Recruitment
Around the time of fall registration, you will receive information about opportunities you will have for band and strings in your school. Sometime during the first two weeks of school, your teachers will make a visit to present general information about Instrumental Music in your school. During this meeting, they may tell you when and where string and band classes meet, what performance opportunities you might have, how to prepare for instrument fittings, and how to sign up. You will also have the opportunity to learn about all of the instruments, hear how they sound, and maybe even try a few.
Instrument Fittings
During the second or third week of school, your teachers will return to help you find the right instrument for you. Since everyone is unique, you might prefer one instrument over another, and your teacher will be able to guide you toward instruments you are well suited for.
Obtaining an Instrument
Once you and your teacher have decided upon the right instrument for you, your teacher will return with a form that tells you how to obtain an instrument and what accessories you will need in order to be successful in strings or band. We recommend that you do not obtain an instrument until this process is completed, but if you happen to have a family instrument or come upon a used instrument, please work with a reputable, local music store to get it checked out before you bring it to school. Our schools work directly with The Music Shoppe, and they service our middle and high schools on a weekly basis.
Begin Learning
Once everyone has completed instrument selection, we will begin learning about our instruments. It may seem slow at first, and students may be experimenting a lot at home. Our instrumental music teachers want to be sure we build a solid foundation for excellent playing during the first few weeks of instruction. Because we may only have two to three days per week, it is very important that instruments are played at home as frequently as possible. Even in short spurts, daily practice on your instrument can do wonders for building fundamental skills very quickly.
All-District Concert
While each school may have various performing opportunities throughout the school year, all of the schools participate in a district-wide concert. String Students and Band Students will each have separate concerts in May where all students will gather for the day at one of the high schools to practice. In the evening they will present a short concert to parents and friends. This is a wonderful culminating project for our students! You should begin receiving information about this concert in April.
Now it's time to learn about the instruments! Click the button to navigate to the String Family!