All Shakopee Fourth Graders Are Welcome to Join the Band

Overview

Who can be in band?

All Shakopee fourth graders are welcome to join the band.

Which instruments are offered?

The Shakopee Schools’ fifth grade band includes:

FluteTrumpetBaritone/Euphonium

ClarinetF HornTuba

Alto/Tenor SaxTrombonePercussion

Who are the current band directors?

Jackson/Sweeney – Carrie Beckler ()

Sun Path – Jennifer Miller ()

Eagle Creek– Ann Nimchuk ()

Red Oak – Jana Meckler ()

My child is not interested in band. What do I need to do?

Fill out and return the Beginning Band Pre-Registration Form (found on the last page of this handbook) indicating “No”. Return the form to your child’s 4th grade teacher by Monday, April 28th.

My child is interested in band. What do I do now?

Fill out and return the Beginning Band Pre-Registration Form (found on the last page of this handbook) indicating “Yes”. Mark your child’s top 3 instrument choices, and return the form to your child’s 4th grade teacher byFriday, April 17th.

Your child will meet with his/her band director (see above) during late April or early May for an instrument fitting. At this meeting, we will discuss your child’s interests (as marked on the Pre-Registration form) and allow your child to try playing the instruments. The director will then make a recommendation as to which instrument is the best fit for your child.

Attend Band Display Night on Tuesday, May 19th from 4:00-7:30 at Sun Path. This is the time when you may arrange for an instrument through a vendor – Eckroth Music, Groth Music, or Schmitt Music – and sign up for summer band lessons through Community Education.

Why join band?

Many students and parents pose the question: Why take band? The answers to that question and the decisions resulting from it have a profound impact on student’s lives. Band is more than just playing notes, memorizing a few rhythms, attending extra rehearsals, or opting for personal practice instead of an hour in front of the television. The study of music helps develop an appetite for all forms of learning. It teaches us: concentration, alertness, memory skills, and self-control. It allows us to use acquired knowledge to develop all aspects of life, including: values, ethics, and creative decision-making. It reinforces all the essential elements of our development as caring-sharing human beings, and brings us to a higher level of emotional maturity. Ultimately, it allows us to have a greater understanding and appreciation for life itself.

To a teenager, these concepts may seem well beyond their grasp; however, a constant reinforcement of these ideals will stimulate that often-forgotten side of the mind and begin to generate important introspective questions which are the basis of personality development. Music can serve as an important bridge to the building of positive self-esteem for every individual. It is a personal journey, and we (as parents and teachers) can only point the way and lend our unconditional encouragement.

-Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, musician and educator

Some thoughts about music education:

Music lessons in childhood actually enlarge the brain. An area used to analyze the pitch of a musical note is enlarged 25% in musicians, compared to people who have never played an instrument.
The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians.
Playing an instrument is a lifelong skill.
Research has proven music has strengthened student performance in all of the core areas of study. Music involves Math, Science, Reading, Language, Foreign Language, History, Physical Education, etc.
When looking at the different components that comprise music education, music could be considered the glue that holds together all the academic disciplines.

Is my child a good fit for band?

All fourth grade students are invited to participate in elementary band.

Be assured that students of various learning abilities have all participated successfully in band. A successful band student is someone who:

Enjoys music
Enjoys learning new things
Wants to succeed
Is committed to practicing at home consistently

The best way to find out if your child will do well in band is for him/her to try it out! Summer lessons offer a great, low-pressure opportunity for your child to try and instrument. All families will have the opportunity to re-visit the decision at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

When will my child have band?

The band program in Shakopee includes 2 components – large-group rehearsals and small-group lessons. In addition, each student has multiple opportunities to perform on his/her instrument.

Rehearsals

The 5th grade band meets during the school day as part of the students’ specials rotation. Students have music 3 times during each 10-day cycle – these may be all rehearsals, or a mix of rehearsals and general music times (this varies by school).

Lessons

Each student also meets with the band director in a small group for 15-20 minutes twice during each 10-day cycle. These lessons occur during the normal school day, and are where most of the students’ musical development occurs.

Concerts

All-District Concert

Each spring, band students from the elementary schools, junior highs, and Shakopee High School come together to perform a massed concert in the Shakopee High School gym.

Spring Concert

Each 5th grade band performs a spring concert at their respective schools. This is the culminating event for our 5th grade bands!

How will my child select an instrument?

Your child has already attended a presentation at which he/she was introduced to all of the instruments offered here in Shakopee. Using this information, he/she should indicate his/her top 3 instrument choices on the Band Pre-Registration Form at the end of this packet.

Your child will meet individually with his/her band director during the school day in late April or early May. At this instrument fitting, we will discuss your child’s interests and allow your child to try playing the instruments. The director will then make a recommendation as to which instrument is the best fit for your child.

The director’s recommendation will be based on the student’s preferences, as well as physical characteristics necessary to play the instrument (ex. -jaw structure, teeth and lip formation, hand size, etc.) and the instruments needed to provide a well-balanced band. The decision is ultimately up to your family, but please make a careful consideration of instrument choice, as it is very hard to switch instruments once a student has already started.

(Please note – students who play percussion are expected to have at least 2 years of piano experience prior to beginning band.)

Flute
/ Clarinet
/ Trumpet (or Cornet)

Trombone
/ Alto/Tenor Saxophone
/ Percussion

Euphonium
/ Tuba
/ F Horn

What makes a good player?

Certain physical characteristics or learning styles can lead to students’ being better suited to one instrument over another. Here are some examples:

Flute

“Tear-drop” shaped lip or drastic overbite can make it very difficult to get a sound
Fingers should be agile and long enough to reach the keys

Clarinet

Will work well for most students with braces
Complicated instrument with many keys – attention to detail is important!
Clarinetists are responsible for the care and maintenance of fragile reeds

Saxophone

Complicated instrument with many keys – attention to detail is important!
Fingers must be long enough to curl around instrument and “palm keys”
Saxophonists are responsible for the care and maintenance of fragile reeds
Tenor Sax is a large instrument – recommended for taller students

Trumpet

Often plays the melody – a good fit for confident, motivated students

F Horn

Student must be tall enough to accommodate size of instrument
Very tricky to match pitches – horn players should be excellent singers and/or piano players

Trombone

A great fit for students with slightly fuller lips
Trombone has no exact fingerings for different notes – trombonists need good musical ears and muscle memory

Baritone/Euphonium

A better fit for braces than the trumpet or horn
Students keep one instrument at home and one at school, rather than transporting a large instrument back and forth

Tuba

Student must be tall enough to accommodate size of instrument
The “foundation” of the band – tuba players need good musical ears
Students keep one instrument at home and one at school, rather than transporting a large instrument back and forth

Percussion

Because percussionists learn several instruments simultaneously, piano background is strongly recommended
Percussionists should be confident and self-motivated

How do I get an instrument for my child?

Most of our students get their instruments from 1 of 3 places:

Family-Owned Instruments

If you already have an instrument at home, this would be a great, low-cost way for your child to get started in band. However, it is extremely important that your child’s instrument be in good playing condition. The older the instrument, the more likely it is that it will need some repair work before it is playable. If you are planning to have your child play a family-owned instrument, we recommend bringing it to a music repair shop for a tune-up before Band Display Night on May 21 to be sure it is in good playing condition. A list of repair shops is below.

Eckroth Music(651) 704-9654

Groth Music(952) 884-4772

Schmitt Music(612) 238-9930

Midwest Band Instrument Service(952) 884-0917

School-Owned Instruments

Band is an opportunity for everyone. If you have financial concerns, please see your director. If your child chooses to play F Horn, Baritone/Euphonium, or Tuba, he/she will rent an instrument from the school. The cost is $60 per year, and is non-refundable. There are a small number of other instruments available to families receiving free/reduced lunch.

Trial Purchases Through Music Stores

For your convenience, representatives from music stores will be present at registration on May 21st. On this night, you will be able to arrange for a 3-4 month trial purchase of an instrument for your child. At the end of the trial period, you may choose to purchase the instrument outright or on a payment plan, or return it to the music store with no further obligation.

Fees for the trial purchase plan will be consistent between the music stores and the fees will apply toward the purchase price of the instrument. However, be aware that after the trial period, purchase plans do vary among the stores. We encourage you to allow extra time at the display night to discuss purchase plans or to contact each store in advance to inquire about their payment plans. If you wish to obtain more information regarding instrument rental, please contact the following music store representatives:

Eckroth Music(651) 704-9654(Daryk Narum)

Schmitt Music(612) 238-9930(Melissa Olson)

Groth Music(952) 884-4772(Eric Pavlik)

The Music Mart1-800-882-2896(Joe Meidl)

My Music Store(763) 525-0311

If you arrange for an instrument on Band Display Night, the instrument will be delivered to the schools in time for your child’s first lesson.

Other Instruments

Students occasionally come to us with instruments purchased from other sources (E-Bay, Craig’s List, pawn shops, big box stores, etc.). From our experiences and observations, the instruments from these places have not been of good quality. They almost always have problems, and when they need to be repaired (which they most certainly will) most repair shops will not fix them due to several factors including non-standard parts and low-quality metals. Please check with your child’s band director before purchasing an instrument from a non-traditional source; we can often tell you whether or not it will be a good purchase based on the brand name or other basic facts.

Recommended brands include:

Flute: Armstrong, Emerson, Gemeinhardt, Jupiter, Yamaha

Clarinet: Artley, Buffet, Jupiter, LeBlanc, Selmer, Vito, Yamaha

Alto Saxophone: Bundy, Conn, Jupiter, Selmer, Vito, Yamaha

Trumpet: Bach, Conn, Getzen, Holton, Jupiter, King, Yamaha

Trombone: Accent, Bach, Conn, Getzen, Holton, Jupiter, King, Yamaha

Should I sign my child up for summer lessons?

Summer lessons are the best way for your child to get started in band! For just $60, your child will attend seven 30-minute lessons during the last 6 weeks before school starts. These lessons offer a great, low-pressure way for your child to get a head start on his/her instrument before the busy school year begins. (Our goal is to have at least 75% of our students take summer lessons!)

We prefer that all students are able to attend all lessons during the summer program. Students who will miss the first week of summer lessons will need to start in the fall, as these are the most difficult lessons to “make up.” All other missed lessons due to vacations, etc. may or may not be rescheduled at the discretion of the teacher.

If your child is unable to participate in summer lessons, this does not mean that your child will not be able to participate in band in the fall. Students who choose not to participate will begin lessons during school in September.

For more details on summer lessons, please refer to the next page in this handbook.

Summer Band Lesson Information

The Shakopee Public Schools provide incoming 5th graders the opportunity to participate in a summer band lesson program through Community Education. The summer lesson program runs for the six weeks prior to the beginning of school. Students receive 7 half-hour lessons for $60.00. That works out to less than $9.00 per lesson – a great deal compared to music store and private instruction rates! Summer band lesson participation is not required; however, it is highly recommended as a way to get your student jump-started on their instrument before school begins. Lesson times remain the same for the 6-week period, and there are no Friday lessons.

2013 Summer Lesson Schedule and Times through Community Ed.

Tuesday Sessions
(lesson times run from
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) / Wednesday Sessions
(lesson times run from
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.)
July 14h & July 15th (Mon. & Tue.)* / July 16th & 17th (Wed. & Thurs.)*
July 22rd / July 23rd
July 29th / July 30th
Aug. 5th / Aug. 6th
Aug. 12th / Aug. 13th
Aug. 19th / Aug. 20th

*Note that there are two lessons scheduled the first week.

Registration Information

The best time to register for summer lessons is during the band open house night on May 20th at Sun Path from 4:00 – 7:30. Class sizes are capped at 4 or 6 students and certain slots fill up quickly. Credit cards only will be accepted at this time. Community Education staff will be available to help with registration. If you cannot make it to the open house, you can also register after the event the following ways:

Register on-line at with Visa, Mastercard, or Discover.
Register in person at the Community Ed office (cash or checks also accepted).
Once students receive registration forms (separate from this handbook), you can fax it to Community Education at 1-952-496-5098 or mail it to Shakopee Community Education, 505 Holmes St. South, Shakopee, MN 55379

Beginning Band Pre-Registration Form

Please return this form to your homeroom teacher by April 30th

Name of Student:

Homeroom Teacher:

I am interested in participating in 5th grade band (circle) yesno

If yes, please continue completing this form (front and back).

If no, please sign the bottom of this page and return to school.

Parent/Guardian Name:

Email Address:

Phone:

I have piano experience (circle) yesnoNumber of Years:

Any other useful information that would assist the band directors:

Parent/Guardian Signature

Please mark your first three instrument choices on the back of this sheet.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Band Display Night on May 20th!

Directions

Please check the top three choices of instruments that your child would like to try. If you have an order of preference, please number them “1, 2, 3.” Final selection from this list of ten will be made at the Instrument Fitting with your child at their elementary school. Keep in mind this is their choice before actually trying the instrument. After the fitting, the director will be asking the students what their final instrument choice will be.

The director will then make a final recommendation based on:

Student interest
Need for the instrument in the band
Potential for playing the instrument; such as ability to make a good sound and physical characteristics

Brass Instruments

___ Trumpet

___ French Horn (Horn in F)

___Trombone

___Baritone/Euphonium

___ Tuba

Woodwind Instruments

___Flute

___Clarinet

___ Alto Saxophone

___ Tenor Saxophone

Percussion

___Drums/Mallet Percussion/Auxiliary Percussion

(Students need either 2 years of piano lessons or the director’s permission. A rhythm aptitude test will be given.)