Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions:

1.Do I need an instrument? It is recommended students own their own instrument because they tend to practice more that way, however, CFVMS should have enough instruments to rent out to each student.

2. Is there a fee to be in band? If you rent an instrument from the school, there is a $50 fee for the school year. This helps cover natural wear and tear costs. This fee can be paid in installments or waived completely if families are in financial need.

3. Are there any other costs? Students are expected to own their own copy of Accent on Achievement for Band by Mark Williams and John O'Reily. They are about 9$ each and can be purchased from music stores or on Amazon. Clarinet players must also have reeds (small sticks of cane that make the sound on the instrument) These are 3-5$ each and each student should have at least 3.

4. Can I play guitar or piano in the band? Guitar and piano are instruments that are usually played individually or in small groups. Band music is written to be played by many people all together. In order to play this music, we need everyone on a wind or percussion instrument. Learning to play in a band and how to read music is a great idea and will make you a better guitar/piano player if you already do that on your own. Also, Ms. Jocelyn has a guitar club that meets after school.

5. Are there commitments outside of the school day? Beginning band typically does three to four concerts a year in the evening. These dates are announced well ahead of time.

Advanced bands may have after school section practices and go on a trip to hummingbird music camp, music performance assessment, honor band and solo and ensemble festival.

6. What if I want to do Sports? Because we have many athletes in the band program, Mr. Iliff tries to schedule our concerts and events around sporting events. There are usually very few, if any, conflicts with sports. If there is a conflict, please let Mr. Iliff know and he can work it out with the coaching staff.

7. What if I want to play the drums? Drums are part of the percussion section. Each student that plays percussion must learn mallet keyboard instruments as well as snare drum technique. In order to not have too many percussionists in the band, students must have a piano background or special permission from Mr. Iliff to play percussion.

8. Do I get to pick my instrument? Just like a football team, we need enough players at every position for us to sound our best. Just like a football team can't have 20 quarter backs, our band must have a good amount of each instrument. We have a thorough instrument screening process that does take student choice into account. Mr. I will place each student on an instrument that they can be successful on and that will support the band in the best way. This is usually a student's first, second, or third choice.

If you have additional questions, please email Mr. Iliff at steven.iliff@k12espanola.org