Instrumental Music Orientation

1. Instrumental Music Orientation Poudre School District

2. Agenda/Topics to be Covered • What are the Costs? • What are the Time Commitments? • What are the Expectations? • What is the Summer Music Program? • How To Choose an Instrument?

3. What are the Costs? • Band/Orchestra Instrument • Renting, Purchasing or Hand-me-downs • Use extreme caution on Internet or stores that also sell tires • Some Instruments are provided by the school • Oboe, Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone, French Horn, Baritone, Tuba • Cello, String Bass - String Instrument • Other resources may be available for families who cannot afford to rent/purchase an instrument

4. Wind Instruments Flute - $18-21 Clarinet - $18-21 Trumpet - $18-21 French Horn - $60-70 (Usually Provided) Euphonium - $40-45 (Usually Provided) Trombone - $18-21 Percussion - $18-21 String Instruments Violin - $18-21 Viola - $25 Cello - $40-50 (Usually Provided) Instruments normally provided by the school CAN be rented if a student desires to have their own. Instrument Rental

5. Other Costs You Can Expect • Book • Method Book: $9.00 per book • Percussion Book (2 in 1): $15.00 • Accessories • Oil, Grease, Cleaning Equipment • Reeds • Percussion Mallets and Sticks • Rosin, Pitch Pipe • Optional: Metronome, Tuner, Music Stand • Normal Repairs (Replace Strings, etc.)

6. When Money is a Concern... When money is an issue, we will do everything we can to make it possible. There are resources available to assist families who qualify for free or reduced lunch programs.

7. How Much Extra Time is Required? • Beginning groups perform 4 required concerts per year - opportunities for more performances exist if a student wants to perform more such as solo & ensembles. • Students may have outside the school day practices at some sites – we will give you plenty of advance notice when these practices occur.

8. What about daily practice? • Both band and orchestra require daily practice as a part of the course. • SmartMusic software is used to assist with student assessment at school. • SmartMusic software is available and recommended for home practice at a subscription cost of $30 per year. • Submit assignments from home.

9. What We Expect from Students • A Genuine Desire to Learn an Instrument • Daily Practice to Improve Performance • Respect for Self, Peers and Teachers • A Positive Attitude - Willing to Try • Care for your instrument • Ask questions! Come in for help!

10. What We Hope from Parents • Help Students Learn the Responsibilities of: • Turning Work In • Daily Drill and Practice • Asking for Help When Needed • Following Through on Commitments • Attend Concerts to Support Students • Maintain an Open Line of Communication for the Best Possible Experience for Students

11. What Previous Experience is Needed? • For most instruments - none. We will teach students EVERYTHING they need to know - from how to put the instrument together - to how to read music - to the correct techniques needed for superior performances. NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!

12. Why Start Now?…This is the BEST and ONLY time to begin an instrument since beginning classes are only offered in the 6th grade next year.

13. Summer Music Program • Strongly Encouraged! Best Feature! • 3 weeks of FREE daily music lessons! • Single instrument classes progress faster and almost complete one half of a semester. • Summer schedule allows students to focus at the peak of their excitement. Also there is no other homework to compete with their time. • Blevins’ summer classes will be at Webber not Rocky. • With only 3 weeks, attendance will be very important.

14. 2009 Summer Music ProgramJuly 10, 2009 A complete schedule of the summer music program will be mailed to you in February.

15. Choosing an Instrument • Most Important Factor: Do you like how it Sounds - not how easy is it to play. • Choose an instrument you want to play not one your friend wants you to play • No such thing as “Boy” or “Girl” Instruments • Avoid choosing an instrument based on cost • Choose any size you want, you will grow • Be careful choosing old Instruments you have sitting around the house - it may not be the one you like. Maybe it could be traded.

16. Physical Considerations... • Some physical considerations will have an effect on the ease of playing but not the success of a student with a particular instrument. • Small hands, missing fingers, the shape of the mouth, braces, and physical height can effect the ease of playing the instrument, but shouldn’t effect your choice of what instrument to play. If you love the instrument, you should play it! • We recommend that students try the instrument they like - if there is a concern - we will work with you to figure out the best solution.

17. Instruments with Special Requirements • Blevins requires clarinet or flute before playing oboe, bassoon, saxophone or bass clarinet. • Percussion instruments include keyboard instruments (xylophone, orchestra bells, marimba, vibraphone). All of these are based on the piano keyboard. Knowledge of bass clef helps for timpani. Students with previous piano experience have much more success so 1 to 2 years of piano is strongly encouraged. Drum set is not taught in beginner band.

18. Let’s try some instruments… Here’s how our instrument night will work tonight Student will try every instrument and be given an indication of their strongest choices. Thank you for coming!