Beginning Band Students
Students 5th or 6th grade and want to be in band
A letter from the Band Director
This message is for all current 5th and 6th student families that signed up for Band for the 2021-2022 school year. If your student would like to change their registration to Band, please let me know and fill out the form. I will let the office know of the switch. Thanks!
Hello,
My name is John Devine and I am the Band Director at South St. Paul Secondary. I am very excited for your student to be a member of the SSP Band program! This email will contain all of the information you need for us to get started for Beginning Band next year.
Why Join Band?
There are many reasons to join Band. No only do you learn how to play an instrument, but you also learn great life skills such as organization, time-management, and accountability to name a few. Band is a great place to make friends and have new experiences. It’s also a ton of fun!
Here are a few videos about the benefits of joining Band!
How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain - TED Talk: https://youtu.be/R0JKCYZ8hng
SSP Band - Why Join Band?: https://youtu.be/jw6QWQW4mtE
Be Part of the Band - Parent Interviews: https://youtu.be/35i41KGX-vw
Be Part of the Band - Student Interviews: https://youtu.be/kyyb6eBjOxY
Instrument Selection
The first thing we need to do is pick an instrument! This is a big decision that should take some careful thought. I am going to do everything I can to help with this process. Normally, we would have opportunities for families to come into the school and students to try out all of the instruments to find which one will be a great fit. Due to current circumstances, we decided to do this process virtually. If you have any questions, please send me an email. My contact information is at the bottom of this email.
Check out the videos below on the instruments available for Beginning Band:
Be Part of the Band - Instruments (several): https://youtu.be/b7y75yjilrA
Flute: https://youtu.be/amkZjhHW6gI
Clarinet: https://youtu.be/2MIXJ1IG_4o
Alto Saxophone: https://youtu.be/rOEV7LHJt0M
Trumpet: https://youtu.be/LoquYc71cp0
Trombone: https://youtu.be/wnD-cGOKD5w
Euphonium/Baritone: https://youtu.be/9nzWQFq6ce0
Percussion: https://youtu.be/5K5uBwc-lAY
Instrument Selection - Google Form
Once you have familiarized yourself with the available instruments. The next step is to fill out the Instrument Selection Google Form. The first part of the form will ask for some important info: name, grade, contact information, and more. The next section will ask questions that I would normally be looking for if we were testing out instruments in person (ex. hand size, lip shape, etc.). It will also ask some personality questions. Answer all the questions as best you can. The form will make 2 suggestions for an instrument that might be a good fit for your student, based on answers to the questions. This does not necessarily mean the student needs to play this instrument, they are just suggestions to help with the process. The best instrument is the one your student has fun playing and wants to put the work into learning the instrument. The information in this form is to help me find the instrument your student will be successful playing. The last part of the form is to put your instrument choices in order of preference. Most students will end up playing their first choice, but sometimes it isn’t always the best option to be successful. This process will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
You will receive followup communication after the entire process is complete (once I have compiled responses and completed percussion auditions) on which instrument your student will play next fall.
Percussion Auditions
Due to the popularity of percussion and the increased amount of coordination required for percussion, we will do an “audition” to choose who will be in our percussion section. The audition will mostly be a test of coordination and any prior musical knowledge. There is a question in the form about wanting to audition for percussion. I will communicate those available times with families who check that box on the form.
Students who are selected to play percussion will need to get a percussion kit consisting of a bell set and drum pad (or snare drum). Percussion students will also need snare sticks, bell mallets, and a mallet bag. These typically come with the kit and additional sticks/mallets can be purchased at a music store.
Rental Information
For most of the instruments, families rent or buy an instrument from a music store. The music stores typically do a “rent to own” program where there is a monthly fee for the instrument rental and when it is paid off in full, you own the instrument. Prices vary depending on brand and store rented/purchased from. Below are the 3 stores we work with here at SSP. There is also a flyer for each store with their beginning band pricing and how to order through them online.
Music stores that we work with at SSP
Schmitt Music
2400 Freeway Blvd
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
(multiple locations in the Twin Cities)
(763)566-4560
Groth Music
8056 Nicollet Ave S
Bloomington, MN 55420
(952) 884-4772
Modern Day Music
1875 Robert St S
West St Paul, MN 55118
(651) 330-6716
Students who chose to play the Euphonium/Baritone will use a school instrument (you are welcome to rent one from a music store, if you would like). Some of the larger and more expensive instruments are owned by the school for student use. There is a rental fee for the regular maintenance on these instruments each year. Depending on numbers and available instruments, I try to have each student have an instrument at home for practice and at school for the larger instruments.
You can sometimes find good used instruments on sites like eBay, Craig’s List, Facebook marketplace, etc. Please ask me if the brand is good before purchasing. You would want to get a quality instrument that would last. It is also a good idea to bring used instruments to an instrument repair shop to have them looked over. Avoid Amazon! There are cheap instruments on Amazon, but these instruments are poorly made with low quality materials. It doesn’t take much for those instruments to break and are frequently unrepairable due to poor quality materials and lack of replacement parts. Some repair shops won’t even touch those brands.
I do have a limited supply of instruments for families with financial need. Please let me know if your student will need a school instrument and I’ll see what I can do.
Please complete the Instrument Selection Google Form (link from above) before June 11th. Percussion auditions will be scheduled as soon as possible as forms are submitted. I would like to have all auditions completed before summer break, if possible.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks
John Devine
Band Director
South St. Paul Secondary
(651)457-9443
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