6th Grade Band

Join 6th Grade Band!

6th Grade Band is a music class for students who are interested in increasing their understanding of music by playing an instrument.

Our class meets three times each week during the school day in the music room. During the school year, band students will learn how to read music, play their instrument, perform as a group, and be introduced to new music concepts from a variety of musical genres.

Due to the pandemic, students were unable to start learning instruments last year. This year, the 6th grade students will finally have the opportunity to join Memorial's growing band program. Students that choose to join band will have opportunities to perform in school concerts, town events, and participate in the music/band field trips.

Please read through this page and consider signing your child up for band at the bottom. I'm excited to begin teaching the 6th graders instruments this year and share my passion for music with them!

Eric Schaefer, Band Director

6th Grade Band students perform at the Winter Concert

7th Grade Band practices in the music room

Instrument Choices

Students will choose an instrument to learn in band class. Here are the instrument options for 6th grade band:

Flute
Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Trumpet
Trombone
Baritone
Percussion (drums & xylophone)

Please note: During the first week of band, students will be able to test out many of the instruments. Help will be provided to all students to make the best choice!

Renting an Instrument

Most students will need to rent an instrument to participate in the band program. Our school district has a partnership with Music & Arts in Wayne.

When needed, Music & Arts will drop off their rental instrument & accessories at our school and pick them up for repairs.

Click here to go to the Music & Arts rental site for our school to check prices. Please do not place an order for a rental instrument until you are instructed to do so.

Additional information for current instrument owners:

All students are eligible to use a preowned family instrument. Working conditions and inspection will occur to confirm the instrument is able to achieve the proper tone.

Please do not purchase a new instrument online

WARNING: Most band instruments available on Amazon and other online retailers are cheaply made and tend to fall apart after a few weeks! Instruments from music rental stores are made with quality materials and will prevent a first-year band player from having a frustrating experience.

Our school partners with Music & Arts for rentals

Memorial bands perform at the 8th grade graduation

A Memorial band student plays at the winter concert

Band Performances & Trips

Our band students are required to perform in Memorial's Winter and Spring concerts. Other community performances include:

Tree-Lighting Festival
Alfred Baumann Library Concert
8th grade Graduation Ceremony

Changes May Occur

Performances, trips and other opportunities will be available once guidance is provided to our school district.

Frequently asked questions

Expand the questions below to see the answers.

How often do the students in band meet?

Band class will be held during three periods throughout the week. It will be added to their schedule when they join band. Additionally, band students will attend an occasional lunch lesson in which they will learn with the other students that play their instrument (all flutes, all clarinets, etc.)

Will students need to miss their other classes to attend band class?

No, band class will appear in their schedule and will not interfere with their other scheduled classes. Occasionally, there may be optional small group lessons during their other classes. If permitted by their parents & teachers, I will occasionally pull students out for a small group lesson.

Is band a graded class?

Yes, band is a graded class that will appear on their report card. Grading is based on in-class effort, practice logs, playing tests and homework.

Will band students have to meet after school?

No, all of our practices and lessons will take place during the school day. However, concerts and events usually take place after school hours. Extra help and extra-curricular band groups (such as Jazz Band) also meet after school.

Do I need to rent an instrument?

Unless you already own a working band instrument, yes, you will need to rent an instrument. It's very important for beginning band students to have a reliable instrument that always works. The most frustrating thing for a beginning band student is an instrument that is constantly breaking or not working correctly.

This is why I do not want anyone purchasing an instrument online. There are plenty of very inexpensive band instruments available online; even though some may appear to have good reviews, these instruments are cheaply made and cannot be repaired and only last a few weeks before they stop being playable.

It is strongly recommend renting from Music & Arts for the first year. If you wish to purchase an instrument after that, please let Mr. Schaefer know and he can provide you a list of quality manufacturers & instrument models.

If you already own an instrument, please have your child bring it to me so it can be checked out to make sure it's in good playing condition.

Which instrument should I select?

Don't worry! Help will be provided! During the first week of school, band students will meet with the teacher to show them the instrument options in person and give them a chance to try them out. It really depends on the student, and sometimes how their lips/teeth/mouth are shaped. Some students are able to make a great sound on the instruments right away.

Will students need to bring their instruments home?

Yes, students will be required to bring their instruments home on the last day of band class each week. For homework, band students are expected to practice their instruments at home and work on their music, scales and songs in their band book. Students may leave their instrument in the band room only if they have band class the following day.

Sign up for band!