Band FAQ

Band is a wonderful opportunity to learn a musical instrument that can be continued for the rest of your child’s life. Beginning band is a year-long class. Depending on the instrument your child is selected to play, they will meet in classes for 55 minutes according to that instrument grouping. Skills develop slowly at first, and parents and students must be patient and committed for the year in order to get the full benefit of instruction.

Please click here for more information: Be Part of the Music

KISD band programs are home to kind, hard-working, well-behaved students. Every single member of the program is essential to its overall success. Being a member of a band program is an invaluable experience. Your student will learn many important life lessons about teamwork, accountability, perseverance, responsibility, selflessness, excellent character, focus and self-discipline. They will be provided the opportunity to be creative and learn a craft that can serve them a lifetime.

If you would like your child to participate in band, please choose band as their FIRST CHOICE for an elective during registration. Due to the unique nature of learning to play a musical instrument, we encourage students to begin band in 6th grade.

Band is a performance-based class. All KISD students will have a minimum of two required performances after school during the year per district curriculum and state standards. These performances are taken for a grade.

Concerning outside practice, it is generally recommended that a minimum of 20 minutes a day outside of class should be spent practicing their instrument. This requirement may vary slightly from school to school. It is important to apply what is taught in class at home to hone their skills.

Yes! Students earn a grade on their quarterly report card in Beginning Band like other academic subjects. Students will receive formative and summative grades based on district guidelines. Performances are considered summative grades and are factored into each grading period.

Not at all! We provide all the information your student will need to be a successful instrumentalist. The beginner method books are designed for the musically untrained student. We teach everything from the foundations of reading music to the necessary mechanics for playing the instrument your child is selected to play. As your student progresses, you will hear lots of familiar tunes. All of their progress will culminate at their Spring Concert held at the end of the year.

We offer the following instruments in beginning band:

Woodwind – Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone

High Brass – French Horn, Trumpet

Low Brass – Baritone/Euphonium, Tuba

Oboe and Bassoon are offered at the discretion of the director at each campus.

Percussion is only available to students who have been selected through each school’s director. Students are required to audition for a potential spot in this class and there is a limited number of spots on each campus based on need.

The director at each MS campus will help guide your child in selecting an instrument that is appropriate for their success and fits the needs of the program. Student and family needs will be taken into consideration when selecting an instrument. Instrument selection will be accomplished by having your child watch the videos provided, as part of the virtual instrument fair process, and then assessing your child’s interest in an instrument through the Instrument Interest Form. In the coming weeks, you will then be contacted by a band director to conference with you and your child on an instrument that suites them. Often, we find students like something better than they expected because they are more successful when trying out different instruments. There are many different instruments in a band and EACH ONE is important!

There are several options available that your director will guide you through. (Please do not purchase or rent an instrument without first discussing this with your director or receiving our instrument rental flyer.) These options include school owned instruments, instrument rentals, or purchasing a used instrument. Information will be provided about individual rentals after your child has made an instrument selection. This will also include information regarding accessories and required books.

Students playing Oboe, Bassoon, French Horn, Baritone and Tuba will be provided an instrument from their campus. These are assigned on the basis of aptitude, suitability, and availability - NOT financial need. Parents of children selected to play one of these school owned instruments are required to purchase necessary accessories such as a mouthpiece, books, reeds/valve oil.

If you are thinking about buying a used instrument, here is what you need to know. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. Some used instruments are good bargains. However, you could possibly end up spending more money on repairs than the instrument is worth. For this reason, we ask that if you plan to purchase a used instrument to let a KISD Band Director examine it prior to purchase, where possible. Local music stores would be a great place to start. You might see if the music companies have used instruments available. Again, please do not purchase anything without first contacting your child’s band director.

Of course! Beginning Band is an academic course and it is understood that concerts are part of our curriculum following our state standards. We generally have our calendars for band done for the year in May of the previous school year. This will give plenty of time for any needed coordination.

Communication is needed so that our students can be successful in all activities they want to take part in. Students can participate in band and any other sport or activity that interests them. This is true all the way through high school. We encourage our students to be multi-faceted.

Of course, they can! If you are interested in band, please inform your STEM counselor by email and contact your band director. This will help with scheduling, and we will ensure your child is placed in beginning band!

YES! Many students with braces play musical instruments successfully. Please talk to your director to figure out how to make this experience promote comfort and success for your student.