UE Beginning Band Invitation Letter

Unity East 5th Grade
Dear Parents, I would like to take this opportunity to invite your student to join Unity East’s th
5 Grade Beginning Band. This musical adventure can begin a lifetime journey in the exciting world of instrumental music. It is our hope that your student will become a proficient player on his/her instrument and will learn to enjoy and appreciate music through rehearsal and performance. At the end of last year, 4th graders who were interested in band tried out on instruments they had an interest in and decided on a first and second choice of what they would like to play. Beginning band students can choose from the following instruments: Trombone, Trumpet, Horn, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, or Percussion (Drums/Bells). Some students were unable to try out instruments at the end of the year, but they will be able to try out with me during the first two weeks of school. Occasionally a student might be placed on his/her second choice instrument due to the overall instrumentation of the band. Parents will be notified via phone if a second choice is recommended. There will be very limited number of percussion (drum/bell) players in the beginning band. I encourage students to enroll in private piano and/or drum lessons if they are interested in playing percussion instruments. Attached to this sheet, you will find the following documents: a parent/student behavior contract, information regarding instrument rental and Instrument Rental Night, and a description of expectations and routines practiced in the beginning band classroom. Please take the time to read all of the information and return the interest sheet & student/parent contract to the UE music room as soon as possible. Please email me at [email protected] with any questions or concerns you may have about our band program. Thank you for your interest in enrolling your student in our program! Musically yours, Mrs. Pritchard Beginning Band
Instrument Rental Information Instrument Rentals will take place through B & J Music Company or the Music Shoppe. The rental prices will vary according to the expense of the instrument. I strongly encourage you to weigh the pros and cons of each music company before deciding on which one will best meet your needs for getting an instrument. On August 27th, at 6pm B & J Music & the Music Shoppe will be at Unity East for an Instrument Rental Night. Parents are asked to sign up for a 15 minute slot in order for all needs to be met in a timely manner (see attached form). The music companies will happily supply you and your child with everything they will need to be successful with their instrument. **If a student already has an instrument, please bring that instrument in for inspection. You will still need to purchase a book and cleaning kit. ***Student Equipment Needed for 5th Grade Band*** Instrument Extra Instrument Parts: Reeds (woodwinds), Mouthpiece (Brass) Cleaning Kit Valve Oil (Trumpet/Horn) Slide Oil (Trombone) Band Book: Standard of Excellence Book 1 PLEASE FILL OUT THIS SHEET AND RETURN TO THE MUSIC ROOM BY 8/26 -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ Name of Interested Student: Classroom Teacher: Name(s) of Parent/Guardian: PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION Phone Number: Email Address: Does the student have experience in playing an instrument before? YES NO If so, which instrument and how long has it been played? _____________________________________________ Will you be coming to the Instrument Rental Night on August 27th ? YES NO Which time will you be able to come for instrumental rental? (please circle one) 6:00pm 6:15pm 6:30pm 6:45pm 7:00pm 7:15pm 7:30pm Beginning Band Classroom Expectations Band Class Beginning Band is a class that takes place 3 times a week during the end of the school day. Students will be missing out on 3 study hall times in order to be in band. Band members get a weekly lesson with me that also takes place during school hours. Because Band is a class, students are graded on their participation, practice time, effort, and growth on their personal instrument. Band students are expected to be leaders in the regular music room as well as diligent students in their other classes. The 5th grade teachers and I work very hard to ensure that band students are succeeding in all areas. Instrument Practice I will give students the tools they need to learn their instrument, but each student must put forth the effort of practicing their instrument at home in order to succeed in this class. I suggest at least 20 minutes of practice time a day for beginning band students. The 5 W’s of Instrument PRACTICE Who? YOU! The music student. When? Same time each day. Think of practicing as homework! Where? Quiet, well lit room, free from distractions; an agreed upon space where you are fully able to play your instrument without being a bother. Why? It’s the only way you’ll get better at your instrument. Playing a band instrument takes both mental practice and physical practice every day. What? Every aspect of performance should be practice each day though a practice routine. (tone, rhythm, range, scales, sight-‐reading, articulation, dynamics, etc). Follow the routine we use in lessons. Use your practice chart, method book, & band music. Performances UE’s 5th grade band will have many times to perform throughout the school year. Mrs. Pritchard will give parents ample notice of performance events and times. Contract Please read over the following page with your student and have them sign the student/parent band contract and return it to the music room. Student-Parent Band Contract
As a band student I will:  Listen to and follow instructions I am given.  Practice my instrument at home.  Take care of cleaning and the general maintenance of my instrument.  Complete my homework and keep my grades up in my regular classes.  Participate and be an example in music class.  Come to weekly band lessons, prepared to learn.  Remember to bring my instrument, cleaning kit, and book to school anytime I have full band or lessons.  Be a team player. I am part of an ensemble that thrives when its individuals do their best. Student Name ______________________________________ Date ___________________ Parent Signature ______________________________________________

Download Report