1. Welcome to the Haine/Rowan Beginning Band Parent Information Night 2011! Please make sure you have instrument packets from our vendors and have a seat. The program will begin promptly at 6 pm.

2. Mrs. Kelly Levere Been with SV since 2003. Taught 7th grade general music for 4 years. Going on my 5th year of teaching band. Bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University. Master’s degree from Duquesne University. Have a 21 month old son at home.

3. Why decide to join band now? 3rd grade students make the decision to join band now. They will start lessons in the fall. This enables us to have more instruction time in the fall instead of taking time up with the tryouts.

4. The Time Comittment Beginners should be practicing 10 – 20 minutes EVERY DAY. The more they practice, the easier it gets. Parents, you will need to encourage your child to practice. The newness will wear off. PRACTICING IS HOMEWORK, just like math/science/spelling/etc. If you and your child can’t make the time commitment to practice, then signing up for band is probably not the best idea.

5. Rent vs. Buy We highly encourage our students to rent. The trial period is set up for a minimal cost and adequate time to see if band is the right choice for your child. If you buy and decide in a few months that band is not for your child, then you are out the cost of the instrument. If you rent, then you are only out the initial rental fee. Our vendors will bring your child’s instrument to the school and come every week to make sure all instruments are in working order. You never have to go to the store!

6. If you must buy an instrument… Buy your instrument from a MUSIC store. (Brighton, Johnstonbaugh’s or Volkwein’s to name a few) “Discount” instruments from “big box stores” are typically not good quality and CANNOT be fixed. Please contact me prior to purchasing an instrument to make sure the one you purchase is of good quality.

7. If you already own an instrument… Please make sure your instrument is in good playing condition before the start of the 2011 – 2012 school year. Quality repairs can be done at any of the three vendors represented here tonight and at Fudoli’s Music Store in Butler, PA.

8. Instruments and Student Performers Flute – Difficult to get a good sound at first. Play by blowing into the instrument like you would make the “fog horn” sound over a pop bottle.

9. Clarinet and Alto Saxophone Clarinet – Alto Saxophone – For both instruments, a reed is used on the mouth piece to make the sound. Students are required to buy their own reeds. Each students should have 4 good working reeds at a time. You want to invest in a good reed case if you play the clarinet or alto saxophone. It will prolong the life of your reeds and ultimately save you money!

10. Brass Instruments All brass instruments use a lip buzz to produce sound. Trumpet – French Horn – Requires double the practicing time and LOTS of parent support/help. Students who play the French Horn must be very dedicated and willing to work very hard even when they are frustrated. I am not telling you this to scare anyone away, but just so you know the commitment you are signing up for. Some school horns are available but they are not guaranteed. You may need to rent an instrument. You will need to put your child’s name on the wait list for a school instrument TONIGHT! Instruments are handed out based on the wait list.

11. Low Brass Instruments All Low Brass instruments read the bass clef. THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH LOW BRASS INSTRUMENTS! Trombone – Uses a slide to change pitches. Nothing to push down. Baritone– Can move onto Tuba in 5th grade. Some school horns are available but they are not guaranteed. You may need to rent an instrument. You will need to put your child’s name on the wait list for a baritone TONIGHT! Instruments are handed out based on the wait list.

12. Percussion Xylophone and Snare – All Percussion students will learn the bells first. They do not actually get a snare drum with their rental. It’s a bell kit which includes bells and a drum pad. After note reading is mastered with the bells we will add in snare and bass drum. May other “toys” will be added (tambourine, maracas, triangle, cowbell, wind chimes, timpani, etc.) as the students progress. YouwillNOTbeinarockband!

13. Trial Period Trial period is 4 months long. (Sept. – Dec.) Initial time commitment is the entire trial period so that the students can get a good feel for their instrument. Option to quit after the 4 month trial, before Christmas break in December. A letter will be sent home to remind parents. Once we start full band rehearsals in January, students may not quit until after the concert in May. Students are not normally permitted to switch instruments in the middle of the year.

14. How does the rotating band schedule work? With many changes happening in the district for the 2011 – 2012 school year, the band schedule is NOT finalized yet. I can only tell you what MIGHT happen for next year: HES lessons will likely be split between days 3 and 4. The majority of the lessons will be on Day 4. Rowan lessons will likely be on Day 5. All Beginning Band will start in January and runs through our concert in early May. We do not meet as a full band after the concert but we will continue to have lessons. There is a chance that large group band will meet during your child’s recess time from January through the concert. This would mean that your child would MISS RECESS once a week during those months. All I can tell you for CERTAIN is that during the months of January, February, March, April and the first week or two of May, I will see the full band (all students together) for 30 – 35 minutes a week in addition to their scheduled lesson.

15. How does the rotating band schedule work? Small Group Lessons are scheduled on a rotating basis. This insures that students will only miss their regularly scheduled class once every 9 weeks. The lessons rotate every half hour. Students are responsible to get any missed classwork from their teacher. There are typically very few problems with the rotating schedule. Here’s how it works (I have pictures!):

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35. Tryouts Tryouts are done so that your child finds the instrument that is best suited for him or her. It’s about finding the right fit. No one is told that they can’t be in band. You and your child will tryout with a specific music vendor but you ARE NOT obligated to rent from that vendor. If you choose to rent from someone other than our three vendors, then you are responsible for making sure your child has their instrument at the beginning of the school year.

36. Tryout Dates and Times Rowan’s Tryouts are Wed. May 25thfrom 8am – 1pm, in the Rowan Cafeteria. Haine’s Tryouts are on Thurs. May 26thfrom 8am – 1pm in the band room and on the stage. Parents, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to attend the tryout with your child. They may not come home with their first choice instrument and I want you to see why. Each appointment will take approximately 15 minutes. LIMITED EVENING APPOINTMENTS are also available May 25th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Haine Middle School. Students from Rowan and Haine may come to try out tomorrow night.

37. When coming to school for your child’s tryout… Please sign-in in the office and follow the signs to the tryouts. Do not come through the Middle School Doors for the HES daytime tryouts. Go straight to the tryout area. It is a security issue for you to visit other places or attempt to get your child from their classroom. Student runners will get your child from their classroom once you check in at the tryout.

38. When coming to school for your child’s tryout… Students will be able to try two instruments. Parents are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to be at the tryout to see what instrument your child is best suited for. NO MONEY IS NEEDED at the tryout. Decisions do not need to be made at the tryout. Rental agreements need to be turned in to the rental company by July 15th. The earlier the better! Instruments will be delivered directly to school in September if you rent from one of our vendors (Brighton, Johnstonbaugh’s or Volkwein’s) Please do not put your rental agreement in “the pile”.

39. Signing up for tryout times You will not be signing up for an individual company for your tryout. You will be assigned a company as they have time available – Brighton, Johnstonbaugh’s or Volkwein’s. Please PRINT LEDGIBLY. I need to read the names on the sheet at the tryouts. Mrs. Levere – Evening Tryouts at Haine on Wed. May 25th. Limited appointments will fill time wise starting at 6pm. Mr. Gary Jackson (Brighton Music Center) ALL ROWAN SIGN UPS (Wed. May 25th8 - 1) Just because you are signing up with Brighton does not mean that you will try out with Brighton. Ms. Heather Sirney (Volkwein’s) ALL HAINE SIGN UPS (Thurs. May 25th8 – 1) Just because you are signing up with Volkwein’s does not mean that you will try out with Volkwein’s.

40. School French Horn and Baritone Waiting List See Mrs. Levere afteryou have signed up for a try out time. Get on the list even if your child is just thinking about playing French Horn or Baritone. These instruments are much more expensive to rent than the other band instruments.

41. Thanks for coming! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me via email at levereke@svsd.net.