band fees...is this amount reasonable?

[Julie in MO]

Could I bounce something around the hive, please? My dd (12) participated this year in a 6th grade band at a private Christian school. There are only 6 members in the band, but for concerts, the teacher combines the 5th/6th graders (11 kids total - still a small band). We paid $650 for band this year (which meets 4 days per week for 45 minutes). There were several days that were cancelled (field trips, SAT tests, teacher absences) which technically we paid for, but didn't make a big deal about it. This year they raised the price to $1200 (and made it 5 days/week). We're the only home schooler in the band, so I can't compare to any other student or school experience. Doubling the price feels outrageous to me. We tried a semester of the public school band, which was quite disappointing, so our first choice would be to stay with the private band (except for the cost).

 

Has anyone else paid for a band experience? We are meeting tomorrow with the vice principle, but he seems firm about the cost. Is it just me, or does this seem like an outrageous hike?

 

Would love encouragement/comments/advice (or even a kick in the pants if you deem it absolutely necessary) over this!

 

Blessings,

Julie

[Mergath]

:blink:

 

Wow. Um... just... wow.

 

Granted, it's been a little over ten years since I was in band, but I think it was around twenty bucks a semester, plus rental fees if you were renting your instrument.

 

Where are the field trips to, exactly? Hawaii? The moon?

 

Consider this your (gentle) kick in the pants. That's way too much money. Waaaaaay too much.

[Cera]

Are the kids just getting together to play or is there a music lesson during each meeting?

 

If you figure a 180 day school year, with maybe 30 days the band doesn't meet, you are paying $8 a day. For a 45 minute group music lesson that seems like a good deal to me. For 45 minutes of hanging out with friends and practicing an instrument they are learning from someone else, not so much.

[tex-mex]

We have paid for piano/guitar lessons that meet once a week for one hour per session. The monthly cost was $100. And IF the teacher would cancel due to illness or whatever -- we never got to reschedule. :glare:

 

I'd say if you were getting 4-5 days a week of a 50 minute session as a music lesson for $1200... to me, that is a $$ DEAL.

[tex-mex]

Are the kids just getting together to play or is there a music lesson during each meeting?

 

If you figure a 180 day school year, with maybe 30 days the band doesn't meet, you are paying $8 a day. For a 45 minute group music lesson that seems like a good deal to me. For 45 minutes of hanging out with friends and practicing an instrument they are learning from someone else, not so much.

 

Group music lessons may not cover music theory. That part was very important to us. I was in band and it is basically going over music for an upcoming recital or performance many many times. You do not get much theory -- nor one on one instruction.

[Mergath]

We have paid for piano/guitar lessons that meet once a week for one hour per session. The monthly cost was $100. And IF the teacher would cancel due to illness or whatever -- we never got to reschedule. :glare:

 

I'd say if you were getting 4-5 days a week of a 50 minute session as a music lesson for $1200... to me, that is a $$ DEAL.

 

But band isn't a music lesson, is it? I took band as a 12 and 13 year old at two different schools, and you were expected to know how to play the instrument fairly well before you joined. It's usually just rehearsing a set list of songs, I think.

[tex-mex]

But band isn't a music lesson, is it? I took band as a 12 and 13 year old at two different schools, and you were expected to know how to play the instrument fairly well before you joined. It's usually just rehearsing a set list of songs, I think.

My point exactly... :D!!

 

Which is why we hired a music teacher who did Fall/Spring recitals. She had a Master's in Music and was from Russia (she grew up in a music conservatory). But the bad side was she was very demanding of the student's dedication to grow and the music theory lessons were excellent. She did choose 2-3 pieces to focus on for the recital (i.e. classical music tailored to our child's ability) and that was ALL he practiced. Each week he'd play the music to her at the beginning of the session and then allow her to tear apart his performance (nit-pick) as to what he can do better. He learned so much from her with body posture, hand positions, and so on. It was hard. But very worth it.

 

After surviving her for 5+ years, son decided he needed a break from piano and chose guitar. His guitar teacher was the opposite of the previous teacher and very relaxed. Son LOVED him!! He did not do recitals. His music theory lessons were a tad weak compared to the previous teacher. And he did different music monthly. But son had a blast with him!

 

For band, you will not get the one-on-one instruction... but for the price, she is getting a deal. :confused:

[Beth in OH]

Since it's a private school, it sounds like you are paying full tuition for a one credit course. How much do other courses at the school cost if you just take one?

 

Beth

[Julie in MO]

The accountant for the school took the tuition and divided it by 5 (band being one out of five classes), so it is the regular tuition rate. THere isn't any individual instruction time - the teacher wanted us to pay extra for that and meet with a tutor after school, but since my husband plays the same instrument, he's doing "private lessons" for her. To me, it appears to be the kind of band where everyone practices the same songs for upcoming performances. She hasn't learned any music theory, but she already took piano lessons, so she had some foundation.

 

And no, dear Mergath, the field trip is not to the moon, although that's where I landed when I saw the financial statement! :lol:

 

Thanks for the thoughts, gentle kick in the keester, and comparisons. I wanted to have more things to discuss with hubby tonight before he has a meeting with the VP tomorrow.

 

Blessings,

Julie

[Pretty in Pink]

My ds plays in HS band that is run by a PS band teacher, and we pay 6.00 per class, so 8.00 per class doesn't sound unreasonable if that is what it breaks down to for you. Of course, we have the option of only going once or twice a week, so we aren't couging up anywhere close to what you will be.

[LibraryLover]

We pay $200/yr to the school (public), and $25/week in private lessons for our teen ds' music lessons/classes.

 

This summer he is adding another instrument, and those lessons will be an additional $35/week. I don't want to do the math. He's a gifted musician, and this is what he does.

[OhM]

I think that's extremely high. We rejected a program nearby in favor of one 50 minutes away because of costs that we far less than that!

 

The one rejected cost $80/month, as well as a $100 registration fee. In addition, the program required the students to take private lessons - from their studio - for an additional $80/month. (And oddly, I just checked their website to show their fees - and others must have felt the same - the cost has been reduced to $150 per 15 week semester. I imagine they still require the private lessons.)

 

The one we do participate in charges $100 for the year. That's it - $100 per year! It's worth the drive for us.

 

Both of these programs meet once per week, not every day.

[silliness7]

We are part of a homeschool band program. I can't remember the exact tuition rate. It's less than $200 for one student for the year. Of course they only meet once per week for 1.5 hours and parents must volunteer 16 hours in the program or pay an extra fee (less than $200) It's very popular in our area and quite large. We're gearing up for marching band. I love parades!! It's quite funny to overhear people as they see this well-dressed, well-rehearsed, 80-100 member band with a homeschool banner wonder out loud "homeschool band? how does THAT work?" :lol:

 

Do you have a decent-sized homeschool population in your area? Maybe in the meeting with the VP hubby could suggest that the school market to the homeschool community. Bring the price way down but bring in many more students. It would be a win-win.

[Pippen]

Has anyone else paid for a band experience? We are meeting tomorrow with the vice principle, but he seems firm about the cost. Is it just me, or does this seem like an outrageous hike?

 

The cost might be dependent on how the teacher is employed by the school. If it's a full-time or part-time position with benefits or if the teacher is recieving pay equivalent to 1/5th a full-time salary, then it would make sense that tuition would be one-fifth of the full tuition rate.

 

The cost might increasing because there's so few students, and they could need to hike it in order to keep a teacher. If it's only 6 students meeting for the 45 minute period, at $650 it would only add up to $3900 a year. Divide that by 30 weeks and it's $130 per week without taxes. A private teacher could make that with 6ish students per week and only have to deal with them one kid at a time.

 

For private, small group instruction I don't think it's outrageous. I pay more per hour for group dance instruction, but I also have to say band practice is free for us at the public school.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Pippen

[Dmmetler]

Homeschool band through the community music school at the college meets once a week and is $150 for 12 classes and a performance, so actually your $1200 a year for 5 days a week doesn't sound outrageous. I also looked up what it would cost for a high school student to participate in the college band 5x a week, and it's about $1000/yr in state to take the class-and that's at a level where band really is rehearsal only.

 

As a former beginning band teacher, I'd like to say that directing beginning band is teaching-it's not like rehearsing or conducting a group of experienced musicians. It takes a LOT of prep time, a lot of skills, and a lot of work to teach a group of 5th and 6th graders who are playing a range of different instruments and who have a range of backgrounds in skills. And yes, you will be teaching music theory and reading-if for no other reason than that most kids, even if they've had a good school music program, really don't grasp it until they have a way to apply it. This teacher is almost certainly a)not being paid anywhere near what the parents are paying-usually 1/2 to 1/3 is typical for contracted music teachers and b) is earning their paycheck.

 

I do have to say this, though-as a former beginning band teacher, I'd much prefer to have 3 days a week of like instruments groups (woodwinds, brass, percussion), and 2 days of ensemble compared to having ensemble daily-and that this is a more effective way of learning the instrument at this level. 5x a week of full band at this age level leads to a lot of wasted time because you HAVE to teach the skills specific to each instrument, and even such things as posture and breathing are substantially different from instrument to instrument.

[Heather in AL]

Hi Julie,

 

My kids are in a band that meets once a week for an hour, and it averages out to $10 an hour per child, so what you pay is a deal if you look at it that way. :001_smile:

[Julie in MO]

I really appreciate the comments and I shared them with hubby during lunch today. I think what surprised me was the huge and sudden increase in cost from this year to next, but it sounds like it's not unreasonable in comparison to what some of you are paying. I happened to find out from another mom today that they are not continuing in band, so the already very small band is now even smaller. But I also got a lead on a home school orchestra that might let band students join next year in a nearby town.

 

You all are so helpful!!

 

Blessings,

Julie

[Heather in AL]

Just another thought here...

 

Do you have a public youth orchestra nearby? We have one here (an offshoot of the city's symphony orchestra) and all the kids have to do is try out. There is no requirement on where the kids attend school, and practice is once a week in the evening. I know the youth orchestra is pretty serious, in that the kids are expected to practice and the conductor is upset when it's obvious if they aren't practicing enough, but I know several people who have kids in it and love it.

 

Sadly, my dc aren't interested.