Choosing an Instrument
On the registration form, you will be asked to choose which TWO instruments you would be willing to learn how to play. The music staff at the school will notify you of which ONE of your two choices you have been selected to play. Efforts will be made to honor "first choice" requests, but they cannot be guaranteed due to scheduling and class size concerns.
A brief summary of the demonstrations presented at school and links to a picture of each instrument are given below. Click on the links to see a picture of each instrument to help you remember what they look like!
When deciding between the string instruments, remember that the size of the instrument determines the sound it makes:
VIOLIN is the smallest and highest sounding string instrument;
CELLO is the largest and lowest sounding string instrument;
VIOLA is the medium-sized string instrument, and plays both high and low, in the range between violin and cello.
All string instruments are available in smaller sizes to accommodate smaller hands. Sizing information will be sent home with students who have been selected to play a string instrument.
The FLUTE is the highest sounding wind instrument. Students who choose the flute must remember that it takes a lot of finger coordination to play. FLUTE is one of the most difficult instruments for beginners to learn and requires a commitment to serious, daily practice.
CLARINET is a great choice for students who like to build things! As demonstrated at school, the clarinet has many separate pieces that need to be assembled and taken apart every time you play it (that means EVERY DAY!) The first 6 notes CLARINET players learn use the fingers of only one hand, so it can be a good choice for those students who like the high woodwind sounds, but who think they may not have the finger coordination to play flute. The CLARINET section is one of the largest in the band.
We recommend the ALTO SAXOPHONE for 4th and 5th graders who want to play an instrument with a lower, deeper sound. Keep in mind, however, that ALTO SAXOPHONES are the largest and heaviest of all the wind instruments. Students must be willing to carry the instrument to school on lesson days and wear it around their neck on a strap while playing it! Students who like the saxophone but think it may be too big for them to carry can sign up to play clarinet in elementary school. Switching to saxophone in middle school is easy when you are a little bigger (BONUS: then, you will know how to play TWO instruments!)
TRUMPET players should like to make noise! The TRUMPET is the highest sounding brass instrument, producing a bright, loud tone, especially as we are first learning to play. Sound is produced by buzzing the lips and pressing different combinations of three valves. Daily practice is required, so consider your neighbors if you share walls!
The TROMBONE is a brass instrument that makes the lowest sound of all the band instruments. It is fun to play and different from all the other instruments because it has a slide that is moved with the arm, instead of having to press keys or valves. We would love to have as many TROMBONE players as we can in the band. Make it your first choice and it is GUARANTEED!
Students interested in playing PERCUSSION will spend their time, primarily, learning to read music and play songs on a BELLS SET. Some work will also be done on learning to play rhythmic patterns on a DRUM PAD. All PERCUSSION students are required to rent a PERCUSSION KIT that has a BELLS SET and a DRUM PAD. These kits are packed in large backpacks with wheels which must be brought to school on lesson days and then taken home. Please consider this fact before selecting PERCUSSION.