Q: How can I get my child signed up for private music lessons outside of school?
A: CLICK HERE to view the WCASD Recommend Private Music Teacher List. Private lessons are a great idea, especially during the summer, and will significantly enhance your child's experience of learning an instrument. There are also teachers for piano and guitar listed, as I often get questions about students wanting to play those instruments as well.
Q: When does orchestra meet?
A: Small group lessons occur once per week for 30 minutes. Your child will be assigned a lesson day that will not change, but the lesson times rotate each week so your child is not being pulled from the same subject.
Q: Is there homework In orchestra?
A: Practicing your instrument is the homework of orchestra! It is recommended that your child practice one exercise or song per day. This can be as short as a 10 minute session for beginners, and will increase over time. This is extremely important because we only have one 30 minute lesson together per week, so it is essential to practice in between lessons to see results!
Q: How do I obtain an instrument?
A: It is highly recommended that you rent an instrument for your student. In elementary school, students require fractional size instruments and will need to size up as they grow. Renting allows you the ability to trade in an instrument for a larger one as your child grows! Renting also provides your child with a high quality instrument for an affordable price.
Q: What are the time commitments outside of the school day?
A: Students are expected to participate in our concerts that we prepare for during our lessons. Every student in orchestra will get to participate in two concerts per year, the dates depend on their experience level. We also hold morning rehearsals at 8 AM leading up to concerts. Specific dates will be communicated with you and can also be found on our Important Dates page.