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Who can join music classes? All rising 6th grade students are invited to join!
My child has no musical experience. Can they be in band, chorus, or orchestra? Yes, students do not need to know how to read music or play an instrument prior to joining a music class. Students don’t need prior musical experience or natural ability. Everything happens based on hard work and practice.
When do music classes meet? Orchestra, chorus, and band are year-long classes that meet every day during school. Students take these classes during one of their two exploratory periods.
Which is the easiest? All groups have their own challenges. You get better by putting in the time and working to get better
Can I take two music classes? Students can only take one music class because they will need to take PE during a semester of their other exploratory period.
Can I take a music class and play sports or be a cheerleader? Yes. Most music activities take place during school. The exceptions are our concerts and other optional practices. Several music students are on the football, basketball, and cheerleading teams. We even have had students who participate in high school sports, including JV basketball, baseball, softball, wrestling, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and track.
How many concerts are there? We plan to have at least two concerts during the first school year.
What instruments can I play? Students in orchestra can play violin, viola, cello, or bass. Students in band can play flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, and tuba. Students who are interested in playing percussion will audition for a spot.
How do I decide what to play? We will do our best to help students learn about each instrument and choose an instrument that interests them and is easiest for them (based on physical characteristics).
What if I want to play drums? Students who play percussion will learn to play all of the percussion instruments, not just “drums.” They will start on mallets and will show proficiency reading music and playing an instrument before adding other percussion instruments such as snare drum. We will have an audition for percussion so that we have a variety of instruments in band and can hear everyone play. ☺ Playing percussion requires hard work, so students should be prepared to practice.
How much do I need to practice? Practice is like homework for your other classes--it is required and makes all your classwork much easier! Every student should be practicing most of the days of each week, preferably five or six days a week. The only way to get better is to put the time in.
How do I get an instrument? There will be a meeting at CMS in the fall when a music company will be available for your convenience. If you prefer to get your instrument before that time, we can help you find a store if you would like. Regardless of how you get your instrument, you are encouraged to get an instrument that is a reputable brand. Off brands may be cheaper but tend to get broken easily, and repair companies can’t fix them because the parts aren’t available. They are also very difficult to tune, which is frustrating for the student. If you are planning on playing an instrument that you already own (your dad's trumpet, for example), please bring it to Mrs. Webster so that they can make sure it is in good playing condition and does not need any repairs.
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