have many options to make it very affordable to give your child a high-quality instrument that will allow them to succeed, which is why our band program works so closely with them. Please consider renting from Ellis Music instead of buying an instrument from Amazon or eBay.
Should I look for any specific instrument brands?
Quality brands that I recommend and can be serviced by our local professional repair technicians include: Armstrong (not Aristocrat), Bach (not Prelude or Aristocrat), Blessing, Bliss, B&S, Conn, Getzen, Gemeinhardt, Haynes, Holton, Jupiter, Kanstul, King, Ludwig, Leblanc, Musser, Pearl, Selmer (not Prelude or Aristocrat), Vito, and Yamaha.
If you have an instrument at home maybe from a family member who used to play, you can bring it in for me to look at it! I can do a playing test with it to see if it needs repairs.
But I don't know how to play an instrument!
That's ok! Neither did I when I started Band in 5th Grade! It's my job to teach you everything right from the beginning. All you need to do is listen carefully, follow directions, and practice your instrument at home. The more you practice, the easier it gets and the more fun you will have making music with your friends!
Our Band "uniform" is a white button up shirt or blouse with black bottoms. This is the traditional concert attire for classical musicians. It also gives our students a sense of pride and respect as we perform the music we worked on for months to prepare. Below are some examples of our ensembles in their concert attire.