Instrument Selection Procudure
Congratulations! Your child wants to be part of the band. This is so exciting! He/She may have always wanted to play a certain instrument, or decided to play one after seeing a band perform.
We want all students to be successful, so there is a procedure to trying out instruments that we follow and have had incredible success with. Please refer back to the "Instrumental Selection Considerations" page, the "Be a Part of Music" page, and/or possibly use the "Instrument Matching Tool" (English Only) to review all the instruments and think about your student's top 3 choices.
When it comes time, a band director will either visit the elementary schools and visit individually with each student interested in band, or a personal appointment will be made at the middle school. We love it when parents sit in the room and observe the instrument evaluations, because then they can see first hand when a student is successful on instrument.
The student will sit across from the band director, and the director will begin with explaining the basics on how to prepare oneself physically to play an instrument.
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For those interested in wind instruments (woodwinds and brass): Posture, breathing, the proper mouth formation (embouchure), and how to blow out.
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For percussionists: The proper way to hold the sticks, and how to strike a drum.
Parts of the instrument are gradually introduced, and depending on the success on those parts, then the student will move onto the whole instrument.
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If the student is successful, then they can stop and decide whether or not they want to play that instrument, or possibly try out the other two choices.
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If they are not very successful, they move on to the next instrument, and go through the same procedure.
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If after the third instrument there is not much success, at the director's discretion, if he/she feels the student may be more successful with a different instrument, then others will be recommended and tested out, until a good fit is found for the student.
At the end of the session, the student and director (and parent, if present) will know which instrument the student had the most initial success on, and they will be invited to learn to play that instrument in the band program!
As you can tell from this procedure, many times, the final assigned instrument is different than what the student thought he/she was going to play. Playing any musical instrument is hard work. Please trust the band directors in their abilities to find an instrument that each student will develop best on. They don't want the student to learn an instrument where they have innate difficulties playing, because then they will be at a disadvantage, and not enjoy the art of making music with an instrument. Once again, the student's success is the number one priority, and most of the time the students come to love the instruments they are selected to play.
Once this selection is completed, the student (and parent) are given a list of Instrument Supplies, and a list of local Music Stores, where they can make arrangements to procure the instrument. Some instruments are responsibility of the students and parents to procure. We strongly recommend renting versus buying, and doing so from a reputable store. Other instruments in the band are owned by the school, and have a yearly usage fee, and other supplies will required for purchase. Please don't let financial worries deter you from joining the band! The band directors will work with all students and parents to find the best solution in finding an instrument when it is needed. We want everyone to enjoy the art of making music on a musical instrument, with all the other benefits possible.
The band directors are always available to answer any questions or concerns one may have.
