Beginning Band Instrument Tryout

What

Beginning Band Instrument Tryout

When

8/15/2023, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Your child is invited to join Flagstaff Academy's Elementary Band. The Beginning Band, for students who have never been in band before, is open to 4th and 5th grade students. (Students who have already played in band for one year should continue in our Fifth Grade Band from where they left off last year. I will communicate directly with those parents about the new schedule.)

Beginning Band Information:

Many students already have an idea of what they would like to play, but it is a good idea to try producing sound on an instrument before renting one to make sure it is a good "fit" for success. The best way to do that is to sign up for a one-on-one try-out appointment with me!  Click HERE to select a time! Each appointment will be on the school stage and will be approximately fifteen minutes long.

Appointments begin on Wednesday, 8/9. The last day to try an instrument will be Thursday, 8/17. Sign up soon to get the best slot!

Although it may seem like COVID is behind us, for your comfort, I will be wearing a mask and gloves while working with each student. As always, instrument mouthpieces will be thoroughly sanitized before being used again with another student. We have multiple mouthpieces for each instrument, which allows them to be retired to the sanitizing solution for longer while another is being used.

WHAT INSTRUMENTS CAN I CHOOSE FROM?

Flagstaff Academy offers traditional band classes where students learn to play one of these instruments: Flute, Clarinet (clarinet players can later transition to saxophone), Trumpet, Trombone, Baritone, Percussion (Drums, beginning with a small xylophone called a Bell Kit)

INSTRUMENT QUALITY MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

Students are much more successful when they have a good instrument. That does not mean you should purchase a professional level instrument at this time. You should, however, make sure the instrument, new or used, is a name-brand instrument in excellent playing condition. The instrument that Great Aunt Myrtle has in her attic may have been a wonderful instrument at one time, but it probably needs some maintenance before it works well again. If you have such an instrument and are considering it for your student, please let Mr. Kemp check it out for you.

Please ask Mr. Kemp before buying an instrument online, and please do not get an instrument before your try-out appointment! Many cheap instruments can be found on sites like Amazon, but they are usually cheap for a reason. Some of them are more like toys than instruments.