About Band
Updated March 22, 2024
Tentative Morning Band Schedule for 2024/2025 School Year
Tuesday - Roy DeShane and Cloverdale students at Cloverdale Elementary
Thursday - Elsie Johnson and Heritage Lakes at Heritage Lakes Elementary
Friday - Carol Stream and Western Trails at Western Trails Elementary
Practice expectations
Parents are asked to facilitate and remind students to practice 3 to 4 days per week. We recommend short, but regular practice sessions.
Does band conflict with school clubs, orchestra, or after school activities?
No! Band is during the school day. We have little to no conflict with any other sports or activities. Students are allowed to do both band and orchestra if they wish, the schedules do not conflict.
Performances
We will hold 2 evening concerts in the 2024-2025 school year.
What is band like?
Band can be a life-long activity and a fun new challenge. Below are the time commitments for band.
Lessons during school
Students will have one 30 minute lesson a week on their designated lesson day. These will take place during the school day and they will be pulled out of class in small groups of similar instruments. The lesson schedule will rotate so that students are not missing the same class every single week.
Morning band
Starts in November. This is our chance to have everyone together. Morning band is held before school starting at 7:45 am one day a week. Parents/guardians will need to drop students off at 7:45 am.
How to get an instrument?
For your convenience, Quinlan & Fabish music store representatives will be present at the Elementary Instrument Rental Night on May 13th. Please take advantage of them for all of your rental needs. Anything ordered from Quinlan & Fabish will be delivered to each elementary school in August and distributed to students. Families will place a deposit to reserve the instrument and purchase supplies.
Already own an instrument? Terrific! Please have it checked out by Quinlan & Fabish or any music repair shop to make sure it is in working order.
Shopping around? A quality instrument is crucial for successful learning. We strongly urge you to use a rent-to-own program from a reputable music store. If you choose to purchase an instrument outright, please be aware that off-brand instruments are most likely not repairable. Please choose wisely and refer to our “Instrument Choices” webpage for recommended brands. Please make sure the instrument you rent or purchase is in good, working condition before school begins.
Required band supplies
Music Stand. Stands are used for home practice and at school. Chrome stands work best. Please avoid ones with too many knobs, as this becomes a physical challenge to set up and breaks more easily.
All supplies can be purchased at Elementary Instrument Rental Night on May 13th.
Note about participating in multiple activities (of course you can!)
One of the most common questions we get is: What if I’m in choir, orchestra, safety patrol, dance, football, or cheer too? Can I do band?? The answer is 100% yes! No problem!
Band will not interfere with sports one bit. Mrs. Savino, Mrs. Dandeles, and Mrs. Steinke all played sports or did theater growing up and never had any conflicts with band. We encourage students to be involved in other activities outside of band.
What if my child is already in Orchestra? Band is a unique and different group! We become a marching band in high school and provide unique musical experiences. Bands and Orchestras do not ever rehearse together or at the same time. This means you can be in both!
If you currently play this in orchestra...consider adding this in band...
Violin --> Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet, or Percussion
Viola --> Anything (nothing matches you!)
Cello or Bass --> Trombone or Euphonium/Baritone
