BEGINNING BAND 2024-2025
INSTRUMENT RENTAL MEETING
Virtual meeting with Hills Music Shoppe and Mr. Riggs
Time: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 @ 6PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87395697215?pwd=ommQsspFKq70ZYdD4EIUcQhkuxYLpJ.1
Meeting ID: 873 9569 7215
Passcode: 685368
Time: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 @ 6PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87395697215?pwd=ommQsspFKq70ZYdD4EIUcQhkuxYLpJ.1
Meeting ID: 873 9569 7215
Passcode: 685368
General Information
We are excited that you are considering becoming a part of our band program at Mills Park Middle School! You may have many questions regarding band, and hopefully this page will provide answers for you. After reading through this information, please feel free to contact our band director ([email protected]) with further questions. Here are some of the highlights:
Beginning band is offered to sixth grade students. Sixth grade is the only opportunity to enroll in beginning band.
Instruments taught in beginning band are flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone. Upon director recommendation, students may move to other instruments later in the year (oboe, bassoon, saxophone, euphonium, horn , tuba, and percussion). Please do not purchase an instrument prior to our fall meeting (see information below).
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87395697215?pwd=ommQsspFKq70ZYdD4EIUcQhkuxYLpJ.1
Meeting ID: 873 9569 7215
Passcode: 685368
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Although helpful, no prior musical experience is necessary for beginning band. Students who do have prior band experience must sign up for beginning band in sixth grade in order to be part of our program. Ours is an accelerated curriculum and your child will find that only the first few weeks are review, then we will quickly get into new concepts and techniques. Students who do not take beginning band in 6th grade will not be able to join our program in later grades.
Our beginning band classes meet as a separate class during the school day; students will not lose time in other core subjects while in band. Also, there are no conflicts with after-school activities, other than one required evening concert late in the year.
Each beginning band student will need to supply his own instrument, instrument cleaning supplies, and band book. Details on obtaining these items will be provided during the first week of school. Families facing financial hardship may reach out to our band director for various options to obtain an instrument. Our goal is to serve every student who wishes to be part of our program!
Instruments must be in good playing condition. Again, it is strongly recommended that you not purchase an instrument prior to the start of the school year. Instruments that are purchased from a source other than Hills Music Shoppe will need to be approved by Mr. Riggs, as some instrument brands are less reliable or difficult to repair. A list of recommended brands is provided below.
It is sometimes necessary for us to limit the number of students on a particular instrument to achieve proper balance of instrumentation.
Beginning band is offered to sixth grade students. Sixth grade is the only opportunity to enroll in beginning band.
Instruments taught in beginning band are flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone. Upon director recommendation, students may move to other instruments later in the year (oboe, bassoon, saxophone, euphonium, horn , tuba, and percussion). Please do not purchase an instrument prior to our fall meeting (see information below).
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87395697215?pwd=ommQsspFKq70ZYdD4EIUcQhkuxYLpJ.1
Meeting ID: 873 9569 7215
Passcode: 685368
---
One tap mobile
+13052241968,,87395697215#,,,,*685368# US
+13092053325,,87395697215#,,,,*685368# US
Although helpful, no prior musical experience is necessary for beginning band. Students who do have prior band experience must sign up for beginning band in sixth grade in order to be part of our program. Ours is an accelerated curriculum and your child will find that only the first few weeks are review, then we will quickly get into new concepts and techniques. Students who do not take beginning band in 6th grade will not be able to join our program in later grades.
Our beginning band classes meet as a separate class during the school day; students will not lose time in other core subjects while in band. Also, there are no conflicts with after-school activities, other than one required evening concert late in the year.
Each beginning band student will need to supply his own instrument, instrument cleaning supplies, and band book. Details on obtaining these items will be provided during the first week of school. Families facing financial hardship may reach out to our band director for various options to obtain an instrument. Our goal is to serve every student who wishes to be part of our program!
Instruments must be in good playing condition. Again, it is strongly recommended that you not purchase an instrument prior to the start of the school year. Instruments that are purchased from a source other than Hills Music Shoppe will need to be approved by Mr. Riggs, as some instrument brands are less reliable or difficult to repair. A list of recommended brands is provided below.
It is sometimes necessary for us to limit the number of students on a particular instrument to achieve proper balance of instrumentation.
Registering for Beginning Band
When fifth graders receive registration information for 6th grade, they are asked to choose an elective class. These are classes that allow students to explore academic areas that are not offered in their “core” or “team” classes. Band is a year-long elective, meaning that a student who enrolls in band will remain in band class for the entire school year. It is our hope that they will continue in seventh and eighth grade as well! To sign up, follow the guidance counselor's instructions on registering through PowerSchool. Be sure to indicate which instrument your child currently has the most interest in. This allows us to place students in the correct class. We can adjust the schedule for students who change their minds later.
If your child has already registered for another elective, or if your child missed the course registration deadline, it is still possible to enroll in band. Please contact our band director for information on changing your child’s schedule. It is best to do this sooner rather than later, as schedule changes are discouraged after the first couple of days of school.
If your child has already registered for another elective, or if your child missed the course registration deadline, it is still possible to enroll in band. Please contact our band director for information on changing your child’s schedule. It is best to do this sooner rather than later, as schedule changes are discouraged after the first couple of days of school.
Obtaining an Instrument
Your child will need to decide between flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone. We limit the options to these four due to cost and instructional efficiency. Flutes and clarinets will be placed into the woodwind class. Trumpets and trombones will be placed into the brass class. Students are allowed to audition for other instruments later in the school year. Students interested in auditioning for saxophone later in the year should begin on clarinet. Students interested in percussion may start on any of the four beginner instruments.
We strongly recommend renting an instrument rather than purchasing. This allows us to be sure that the instrument is a good fit for your child before you have invested a large sum of money with a full purchase. Hills Music Shoppe offers a great deal on instrument rental for the coming school year. We will hold a virtual rental meeting on Tuesday, September 3 from 6pm until 7pm. The Google Meet link will be provided during the first week of school. You are under no obligation to obtain an instrument from any particular company, but be sure to seek the guidance of the band director prior to committing to an instrument! There is no need to rent or purchase prior to that date, as we will focus on music reading fundamentals during the first 2-3 weeks of classes. In any case, please do not purchase an instrument without consulting Mr. Riggs regarding brand and model. Not all brands are approved instruments in our program.
RECOMMENDED BEGINNER INSTRUMENT BRANDS
Flute - Jupiter, Gemeinhardt, Yamaha, Emerson, Pearl, Selmer, Armstrong
Clarinet - Buffet, Bundy, Jupiter, Selmer, Vito, Yamaha
Trumpet - Bach, Bundy, Conn, Getzen, Jupiter, King, Yamaha
Trombone - Bach, Bundy, Conn, Getzen, Holton, Jupiter, King, Yamaha
If you’d like more information about the rent-to-own instrument program at Hills Music Shoppe, feel free to contact them at their website https://www.hillsmusicshoppe.com/ or call 252-492-4116.
We strongly recommend renting an instrument rather than purchasing. This allows us to be sure that the instrument is a good fit for your child before you have invested a large sum of money with a full purchase. Hills Music Shoppe offers a great deal on instrument rental for the coming school year. We will hold a virtual rental meeting on Tuesday, September 3 from 6pm until 7pm. The Google Meet link will be provided during the first week of school. You are under no obligation to obtain an instrument from any particular company, but be sure to seek the guidance of the band director prior to committing to an instrument! There is no need to rent or purchase prior to that date, as we will focus on music reading fundamentals during the first 2-3 weeks of classes. In any case, please do not purchase an instrument without consulting Mr. Riggs regarding brand and model. Not all brands are approved instruments in our program.
RECOMMENDED BEGINNER INSTRUMENT BRANDS
Flute - Jupiter, Gemeinhardt, Yamaha, Emerson, Pearl, Selmer, Armstrong
Clarinet - Buffet, Bundy, Jupiter, Selmer, Vito, Yamaha
Trumpet - Bach, Bundy, Conn, Getzen, Jupiter, King, Yamaha
Trombone - Bach, Bundy, Conn, Getzen, Holton, Jupiter, King, Yamaha
If you’d like more information about the rent-to-own instrument program at Hills Music Shoppe, feel free to contact them at their website https://www.hillsmusicshoppe.com/ or call 252-492-4116.
