Pequenakonck Elementary School Bands

The band program is open to students in fourth and fifth grade. All band students are placed in small groups of like instruments for weekly lessons. These classes are scheduled on a rotating basis during the school day so that students do not miss the same block of time in consecutive weeks. If the lesson is at 9:25 one week, the next week’s lesson might be at 10:10. Students are pulled out of academic classes and specials for their lessons and are required to make up any missed work. Lessons are not held during recess.

Fourth grade students begin to practice as a band in February. They will practice once a week during recess from February to the concert date in addition to their weekly lessons. Fourth grade students have one concert at the end of the year. Fifth grade students begin band practice during recess in October and have two concerts a year. The concert dates are listed in the school calendar.

Instruction is based on the New York State Standards for Music and the National Core Arts Standards. The curriculum emphasizes critical and creative thinking and problem solving as students learn to diagnose and solve problems.

The school will provide instruments for those students playing trombone and baritone. All other instruments must be rented through a rental company. Recommended rental store are listed in the Resources tab. Instruction is offered on the following instruments: flute, clarinet, bass clarinet (5th only) alto saxophone, tenor saxophone (5th only), trumpet, trombone, baritone, and percussion.