About the Band Program

Updated: August 2025

The time has come to start the 2025-2026 band programs at Wantage School!  This letter is to provide you with some information about the band program, as well as an explanation about several of the procedures to follow if your child is interested in learning a musical instrument and participating in the school band.

  If you have an instrument, your child may start in a beginner class.  If you do not have one, I recommend renting an instrument from a local music store or company.  Most stores and companies have a rental payment program, which applies to the purchase of the instrument.  You may rent from any company, and please remember that Wantage School does not rent or provide instruments or supplies.

 If your child is unsure what instrument they would like to play, NEMC, a rental company, will be demonstrating the various instruments for all fourth grade students in an assembly on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

The following beginner instrumental lessons will be available for this year:

         Flute                        Clarinet                    Alto Saxophone                  Trumpet

         Trombone                        Percussion* Bell Kit 

          *GRADE 4 PERCUSSION enrollment will be limited to 8 students, chosen by a random drawing on Friday, September 19, 2025.  Students interested in playing percussion MUST have signed slips to me by 8:50 am on that morning.  After the drawing, students participating in percussion classes will need a drum kit (consisting of a snare drum, a snare drum stand, drum sticks, and a carrying case).  Students interested in being in the percussion lottery are strongly advised to consider an alternate instrument & to wait to purchase/rent a percussion kit, should their name not be drawn in the random lottery.

Students who have signed up for band will have a “Welcome to Band” meeting on either Thursday, September 25 or Friday, September 25.  (More information to follow!)

Beginning instrumental lessons will start the week of October 1, 2025.  I will be sending band lesson group information home to all registered students prior to your first lesson. Instruments or arrangements to rent/purchase an instrument should be made prior to the end of the first marking period (If you do not have an instrument you will still come to your first lesson!) 

Please fill out the registration form at the bottom of this letter and send it back to school as soon as possible!  I hope you and your child find music instruction a fun, challenging, and rewarding experience.  Please feel free to contact me at Wantage School (973-875-4589) or by email (kfelsen@swregional.org) if you have any questions or concerns!

---Mrs. Felsen

Please note: The Wantage School Band is for current fourth and fifth grade students.