FAQ

A: Instrumental lessons are pulled-out from class once a week for 45 minutes on a rotating schedule. Students will not miss a class more than once every 4-6 weeks. Students playing instruments are required to make up any classwork missed while in an instrumental lesson.

A: Complete the Instrumental Registration Form during the MAy 25-June 9, 2023 enrollment period. Acceptance letters and/or emails to parents will be sent home during the last week of school to let you know which instrument they have been accepted to play in September. After receiving the confirmation, you can make contact with the vendor of your choice to arrange for your instrument rental.

A: No, you do not have to use The Music Shop or Elefante Music to rent your child’s instrument, but both vendors have been servicing Edison schools for many years and are committed to providing QUALITY instruments at reasonable prices. 

When first starting out, renting offers students a way to explore an instrument without the high cost of purchasing it outright. You will always receive a major brand-name instrument that has been expertly adjusted and sanitized. In addition, there is no added expense for regular maintenance. You will have options and a discount available if you choose to purchase an instrument while you are renting.

A: Every rental includes the Instrument & Lesson Book. We suggest the purchase of a music stand to make at-home practice easier (recommended, but not required)

Clarinets and Saxophones will get two size 2.5 reeds. They will need an additional 3-5 reeds for the year, so you may wish to purchase a box of 2.5 size reeds at the time you rent. 

Trumpets will get valve oil * Trombones will get slide oil * Violin/Violas will get a shoulder rest and rosin * Cellos will get a rock stop and rosin.

A: We DO NOT RECOMMEND purchasing an instrument during the first two years of study. With internet shopping becoming so popular in recent years, there is a HUGE marketplace for musical instruments. There has been a flood of poor quality instruments available for students to buy.  Known as ISOs (Instrument Shaped Objects), these instruments will be hard to play, easily broken, and avoided by a majority of reputable repair shops due to their inability to be repaired. Your child will have a more positive experience learning to play a quality rental instrument and you will have fewer hassles regarding instrument repair/replacement.

A: Yes! If you have access to an instrument (for example, if a friend or family member has an instrument but is no longer using it) your child can use that instrument to learn to play. You will need to take it to a repair shop for maintenance/repairs before September to make sure it is in playing condition. Please be certain to purchase the lesson book and any other required supplies. Contact maria.ford@edison.k12.nj.us (band) sergei.panov@edison.k12.nj.us (orchestra) with any questions.

A: Repairs for all rental instruments are covered under your contract with The Music Shop or Elefante Music. Representatives from both vendors visit our school weekly and are available to deliver supplies and provide services such as repair pickup. If your child’s instrument breaks, the representative will pick up the broken instrument from school, take it to the repair shop, then return it the following week. 

If you are using an instrument that you purchased yourself or that you are borrowing from a friend/family member, you will be responsible for arranging and paying for those repairs.

VIOLIN & VIOLA (sizes vary): 

If your child is 5'4" tall, select 4/4 violin or 14” viola

If your child is shorter than 5'4": select 3/4 violin or 13” viola

If your child is 4' or under: select 1/2 violin or 12" viola

CELLO (size varies):

Select  ½ size. We can always exchange it if we need the larger size.

Band instruments are one-size-fits-all. Students will be required to bring their instrument to school on their lesson day.