Beginning Band Letter

Hello new students and parents! Welcome to the West Millbrook Music Department Family! 

I would like to invite your student to join the band or choir programs offered at our school. This past year has been a year of tremendous growth from all students and I am looking forward to continuing that with your student over the next three years. All music classes are part of the regularly scheduled school day and are considered their Art elective for the year. 

To participate in band or orchestra, students must provide their own instrument and book. Students who choose to participate in band class can choose from the following instruments: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone. *Students interested in saxophone must start on clarinet.*  Additionally in order to be successful in class, students must purchase their own copy of Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician, Book 1 for their specific instrument. Students who wish to play percussion will need to complete a full year in band or one year of lessons before being eligible to participate in the International Percussive Studies class. 

I’ve listed below several vendors that you can go through to acquire instruments in time for this year's band class. These vendors may also offer deals where a couple of lessons may be thrown in with the initial cost of the instrument, so be sure to check with them! This is a quick and easy way to get your child started off on the right foot in band or orchestra, and is a huge benefit as we want them to be as successful as possible. 

Please feel free to call or visit these dealers about the purchase or rental of an instrument for your child.

Music&Arts, 919-556-0883, 12520 Capital Blvd, Suite 101, Wake Forest, NC 27587

Music&Arts, 919-872-1601, 5950 Poyner village Pkwy, Suite F101, Raleigh, NC

A Joyful Noise, 919-386-9335, info@joyfulnoiserentals.com

Sweetwater Music, https://www.sweetwater.com/

Another easy way to order a new instrument is to try Music & Arts’ online ordering function. If this is the option you choose, we ask that you elect to have the instrument shipped directly to your house or to the store for pickup, not to the school. This website is easy to use and should have the instruments shipped quickly after ordering.

1. Go to Musicarts.com – Scroll down and look on the right side of the page near the bottom for a box entitled: Rent Now.

2. From here, enter the zip code 27615. 

3. On the next page, on the right side, select “Rentals for School”. 

4. On the next page, select “6” for Student Grade, and enter “West Millbrook Magnet Middle School” under School Name, and select WMMS. 

5. The next page is where you’ll select your desired instrument, just make sure you pick one of the four approved instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone*, trumpet, or trombone.  *Saxophone students must have teacher approval.

6. Once you’ve selected one, it will ask for your desired delivery preference – please make sure you select your home or one of the M&A stores, not the school. 

7. The next page will recommend additional supplies for your instrument, including the method book we will be using, Essential Elements, Book 1. Please make sure you get one of these books! The starter kit includes items like a music stand, instrument name tag, and other goodies, including several coupons to Music & Arts! This is not necessary, but is certainly a nice addition to this new instrument.

We look forward to having your student in band this year. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you, 

Jenna Martel