Equipment & Supply List

All orchestra students need the following books for their instrument: Essential Elements for Strings, Book One & Concert Tunes for Beginning Strings, Book One. See the pictures below for more information. Books can be found at local music stores, online retailers such as Amazon and online music sites, such as swstrings.com or sharmusic.com. There is an older edition of Essential Elements that has a red cover ~ please do not purchase this edition. There have been updates since that edition was published.

All 6th Grade orchestra students need: 

1" Three-Ring Binder. Binder is optional for 5th graders.

Picture of a violin/viola shoulder rest       Picture of cello/bass strap

Violin & Viola Students Need:

• Shoulder Rest (preferable Everest or Kun, not Artino)   

• Rosin - any color or brand is acceptable. My personal preferences are: Bernardel, Pirastro (any type) and Magic Rosin (comes in many colors and designs, which is just fun!)

• Soft Cleaning Cloth (a handkerchief or piece of an old shirt work great. The cloth should measure at least 8" x 8")

• Bag to put the shoulder rest, if it doesn't fit in the violin case. I recommend the ProTec shoulder rest pouch (picture below)

• Pencil

Cello Students Need:

• Rosin - any color or brand is acceptable. I recommend Bernardel, Pirastro (any type) and Magic Rosin (comes in many colors and designs)

• Soft Cleaning Cloth - see above

• End Pin Strap (Xeros straps are excellent) or Rock Stop

• Pencil

Bass Students Need:

• Bass Rosin - this is different than violin, viola or cello rosin. I recommend Nyman Bass Rosin, found at music stores or Amazon

• Soft Cleaning Cloth - see above

• End Pin Strap (Xeros straps are excellent) - smaller basses (1/8 or 1/4 size) should get the cello end pin strap for the best fit

• Pencil

Optional, but suggested, materials:

• Music Stand - either a folding stand or a metal stand would be extremely helpful. Folding stands are lighter and easier to store. Metal stands, however, are sturdier and able to hold music easily.

• Shoulder Rest bag (violin and viola only) - it's a convenient way for students to store their shoulder rests. It's especially helpful if the shoulder rest will not fit into the student's case. I recommend the Pro Tec Shoulder Rest Pouch, available on Amazon. See picture below - link included here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=protec+violin+shoulder+rest+pouch&crid=25B9YA4619N44&sprefix=pro+tec+violin%2Caps%2C131&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_3_13

• Rubber Practice Mute - this fits over the instrument's bridge and greatly dampens the sound. This makes practicing quieter. The student is still able to hear their music, but decreases the sound for other members of the house. Students in the past have found this very helpful for practicing! If you search for "practice mute" for your child's instrument, there are a variety that will show up. Rubber mutes are recommended for elementary students.

Pro Tec Shoulder Rest Pouch