Cedarburg Beginning Band Grade 5
Band Guidelines
We are offering these guidelines to help lead you to a successful beginning band experience in your Cedarburg Elementary School band. Please read them carefully.
Practice Time
- Find the time of day that works best for you to practice and stick to it!
- 15-20 minutes every other day
Getting Your Instrument
Instrument choices are final, so choose carefully! Most students will be renting from White House of Music. Please ask the store to deliver your instrument to your school. That way you know your instrument will be here on time and we’ll be able to show you our way to use it the first time. DO NOT experiment with your instrument before your first lesson if you have it at home – we want to show you how to handle it correctly from the start!
Reeds (Saxophone and Clarinet Only)
White House of Music will provide starter reeds for clarinet and saxophone players. Once these run out, we suggest getting:
- Clarinet: Vandoren Size 2
- Alto Saxophone: Vandoren Size 2
Method Book
Essential Elements For Band (for your chosen instrument, Book 1)
Band Practices
All band practices will take place before school between 7:20 AM - 8:40 AM - see schedule
Band Rehearsals (following Winter Break)
Full band rehearsals are when all the instrument students rehearse together. We will not start full band rehearsals until after winter break.
Instrument Repairs
Band instruments are complex and delicate, so they must be handled carefully! If something goes wrong, ask your band teacher to take a look at it. Usually it will just need a minor adjustment. If we can’t fix it, we’ll tell you, so it can be sent back to the store for repair. Please do NOT attempt any repairs at home!
Label All Materials
Put your name on your books, on or inside your case, and anything else you bring to school. Parents: Keep your rental contract in a safe place. Many homeowners and renters insurance policies DO cover band instruments – check with your agent if in doubt.
