Lesson registration is open from September 18 through midnight on Friday, September 25th
Select "Elementary Instrumental Lessons - Fall 2020" form
*You will need your child's local ASPEN ID to register*
Click here for help registering
Hello Elementary Parents!
We are excited that although this fall will look different in many ways, we will still be offering instrumental lessons to students in grades 3 - 5 this year! After teaching and learning music in a virtual setting all summer (to experience and assess what is possible), we feel that we can continue to offer a quality lesson experience for our students this year. Our goal is to keep students involved with instrumental music and growing towards the MVMMS and MHS ensembles in their future. Students have many exciting opportunities waiting for them in the years to come in the instrumental program!
Instrumental Lessons are open to all elementary school students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 for band or string instruments during the school day at their elementary school.
In your first year, you will learn the basics of playing your instrument in small groups during a 30-minute lesson each week. In your second and third year, you will continue with 30-minute group lessons and also have the opportunity to join the Youth Band or Youth Orchestra and play in concerts at MVMMS with other students from all five elementary schools. There is no additional cost for Youth Band or Youth Orchestra.
Signing up for small group lessons is the first step of your musical journey here in Melrose. As you get older, you will have the opportunity to join the many music groups that we have to offer here in Melrose.
Playing an instrument in the band or orchestra is a wonderful experience that countless Melrose students have loved while creating memories that last a lifetime! We hope you will join us and be part of this timeless Melrose tradition!
Strings
Violin
Viola
Cello
Winds/Brass/Percussion
Flute
Oboe*
Clarinet
Saxophone*
Trumpet
French Horn*
Trombone*
Euphonium*
Percussion (snare drum and bells)*
*4th and 5th grade only
Students will receive a half-hour group lesson once a week.
For the 2020/21 school year, all lessons will happen virtually when students are at home each week.
We are planning on the same format for all students regardless of Hybrid/MDLA. This allows us to keep things consistent across the program and group students according to ability. If something changes during the year we will quickly reassess and restructure if necessary.
Students will not need to bring their instruments to school.
It is highly recommended that students have a music stand at home for virtual lessons.
In order to give students a lesson every week with the running of a hybrid model, students will have two different lesson days/times -- a 'Week A' lesson and a 'Week B' lesson.
'Week A’ will be a small focused group and ‘Week B’ will be a larger small ensemble-like group of like instruments (A & B scenarios will be flipped for half the groups)
We understand that this is slightly different than usual and plan to have an automated reminder email go out to all families both at the start of each week and the night before the lesson.
Once things settle in, it is a basic 2-week rotation that will cycle all year.
This format was necessary for us to be able to offer lessons to students every week which we believe is imperative to their success.
Groups are organized by instrument and experience level. Exact group sizes and instrumentation will vary based on enrollment.
Students may have to make up work they may miss while out of their 'classroom' for lessons. We feel given the amount of asynchronous work students will have, that this will be easier than in more normal years
Goals of the program include – Learning the basics of playing your instrument, reading music, playing alone and with others, goal setting strategies for skill development and learning, working in pairs and small groups, to prepare both informal and formal performances, and general preparation for advancement to middle school ensembles.
Students should practice at home on a regular basis. Regular, structured, goal-oriented, consistent practice is more important than counting actual minutes.
Students will have the opportunity to perform on their instrument in various settings.
Students can use their own instrument or rent one. See the rental information page.
Registration will be open from Friday, September 18 - Friday, September 25. The link will be at the top of this page and emailed out families who pre-registered.
Important - You will need your child's ASPEN ID number to register, make sure to have that on hand.
$295 for the school year – 25 lessons (minimum)
Due to the complexity of the schedule and staffing, if a lesson is missed it will not be “made up”. The 25 lessons over the course of the school year factors in the inevitable conflicts – holidays, snow days, teacher sickness, school testing, etc. It is highly likely that most students will receive more than 25 lessons over the course of the year even with an occasional week missed here or there.
In the first week = 100 percent refund
After the first week through the last week of October = 75 percent refund
The first full week of November and after = no refund
For more information contact:
Matthew Repucci
mrepucci@melroseschools.com