Instrument options in MS band?

[Anonymous]

What are the typical instrument options for middle school band? And for instruments that are offered in MS but not ES, can any kid usually start on them as a 6th grader, or are there certain limitations/prerequisites (i.e. playing a related instrument for a year or two in ES) and if so what are those pathways?

(This would be Sligo MS if it matters-- not sure if it varies by school.)

[Anonymous]

It varies by school but MS and ES instruments are done differently. ES is nice as kids get group lessons on individual instruments. In MS, kids are just put in beginning orchestra and teach themselves or get private lessons. Teachers can do weekly small break out groups but the instruction is minimal. No prerequisites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It varies by school but MS and ES instruments are done differently. ES is nice as kids get group lessons on individual instruments. In MS, kids are just put in beginning orchestra and teach themselves or get private lessons. Teachers can do weekly small break out groups but the instruction is minimal. No prerequisites.

So does this mean middle schoolers can basically pick whatever instrument they want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It varies by school but MS and ES instruments are done differently. ES is nice as kids get group lessons on individual instruments. In MS, kids are just put in beginning orchestra and teach themselves or get private lessons. Teachers can do weekly small break out groups but the instruction is minimal. No prerequisites.

So does this mean middle schoolers can basically pick whatever instrument they want?

Yes, but its ultimately up to that teacher who may have advice or suggestions. Email that teacher. I've heard good things about them.

[Anonymous]

You should ask Ms. Park directly. She has spent decades building a great program at Sligo and can best help your kid join the band program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should ask Ms. Park directly. She has spent decades building a great program at Sligo and can best help your kid join the band program.

My daughter is only in 4th grade this year, so I would feel too weird emailing a middle school teacher years in advance (although it's nice to hear all the great things about the Sligo teacher and I hope she'll still be there when my daughter's in MS!) Just trying to think ahead a little as she prepares to pick an instrument for ES-- she's excited about it but not really drawn to any of the 7 elementary school instrument choices in particular, so I thought if we knew what the options might be as far as switching instruments in MS, that might be helpful as she makes her decision...

[Anonymous]

In MS the options for someone that already played clarinet in elementary might be bass clarinet. Flute players might switch to oboe. An alto sax player could move to tenor and bari.

All of this is dependent on the kid’s size and the band’s instrumentation. The good news is that reading music and good practice habits from elementary will transfer to any instrument.

What instrument is your child interested in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should ask Ms. Park directly. She has spent decades building a great program at Sligo and can best help your kid join the band program.

My daughter is only in 4th grade this year, so I would feel too weird emailing a middle school teacher years in advance (although it's nice to hear all the great things about the Sligo teacher and I hope she'll still be there when my daughter's in MS!) Just trying to think ahead a little as she prepares to pick an instrument for ES-- she's excited about it but not really drawn to any of the 7 elementary school instrument choices in particular, so I thought if we knew what the options might be as far as switching instruments in MS, that might be helpful as she makes her decision...

Email, some are great and responsive, others not. Worst case they ignore you. You can switch in ms and or do a different one privately.

[Anonymous]

I’ve had two kids in Sligo MS band and Ms. Parks is the best! There are some instruments that kids can naturally expand into like bari or tenor saxophone from alto. I know she offers kids the chance to try the double reed instruments at least 1x per year if they bring in a few dollars for a reed (since they can’t be reused). I know kids that have picked up tuba, French horn, and other instruments while in middle school but don’t know if there was some process behind it.

[Anonymous]

Trumpet player to French Horn or Tuba