The new school year has just begun and we have already had our

band instrument and string instrument demonstrations. We are now

collecting sign - up slips for both instrument programs. Band instrument

lessons will begin the week of October 14th (when NECAP testing in

fifth grade is finished). String instrument lessons will probably begin a little

later (when NECAP testing in third and fourth grades is finished).

All lesson days and times will be arranged when we have the forms

collected. Please return all forms by the end of September so that we can

plan our schedules! Also, when renting your child an instrument, please

make sure that you go to a reputable music dealer. There are some very

cheaply made instruments out there which will only frustrate your child.

One child recently came to lessons with an instrument from a toy store!

The keys were very easily bent and, needless to say, the student could not

play the instrument. Be a careful shopper!

With that said, if you child is learning to play an instrument this year,

encourage your child to practice every day, to stick with it throughout the

year, to keep academic classroom work up to date, to remember

instrument and lesson book on all lesson days, to have all

necessary equipment (strings, reeds, valve oil, etc.), and to keep their

instrument in good working condition for all lessons. It should also be

noted that the culminating concert in May is an evening performance; and

all students are expected to be a part of that final concert. We want to

work together to enable your child to have a very successful experience

learning to play the musical instrument of his/her choice!

In addition to performance ensembles, the entire school will once

again be involved in two holiday concerts: one on Wednesday, December

19th and one on Friday, May 22nd. (Times to be announced later.)

Though we love performances, our music curriculum also includes

several other aspects: music literacy training, exposure to symphonic

music and operas, recorder lessons in grades three and four, keyboard

lessons in grade five, and lots of vocal instruction and singing games at

every grade level.

It is always a challenge for me to squeeze as much as possible

into the once a week music lessons I have with your children. But my

primary goal is to enable your children to joyfully participate in music

making!!!!

Sincerely,

Janet Boutin