Greetings and hello! Welcome to our prospective band musicians and families. You're probably at this page because you or your student is interested in joining the HES Band. Wahoo!
If you're interested in seeing and hearing a beginning band instrument, please click on this link: Instrument Demonstrations
Our first meeting will take place during the first couple of weeks in October.
We will offer an instrumental rental informational session in the end of September. A representative from David French Music Co., based out of Westborough, MA will be present. David French Music Co. was selected by the Harvard Public Schools, through a bid process, to offer a rental plan as a convenience to you. However, you still may acquire an instrument, new or used, from any source of your choosing.
Except for the instrument rental/purchase and method book, there is no monetary cost for students to take part in our extracurricular HES Band program.
GROUP LESSONS & MEETINGS
Each student will receive group lessons and full band meetings before their school day begins. We will meet Mondays and Tuesdays from 8-8:45 am. This will continue to be their regular meeting day, outside of the few full band meetings that will take place in preparation for performances.
Our unique program with small and full group meetings will give students the opportunity to learn how to assemble, take care of, and play their instruments. They will also learn about their roles in a large ensemble setting. It is essential that all students practice and share the required materials/recordings, etc. as requested by the band director.
PRIVATE LESSONS
Many students and families find private lessons to be extremely rewarding and beneficial. Students who have had previous experience in music or have moved ahead or fallen behind their group for any reason often benefit from private instruction. There are many excellent private music teachers in our area. Please consult your student's course instructor for recommendations as to who might be the best private teacher for them.
SWITCHING INSTRUMENTS
The switching of instruments in mid-year is not encouraged. Switching is a difficult change for the student, and it is stressful on the other students in the section groups. If a switch occurs, the student is a beginner once again and needs to learn everything from assembling the instrument, to how to hold it, etc. Because of this, students are often very far behind the normal progression of others who have been playing through the year.
The following rules and steps need to be followed in order for a student to switch instruments within the band program:
• The student must take private lessons with a professional teacher of your choice.
• The student will be allowed into the section group (ie: trumpet section, low brass, etc.) at the instructor’s discretion, and when the instructor feels the student is at the current level of the group.
INSTRUMENT REPAIR
If you choose to rent an instrument through the David French Music Co., the cost of your repairs in most cases are free of charge. When the instrument needs a repair, you may call them and they will pick up instruments in need of repair every Thursday morning at the school. Please have your student notify the course instructor should their instrument be going out for any repair, as the vendor representative is often in communication with the band director as to what may be going out, if a loaner is going to be left for the student, etc. Please be careful if you take your instrument to a music store to be repaired on your own. Some music stores take weeks to months to repair instruments. We advise not to have an instrument repaired anywhere where they will not give your student a loaner instrument.
If you're interested in seeing and hearing a beginning band instrument, please click on this link: Instrument Demonstrations
Our first meeting will take place during the first couple of weeks in October.
We will offer an instrumental rental informational session in the end of September. A representative from David French Music Co., based out of Westborough, MA will be present. David French Music Co. was selected by the Harvard Public Schools, through a bid process, to offer a rental plan as a convenience to you. However, you still may acquire an instrument, new or used, from any source of your choosing.
Except for the instrument rental/purchase and method book, there is no monetary cost for students to take part in our extracurricular HES Band program.
GROUP LESSONS & MEETINGS
Each student will receive group lessons and full band meetings before their school day begins. We will meet Mondays and Tuesdays from 8-8:45 am. This will continue to be their regular meeting day, outside of the few full band meetings that will take place in preparation for performances.
Our unique program with small and full group meetings will give students the opportunity to learn how to assemble, take care of, and play their instruments. They will also learn about their roles in a large ensemble setting. It is essential that all students practice and share the required materials/recordings, etc. as requested by the band director.
PRIVATE LESSONS
Many students and families find private lessons to be extremely rewarding and beneficial. Students who have had previous experience in music or have moved ahead or fallen behind their group for any reason often benefit from private instruction. There are many excellent private music teachers in our area. Please consult your student's course instructor for recommendations as to who might be the best private teacher for them.
SWITCHING INSTRUMENTS
The switching of instruments in mid-year is not encouraged. Switching is a difficult change for the student, and it is stressful on the other students in the section groups. If a switch occurs, the student is a beginner once again and needs to learn everything from assembling the instrument, to how to hold it, etc. Because of this, students are often very far behind the normal progression of others who have been playing through the year.
The following rules and steps need to be followed in order for a student to switch instruments within the band program:
• The student must take private lessons with a professional teacher of your choice.
• The student will be allowed into the section group (ie: trumpet section, low brass, etc.) at the instructor’s discretion, and when the instructor feels the student is at the current level of the group.
INSTRUMENT REPAIR
If you choose to rent an instrument through the David French Music Co., the cost of your repairs in most cases are free of charge. When the instrument needs a repair, you may call them and they will pick up instruments in need of repair every Thursday morning at the school. Please have your student notify the course instructor should their instrument be going out for any repair, as the vendor representative is often in communication with the band director as to what may be going out, if a loaner is going to be left for the student, etc. Please be careful if you take your instrument to a music store to be repaired on your own. Some music stores take weeks to months to repair instruments. We advise not to have an instrument repaired anywhere where they will not give your student a loaner instrument.
