A working instrument
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Participation in class
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Regular practice outside of class
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Encouragement at home
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SUCCESS IN BAND!
A working instrument is necessary to succeed in band. Each day that a student does not have a working instrument in class is a day of getting frustrated, losing daily grade points, and falling behind. Please make sure that you visit with the band director before purchasing an instrument, that your student maintains the instrument properly, that the instrument goes to the shop if the band director can’t fix it, and that the student remembers to bring the instrument to school.
Participation in class is also necessary for success in band. Successful band students bring their required supplies to class, show up to class on time, put their instrument together quickly, listen when the director is speaking, raise their hand to speak, and play their instrument at appropriate times during rehearsal. Perfection is not required for success in band; however, trying, not giving up, and doing your best are. Students should continuously strive for self-improvement.
Regular practice outside of class is a habit of successful band students. These students are excited to play their instrument and get better. They don’t complain about taking their instrument home, they just do it because they want to get better. And if if their instrument is too big to go on the bus (tubas and baritones), they come in for 15 minutes before or after school to practice in one of the practice rooms. When they run across a difficult line of music, they don’t give up — they practice even more. Some even take lessons with a private lesson teacher or sign up to meet with the band director before or after school.
Encouragement at home is the last ingredient necessary for success in band. Ask your student to play for you at home and compliment them. Praise them when they remember to bring their instrument home to practice, but please don’t use practice as a form of punishment. If they get frustrated or say they want to quit, encourage them to keep practicing or seek extra help from a private lesson teacher or from the band director. Ask how their instrument is working or if they need anything from the music store. And take them out for ice cream after the band concert to celebrate their accomplishments.