"Band" class question

[TwoEdgedSword]

I have no experience with school bands, especially p.s. bands. One of our kids is hoping to take band at our local public middle school as a supplement to home education. H met with the director for an evaluation and played an instrument for a bit and talked about reading music. The director said H is good to be in the band class.

 

My question is are all the kids IN the band class also IN the band or is this not always the case?

I'm thinking probably yes, bc this is small school and only 7th grade, so it doesn't seem super competitive yet, but I don't want to assume that.

 

Thank you!

Edited June 7, 2017 by TwoEdgedSword

[AK_Mom4]

Yes. Being in band class is the same thing as being in the band.

 

Kids sign up for the class.

Kids play together in the band.

[DragonFaerie]

I have no experience with school bands, especially p.s. bands. One of our kids is hoping to take band at our local public middle school as a supplement to home education. H met with the director for an evaluation and played an instrument for a bit and talked about reading music. The director said H is good to be in the band class.

 

My question is are all the kids IN the band class also IN the band or is this not always the case?

I'm thinking probably yes, bc this is small school and only 7th grade, so it doesn't seem super competitive yet, but I don't want to assume that.

 

Thank you!

 

I don't think you can say this is "always" the case.  I think you should ask the teacher for clarification just to be sure.

[Word Nerd]

At my own high school as well as the school my DDs attend, there is essentially only one band. If you take band class, you're in marching band/pep band and concert band (unless you quit at semester, I suppose). Band is considered a course and an extracurricular activity here, and various performances are required.

[FaithManor]

I have no experience with school bands, especially p.s. bands. One of our kids is hoping to take band at our local public middle school as a supplement to home education. H met with the director for an evaluation and played an instrument for a bit and talked about reading music. The director said H is good to be in the band class.

 

My question is are all the kids IN the band class also IN the band or is this not always the case?

I'm thinking probably yes, bc this is small school and only 7th grade, so it doesn't seem super competitive yet, but I don't want to assume that.

 

Thank you!

Band class=Band. This is true in nearly all of the mid-size and small school districts. They don't have the resources to separate out kids who just want to learn to play an instrument but not perform from the ones that do want to perform. Frankly, in small schools, there would be no performance group if they allowed kids to opt out.

 

Normally a music class without a performance aspect will be called General Music, Music Appreciation, Music Theory, or something similar, and in my experience except for General Music being offered at the elementary level and school districts well funded enough to offer AP Music Theory, most of the time band and choir are the mainstays, always performance and competition based.

 

Middle School bands are rarely competitive to get into, but will often attend Band and Orchestra festival to be judged on their abilities as a group and get feedback. Individual players may take solos, duets, etc. to Solo and Ensemble. But pretty much everyone who wants to play can play, they just have to be sorted into their appropriate group. So if your child had struggled on the audition might have been offered 6th grade band instead of 7th.

 

High School Concert Band may or may not have an audition required. For small schools, in general anyone who played in middle school is welcome to play in that band. Marching Band, Jazz Band, Symphonic Band or Orchestra, and Pep Band could be audition only depending on the size of the school with Symphonic Band/Orchestra and Marching Band often attending competitions.

[Pippen]

Band is nearly always a class, and generally refers to concert band. Around here marching band is sometimes part of the curricular band class and sometimes it's extra-curricular. 

[Library Momma]

My son is in 7th grade band.  It is a class he has every day He is also in jazz band which is an extracurricular that meets twice a week an hour before school starts

[Caroline]

I believe this is generally true in big high schools, too. While our band's are leveled, if you are in a band class, you're in a band. You are expected to perform, march, etc.

 

Band class=Band. This is true in nearly all of the mid-size and small school districts. They don't have the resources to separate out kids who just want to learn to play an instrument but not perform from the ones that do want to perform. Frankly, in small schools, there would be no performance group if they allowed kids to opt out.

 

Normally a music class without a performance aspect will be called General Music, Music Appreciation, Music Theory, or something similar, and in my experience except for General Music being offered at the elementary level and school districts well funded enough to offer AP Music Theory, most of the time band and choir are the mainstays, always performance and competition based.

 

Middle School bands are rarely competitive to get into, but will often attend Band and Orchestra festival to be judged on their abilities as a group and get feedback. Individual players may take solos, duets, etc. to Solo and Ensemble. But pretty much everyone who wants to play can play, they just have to be sorted into their appropriate group. So if your child had struggled on the audition might have been offered 6th grade band instead of 7th.

 

High School Concert Band may or may not have an audition required. For small schools, in general anyone who played in middle school is welcome to play in that band. Marching Band, Jazz Band, Symphonic Band or Orchestra, and Pep Band could be audition only depending on the size of the school with Symphonic Band/Orchestra and Marching Band often attending competitions.

[kitten18]

I grew up in a fairly small town. You could take band classes without committing to being in band. Just like you could take vocal music class without being in Choir.

[Word Nerd]

I grew up in a fairly small town. You could take band classes without committing to being in band. Just like you could take vocal music class without being in Choir.

That's not how it works in any of the small towns around here for band or choir.

 

The group can't provide the answer you need, OP, as it varies by location. My experience would make me lean toward yes, but that isn't everyone's experience and there's no way to know how it will work at your DS's school until you ask.

Edited June 8, 2017 by Word Nerd

[kitten18]

That's not how it works in any of the small towns around here for band or choir.

 

The group can't provide the answer you need, OP, as it varies by location. My experience would make me lean toward yes, but that isn't everyone's experience and there's no way to know how it will work at your DS's school until you ask.

That's why I posted my experience. It's not the same everywhere.

[TwoEdgedSword]

Thanks all. I don't need a definitive answer yet. Just hoping he had a shot at being in the band and not just the class.

Looks like he has a definite shot at it.

[Guest]

Op, you should call the director and discuss. Here, 7th band is a class and the class will perform each semester in an evening concert. At that concert they are expected to listen to all of the other bands and choirs that are performing. Parents are expected to supply appropriate clothing...black bottoms, white tops...for the concert. Students attend a group lesson once each week during school hours and are expected to practice at home and master that lesson. Students will be encouraged to consider private lessons. If the school district starts band before 6th grade, there will be students taking private lessons and you can expect that moving on from a student quality instrument will be necessary in hugh school ( if he is not using a school owned instrument).

 

Many of the middle schools here do have audition only ensembles, but each has a gen ed, no audition band for 7 th that plays music at grade level. Your dc's current instructor can tell you if he is ready, or what he should be doing over the summer.

Edited June 8, 2017 by Heigh Ho

[vonfirmath]

Band class=Band. This is true in nearly all of the mid-size and small school districts. They don't have the resources to separate out kids who just want to learn to play an instrument but not perform from the ones that do want to perform. Frankly, in small schools, there would be no performance group if they allowed kids to opt out.

 

Normally a music class without a performance aspect will be called General Music, Music Appreciation, Music Theory, or something similar, and in my experience except for General Music being offered at the elementary level and school districts well funded enough to offer AP Music Theory, most of the time band and choir are the mainstays, always performance and competition based.

 

Middle School bands are rarely competitive to get into, but will often attend Band and Orchestra festival to be judged on their abilities as a group and get feedback. Individual players may take solos, duets, etc. to Solo and Ensemble. But pretty much everyone who wants to play can play, they just have to be sorted into their appropriate group. So if your child had struggled on the audition might have been offered 6th grade band instead of 7th.

 

High School Concert Band may or may not have an audition required. For small schools, in general anyone who played in middle school is welcome to play in that band. Marching Band, Jazz Band, Symphonic Band or Orchestra, and Pep Band could be audition only depending on the size of the school with Symphonic Band/Orchestra and Marching Band often attending competitions.

 

What I remember from Junior High (A LONG time ago).  6th grade band was pretty much just learning the instrument. Most of the time was spent split out in instrument classes. We -might- have had an end of the year performance where we all came together to play.  Then in 7th and 8th grade you became part of one of the levels of band, depending on where you placed after auditions.  Then band mostly involved practicing together with the whole band and performances. Any individual improvement came during your out of school practice and/or private lessons.

[magnificent_baby]

Dd is in 7th grade band. Yes, if you are in the class, I would assume you are in the band.

 

She had 2 or 3 required concerts throughout the year in the school auditorium for family to attend and one performance during the HS football game. Marching in the town parade was also required. The parade was so much fun, she was bored and wanted to drop band altogether until she experienced this. 

 

Optional: tryouts for district and state honor band, jazz band

 

It was very minimal commitment outside of class compared to her other activities. High school is much different as they play at every home football and basketball game aside from other performances. 

 

 

ETA: When she attended a small, private school there was a lot more commitment outside of class and was required to play at several home sporting events since it was blended with high school band. 

Edited June 8, 2017 by magnificent_baby

[Seasider]

I don't think you can say this is "always" the case. I think you should ask the teacher for clarification just to be sure.

As we learned from a recent thread, the question to ask is, what are the outside of normal class meeting time requirements? See if you can get some firm dates/times.

[Lady Florida.]

 

My question is are all the kids IN the band class also IN the band or is this not always the case?

I'm thinking probably yes, bc this is small school and only 7th grade, so it doesn't seem super competitive yet, but I don't want to assume that.

 

 

 I would ask because different school districts do things differently. Here band class = band, but there's more than one type of band. In our district marching band requires tryouts, so while every student in band class is in the band they're not all in the marching band.

[TwoEdgedSword]

Ok we're not worried about too many outside commitments for the band and practices outside of normal class time. Sorry if I wasn't clear. H was just hoping that there was a chance at being in the band and not merely going to class and practicing with them and then the band performs with almost everyone but a couple of kids.

 

I really think based on the size of our community and how things work here, H will have a good chance to perform with the band. They definitely do community and school performances here.

 

And I will ask and confirm when H has practice sessions with the director over the summer.

My impression is that H who is a bit behind bc of no formal training, will still get that chance provided H works hard to get up to speed.

 

Thanks everyone.

[Dmmetler]

What I've seen is that even if a child is significantly behind, they'll still get to perform. There may be one or more levels of group, or they may perform only for some pieces on their primary instrument and then play an auxiliary percussion part for some of the more complex pieces, but band directors don't tend to bench people. If an ensemble is open to everyone, no tryout required, everyone plays. More selective ensembles have auditions up front.

[MooCow]

You have to audition for a spot unless you're in 6th grade at our middle schools. They perform concerts and it's a class class.

[catz]

Yes. Being in band class is the same thing as being in the band.

 

Kids sign up for the class.

Kids play together in the band.

 

:iagree:that this is probably the case.  Though I'd probably ask to make sure.  And on this note, you might want to ask the teacher specifically what the grading criteria and performance requirements (and possible dates) are. 

[Pen]

Ask the teacher.

 

Here too, band class = in band for performances.