7th Grade Band

At Rittman Middle School the 7th grade band is our band of second year players. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, students will meet 2-3 times a week and will continue to develop music reading skills; proper technique for their chosen woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument; proper care for their instrument; proper performer/audience etiquette; and be exposed to diverse genres, styles, and cultures of music through playing and listening. The 7th grade band has multiple performances throughout the year and are able to participate in the OMEA District VI MS/JH Solo and Ensemble event.

A common question is "Can I still join band in 7th grade if I did not join in 6th grade?" The answer to this is YES! You will be in with the 7th grade band and it will take some work on your own outside of class as well as some after school sessions with Mr. C to get caught up, but you are absolutely allowed and encouraged to still join! Take a look on the 6th grade tab to see information regarding getting an instrument.

Another common question I get asked is "Can I rejoin band if I left and decided I wanted to come back?" The answer to this is YES! You will just need to make sure you get band added back to your schedule.

In 7th grade students have the opportunity to switch to other instruments in their respective families, which we often refer to as "color" instruments. This allows students to transfer skills to a secondary instrument while expanding our band sound to be more like a true concert band.

The following are the instrument choices students have in 7th grade, instruments marked with an asterisk (*) are capped out at a certain number of players.

Flute
Oboe*
Bassoon*
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone*
Tenor Saxophone*
Baritone Saxophone*
Trumpet
French Horn
Trombone
Baritone/Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion*

2025-2026 Concert Dates

The bolded concerts are required graded performances, any absences will need to follow the attendance policy in the handbook.

Youth Night: TBD
- 7th grade has the opportunity to come to the game for free with the HS band, play in the stands and perform a few songs at half time (they will not have to march).
7-12 Winter Band Concert: Saturday December 13, 2025 at 7:00pm at the High School, 7th report at 6:30pm
All Bands Concert: Saturday March 14, 2025 at 6:00pm at the High School, 7th grade report at 5:15 pm
OMEA Middle School Solo and Ensemble: Saturday April 18, 2025
- Location: TBD and Times TBD
- This is a voluntary performance
OMEA Middle School Large Group Contest at Streetsboro HS
- Date and Time TBD, the date will either be Friday May 15, 2026 or Saturday May 16, 2026
Memorial Day Parade (7-12 Grade) on Monday May 25, 2025
- Call Time at HS: 8:30am
- This is a voluntary performance.
5-7 Spring Band Concert: Tuesday May 26, 2025 at 7:00pm at the High School, 7th grade report at 6:00pm

Concert Attire

According to the Rittman Middle School Band Handbook:

The concert band uniform consists of concert black dress clothes. Students may choose to wear a black dress, a black buttoned shirt with black dress pants or a long black skirt and dress shoes and socks.
Concert attire must be school appropriate and the length of any dress/skirt must be ankle length.

OMEA District VI Honor Band/Solo and Ensemble

Honor Band

In late November/early December, directors are asked for nominations of middle school students for the OMEA District VI Honor Band event that occurs in February. I will nominate names of 7th and 8th grade students who show exceptional behavior/attitude and musical abilities in class. From those nominations students are selected to participate in the honors band. Students who are selected for this event will be notified mid December.

Below is the information paper sent home with students.

Solo and Ensemble

In January sign ups for 7th and 8th graders to participate in solo and ensemble will go up. Solo and ensemble usually occurs in April and is a time for students to learn a solo or small ensemble piece with friends and perform it in front of an adjudicator to receive feedback and a rating. Mr. C will give the people who signed up some choices for a piece and the student(s) will select their piece from those choices. Solo and ensemble does take extra practice time outside of school and students are required to sign up for times to work with Mr. C on their pieces (available dates will be announced to students). A few weeks before the event, students will then sign up for times to practice with their accompanist, at these rehearsals pieces must be performance ready.

Below is the information paper sent home with students.

Band Handbook

At the beginning of the year students will be given the Rittman Middle School Band Handbook. This needs to be read and the contract page signed as this contains all the important information about how band class works, concert attire, performance dates, etc. The signed contract and medical form pages will be the first grades of the school year.

Rittman MS Band Handbook.pdf

Band Supplies

In the document below are the supplies you will need for band this year. If you are not switching instruments your supplies will be the same as 6th grade except you will need to purchase the Essential Elements Book 2 for your instrument. If you are switching to a color instrument take a look at the document to see what supplies you will need. All instruments will be listed here for reference, you need all your supplies on the first day of school.

7th Grade Band Supplies.pdf

School Instrument Information

Students who play oboe, bassoon, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, horn, baritone/euphonium, and tuba will use school owned instruments as these are very expensive and are only responsible for getting the supplies needed for their instrument.

Percussionists will use school equipment during class, but are encouraged to have a practice bell set and snare practice pad to use at home.

The school also owns some flutes, clarinets, alto saxophones, trumpets, and trombones that are able to be loaned out for the year. If you find that you are in need of a school owned instrument I need a signed note from a parent/guardian stating so.

Anyone using a school instrument must turn in the signed instrument loan form attached here.

Instrument Loan Agreement.pdf

Instrument Care and Maintenance

This document provides you with instrument care and maintenance guidelines, important for keeping your instrument working properly.

Instrument Maintenance.pdf

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