FAQ

Wind Ensemble, Honor, Symphonic, and Concert Band:  Yes. Students will progress only with consistent practice on their instrument. You must take your instrument home every day so that you can play it.

Beginning Band:  Yes, but we will keep instruments at school until students have mastered the fundamental skills necessary for success on the instrument.  All beginning band students must demonstrate that they have mastered correct hand position, posture, breathing / air use technique, embouchure, and instrument care before they will be released to bring the instruments home. 

Parents, another reason for this policy is that we understand the investment that you have made to provide these instruments for your children.  Your children will be playing on real musical instruments that are quite delicate and easily damaged.  We will teach every student how to care for the instrument and use it in a manner that will decrease the likelihood of damage. In the meantime, instruments will be kept at school until students demonstrate that they habitually treat the instrument with care.

Beginner Band has no outside the school day commitments, except for one rehearsal just before Winter and Spring Concerts and Festival. 

Concert/Symphonic/Honor/Wind Ensemble Band students have one required before or after school rehearsal per week called sectionals. Sectional schedules will be published after the first week of school, after the directors have a chance to poll the students about their other school commitments and can try to design a schedule with the fewest conflicts as possible. Additional full band rehearsals for Concert, Symphonic, and Honor Bands may be called during the spring semester. All rehearsal schedules will be published well in advance. This year, required sectionals will start in August for Wind Ensemble and Honor Band. Concert and Symphonic Band required sectionals will start in November.

The course fee for Band is $50, payable through the Pay N’ Go App. This fee will include their band t-shirt, band binder with dividers, pencil pouch, and pencils, method book,  and other instrument specific accessories as well as group enrichment activities and materials. 

CLICK HERE for instructions on how to pay the course fee. 

The course fee does not cover instrument rental or instrument usage fees. Students who use school owned instruments (oboe, bassoon, bass clarinet, tenor sax, bari sax, French horn, euphonium, tuba, and percussion) will have an additional instrument usage fee that will be collected separately.

Sorry, this year the band hall will not be open during the Bear Blast. Please bring your instrument and supplies on the second day of school. Thanks!

All you need on the very first day is a pencil.  We will spend the first day learning procedures for instrument storage, etc. You should bring your instrument and supplies on the SECOND day of school. 

Everyone will have a place assigned to them on the shelves located in the back and side of the room.  We will show you where to put your instrument on the first day of school.

After the first day, when you come to school in the morning you will stop by the band hall to drop off your instrument and band binder and then go about your school day.  Make sure you have marked your instrument case clearly with your first and last name.  Everything you need for band will be kept in your band binder and instrument case.  After class is over you will simply put your instrument and binder back in their place and continue your other classes.  At the end of the school day you will stop by the band hall before heading home to get your instrument and take it home with you. 

School owned instruments will be checked out to students during class after school starts.  All you need to do is to be sure you have gotten the accessories that you will need for the instrument and bring them on the second day of school.  These items are available at any area music store. 

We will check out your instrument on the second day of school during class.  Just make sure you have reeds, mouthpiece, valve oil, etc. that you will need to play the instrument. 

Supply and Uniform - These are required items that are NOT covered by the course fee. You will likely already have most of these items from last year. If you were in Beginner Band last year be aware that the uniform is different. If you were in Concert/Symphonic/Honor Band last year, the supplies are the same and you will only need to replace things that ran out or if you outgrew your concert black attire.

Please see the Performing Band Supply List on the Resources Page for more information.

Katy Independent School District offers private lessons to instrumental music students. Those interested in getting the most benefit from their band experience are highly encouraged to take advantage of this program. 

Lessons are held once a week, outside the school day, in 30-minute time slots on designated days and campuses. Right now, many teachers also offer lessons virtually. The instructors are highly qualified professional musicians and/or university music students who have been carefully screened by KISD band directors. Tuition fees are structured to reflect the level of experience of each private lesson teacher and are generally $25-$35 per half hour lesson. Tuition fees are paid directly to the private lesson instructor.

Please visit the Resources Page on this website to access Private Lesson Registration.

Beginner Band will wear their band t-shirt and jeans as their band uniform.

Concert, Symphonic, Honor, and Wind Ensemble Bands will wear band t-shirt and jeans as their informal uniform, but will wear concert black attire for formal performances. Please see the Performing Band Supply List on the Resources Page for more information.