Beginning Band Information

When do tryouts take place?

A presentation will be given to 3rd grade students interested in trying out an instrument for band.  This presentation is usually given sometime in March.  Tryouts will begin in March and continue through the month of May as needed.  Students do not need parental consent to participate in tryouts and auditions - if they want to try an instrument, they just have to express interest.

What if I do not want my child to participate in these tryouts or lessons? 

If you do not wish for your child to participate in band tryouts, please send in a note to Mr. Kearney signed by a parent or guardian, and we will not allow your student to try the instruments.  

What instruments can my child try?

Students have the option to start on flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, or baritone in 4th grade.  Because of the instruments' sizes or difficulty of playing, students wishing to play saxophone, bassoon, or oboe should start on flute or clarinet until more knowledge of basic playing is gained or they grow into the instrument.  If students wish to play French horn or tuba, students must start on trumpet, trombone, or baritone.  For more information, see "About the Instruments."

PLEASE BE AWARE:  Students may not simply choose to play percussion.  Due to the amount of instruments needed to be taught and learned for percussion, students must AUDITION and be accepted into the class near the end of their 4th grade year.  This will be based on a basic music theory test and a rhythmic understanding test that will take place directly after wind instrument tryouts.  If your child does not make it into the percussion class, it is STRONGLY encouraged that he/she chooses another instrument; it could turn out for the better! 

 How do I get my child an instrument? 

Renting

Forest Hills works with Volkwein's for its renting, purchasing, and repairing needs.  If you decide to rent your instrument through Volkwein's, there is an introductory trial fee followed by a monthly fee.  The cost of Volkwein's rental fees may change from year to year, so be sure to contact Volkwein's regarding these costs.  Any repairs that these instruments need during this rental are covered under your rental fee at no additional cost.  Also, the money used to pay for this fee are put into your own personal account for the purchase of a new instrument at a later time.

For more information, please visit our Forest Hills portal through Volkwein's website.  You may choose to rent through another music store, but Forest Hills does not work with any other companies at this time.

Buying  

How to Purchase a New Instrument

For any group to have a good sound and play in tune, it is important that all members of a section have instruments that are of higher quality. All instruments are not created equally, and there is often a wide variance in their tone quality and how well they can be played in tune.  The saying “you get what you pay for” is very true for musical instruments. Many times, a student will have trouble playing in tune, and there is nothing that can be done to correct the problem simply because of how the instrument was made.  Some brands of instruments that easily break, are difficult or impossible to repair, and are overall poor quality include Mendini, Allora, Cecilio, Glory, Etude, among several others.

Below is an introductory list of recommended instruments, but there is a variety of other quality brands available. When it is time to purchase an instrument, please give serious consideration to purchasing something of higher quality when possible.  The instruments below are all intermediate level and of consistently high quality.  In addition, they have a higher resale value.

Instrument, Manufacturer, Model

Piccolo:  Yamaha, 62

Flute:  Yamaha, 361

Oboe:  Fox, 450

Clarinet:  Yamaha, 450

Soprano Saxophone:  Yamaha, 475

Alto Saxophone:  Yamaha, 475

Tenor Saxophone:  Yamaha, 475

Baritone Saxophone:  Yamaha, 52

French Horn:  Holton, 378

Trumpet, Yamaha:  4335GS

Trombone, Yamaha:  448G

Mallet (Marimba):  Ross, 409

Snare:  Pearl or Ludwig, any model

If you are considering the purchase of an instrument and would like some guidance, please contact Mr. Kearney, Mr. Custer, or a professional musician who plays that instrument for guidance.

How to Purchase a Used Instrument

Buying a used instrument is like buying a used car; you can get a great deal on a lemon!  Use caution when searching for cheaper instruments.

A few rules of thumb:

1. Always ask to have the instrument looked at by a repairman.

a. Free of charge, the repairmen at Volkwein’s Music will evaluate an instrument and tell you a recommended purchase price.  Ask them - they are the professionals.

2. Never pay for an instrument without a trial period.  In general, you should at least have a full week to try an instrument out.  It is reasonable to give the seller a refundable deposit.  For your own protection, if the instrument is expensive, have it temporarily placed on your home or renter’s insurance; if it is accidentally damaged or stolen, you are covered.

3. Exercise extra caution when purchasing a woodwind instrument. They are more complicated and there is more that can be wrong.

4. Ask your teacher his/her opinion.  Have him/her evaluate it for intonation and quality.  If the instrument is out of tune, it does not matter if it was cheap; it will always be a problem.

5. Beware of eBay.  Never purchase anything non-returnable.  E-mail the information to your director and get his opinion on whether it is a good deal or not.  It is possible to get a good deal, but be careful.  There are many horror stories of awful instruments from third world countries.

Bring From Home 

Your child is more than welcome to bring an instrument from home!  However, please make sure the instrument is in proper working order.  It is very difficult for even the best musicians to learn an instrument if it does not work properly.  If you are not sure, please contact Mr. Kearney or another music professional.  Also, please be advised that students should not necessarily play an instrument just because they have one at home.  Not everyone is capable of playing every instrument easily, and choosing an instrument just because it is at home does not mean your child will be successful.

When do lessons take place during the school year?

Lessons take place during fourth, fifth, and sixth grade music.  During your child's music special in our four-day rotation, s/he will have an instrumental lesson instead of a regular music class.  Each instrument group is given a lesson on a different day in the four-day rotation.  Your student's specific day will be determined before the first day of school.

How much do instruments, lessons, and materials cost?

For costs of instruments, please see Renting above.  Lessons through the school do not cost anything and are provided by Mr. Kearney as part of the instrumental curriculum.  The only materials that need to be purchased are the practice books for class, Tradition of Excellence - Book 1 in the instrument being learned.  The reason books need to be purchased is so students may freely write in their books as they take notes and write reminders during their lessons.  Plus, they keep these books throughout their entire school career and beyond if necessary.

 How do I find out more about each instrument? 

Visit "About the Instruments."

What if I missed the parent meeting for new band students?

The information that is covered in the meeting is in the presentation below.  Specific questions regarding band can be answered by contacting Mr. Kearney.