Music in Middle School

5th Grade Band, also known as Beginning Band, is a hands-on music class where students choose to learn the basics of a brass, woodwind, or percussion instrument and how to read notes and easy sheet music. Students rehearse every other day of school and practice at home. For this class, you will need your instrument, Tradition of Excellence Book I, iPad, and a Pencil for every rehearsal.  

Instruments in Band Include: 

Flute - Oboe - Clarinet - Alto Sax - Trumpet - F Horn - Trombone - Baritone - Tuba - Percussion

Link to some instrument demonstrations here.

Method Book

• Students need to purchase a method book,  Tradition of Excellence: Book 1 (instrument specific)
• For families with financial constraints: the school has a limited number of method books available, so please inquire with your director if you are in need of one. 

Classroom Materials needed for Band

All students in band and orchestra are required to have an instrument as well as the following classroom materials:

• Students's instrument
• Method book: Band: Tradition of Excellence: Book 1 (instrument specific)
• iPad and pencil

Instrument Specific Materials in a Student’s Case All Year:

• Flute: cleaning rod, cleaning cloth
• Oboe: swab, cork grease, at least 3 reeds (medium soft - jones), small water container and stand holder (to soak reeds in)
• Clarinet: swab, cork grease, at least four reeds (Size 2 1⁄2), and reed guards/case
• Saxophone: swab, cork grease, at least four reeds (Size 2 1⁄2), and reed guards/case
• Trumpets: 5C or 7C mouthpiece (typically comes with rental), valve oil, tuning slide grease, cleaning snake, and mouthpiece brush
• Trombones: 6 ½ AL mouthpiece (typically comes with rental), slide lubricant (Slide-O-Mix) and spray bottle, tuning slide grease, cleaning snake, and mouthpiece brush
• Euphonium (Baritone): 6 ½ AL mouthpiece (typically comes with rental) valve oil, tuning slide grease, cleaning snake, and mouthpiece brush
• Tuba: Mouthpiece, valve oil, tuning slide grease, and mouthpiece brush
• Percussion: "bell kit” (2.5 octave bell kit w/stand and mallets), snare drum (for home use), drumsticks (recommend Vic Firth SD1), and a drumstick/mallet bag.  *optional - Innovative Percussion Intermediate Mallet Pack OR VicFirth EP2 Intermediate Mallet Pack - These Mallet packs include a bag, snare sticks, trap set sticks, bell mallets, marimba/vibes mallets, and timpani mallets*

Every student has the ability to sing. Singers in grades 5 and 6 learn about, interact with, and sing music from around the world and from different time periods. We learn about the value of community while using our voices to collaborate through music. Our choirs typically sing in unison and two part music. Students in choir do not need to purchase a lesson book, valve oil, rosin, or any other supplemental items because you are the instrument! Students in choir are not allowed to take lessons during the academic day so there is minimal disruption to their overall learning.

Beginning orchestra is an exciting opportunity for 5th grade students to begin a lifelong musical journey. Students will learn the foundational skills required to make a beautiful sound on their instrument and to play and perform alone or with the orchestra. Students will meet every other school day as a full orchestra, and a few times a quarter with a small group of students who play the same instrument. Students are expected to practice for 10-15 minutes 4-5 days a week to develop musical independence.

Instruments in Orchestra include:  Violin - Viola - Cello - Bass
Link to some instrument demonstrations here.

Method Book to be purchased: 

• Students need to purchase a method book,  Measures of Success: Book 1 (instrument specific)
• For families with financial constraints: the school has a limited number of method books available, so please inquire with your director if you are in need of one. 

Classroom Materials needed for Orchestra:

• Instrument and bow
• Rosin
• Cleaning cloth
• Sponge or shoulder rest for violin/viola
• Rock stop for cello/bass
• Method book: 
  • 5th grade - Measures of Success for Strings book 1
  • 6th grade - Essential Elements for Strings book 2

Students are expected to practice their instrument regularly, outside of the school day. For younger students, making a schedule and consistently practicing outside of the school day may be difficult and require help from parents/guardians.

Instruments of the Beginning Band (for The American Concert Band)

Flute (woodwind) - The flute is the highest sounding instrument in the Beginning Band.  The sound is produced by blowing air over a tone hole, much like blowing over the opening of a bottle.  In band music, flutes play mostly the melody part.

Oboe (woodwind) - The oboe is a double reed instrument and its sound is produced by two small reeds vibrating against each other.  In band music, the oboe plays mainly the melody parts.  Oboe maintenance includes cleaning after use and continual purchase of reeds (2 per month at about $14-$16 per reed)

Clarinet (woodwind) - The clarinet is a single reed instrument with the sound being produced by a reed vibrating against a mouthpiece.  In beginning band music the clarinet plays a combination of melody and harmony parts.  Clarinet maintenance includes cleaning after use and continual purchase of reeds (2-3 per month at about $2.50 per reed).

Alto Saxophone (woodwind) - The alto saxophone is a single reed instrument with the sound being produced by a reed vibrating against a mouthpiece.  In beginning band music the saxophone plays both melody and harmony parts.  Saxophone maintenance includes cleaning after use and continual purchase of reeds (2-3 per month at about $3.50 per reed).

Trumpet (brass) - The trumpet is the highest sounding instrument of the brass family in the beginning Band.  The sound is produced by your lips vibrating against each other inside a mouthpiece.  In band music, the trumpet plays both melody and harmony parts.  Trumpet maintenance includes cleaning after use and oiling valves and slides. (a bottle of valve oil is purchased about once a year)

F Horn (brass) - The French Horn has a wide range of sounding pitch (low and high) with the sound being produced by vibrating lips against a mouthpiece.  This is a challenging instrument which plays mostly harmony parts in the beginning band.  F Horn maintenance includes cleaning after use and oiling valves and slides. (a bottle of key oil is purchased about once a year)

Trombone (brass) - The trombone is one of the lower sounding instruments in the beginning band. The sound is produced by your lips vibrating against each other inside a mouthpiece. In band music the trombone plays the bass line. (a bottle of Slide-o-Mix is purchased about once a year)

Euphonium/Baritone (brass) - The euphonium and baritone are of the lower sounding instruments in the beginning band.  They are  very similar to the trombone, but use valves instead of a slide.  They are sometimes called a “mini-Tuba” and mostly plays the low, bass line parts.  Maintenance includes cleaning after use and oiling valves and slides. (a bottle of valve oil is purchased about once a year)

Tuba (brass) - The lowest sounding instrument in the beginning band is the Tuba.  The sound is produced by vibrating lips into a mouthpiece and lots of lung power!  The music played by the tuba is the low, bass line parts that keep the rest of the band on track.  Tuba maintenance includes cleaning after use and oiling valves and slides. (a bottle of valve oil is purchased about once a year)

Percussion - The most rhythmic and diverse section in the beginning band is the Percussion. The sound is produced by striking, shaking, or scraping various instruments with sticks, mallets, or even your hands! The music played by the percussion section acts as the "heartbeat" of the band, providing the steady pulse and exciting accents that keep everyone in time. Percussion maintenance includes covering the instruments after use and keeping sticks and mallets organized in a bag.

*To keep instruments in great condition, students will clean their instrument once a month at home and have their instrument professionally cleaned/maintenanced once a year by a repair technician.

Violin - The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the string family. It is held under the chin and rests on the player’s left shoulder. It can be played standing or sitting. Usually a soloist will stand, and violinists in an orchestra will sit. The violin often carries the melody in an orchestral work as its brilliant sound carries easily over many of the other instruments. There are usually two sections of violins, first violins and second violins, and they play different “parts” (different music has been written for each group).

Viola - The viola is similar to the violin but is slightly larger with a lower sound. The viola is held under the chin and rests on the player’s left shoulder. It can be played standing or sitting. Usually a soloist will stand, and violinists in an orchestra will sit. It has a warmer tone quality than the violin and often plays harmony to support the violin’s melody.

Cello - The cello plays notes that are only an octave (8 notes) lower than the viola, but it is much larger. Due to its size, cellists sit in a chair and rest the cello between their knees. The cello has an end pin that rests on the floor to help support the instrument’s weight. The cello can play the part of a supportive, reliable bass instrument at one moment, and rise to reproduce the notes of a lovely tenor voice at other times.

Bass - The double bass, also called the string bass (pronounced “base” as in first base) or just “bass” for short, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed stringed instrument, an octave lower than the cello. While it looks similar to the other members of the string family, it has more sloping “shoulders” so that the player can reach and move around on the strings more easily despite its large size. Because of its size (taller than the performer), the bassist stands or sits on a tall stool to play the instrument, which rests on the floor.

Regardless of your music class. Small group ensembles are offered at both middle schools. These ensembles are taught by the middle school directors. Registration takes place through Community Education in the fall each year. Reach out to your middle school music director for more information!

Band and orchestra groups require 1 year of experience. Choir groups are open to all experience levels.