Calais Elementary School

General Information

Many of our students rent instruments from MusicCraft, a small company located in Waitsfield, VT (496-4175). Repairs of rental instruments are included in the rental cost, so there is no reason to be playing an out of repair instrument. A simple phone call by a parent will arrange a repair and the student will be loaned an instrument by MusiCraft to use while the repair is being performed.

Students who own or borrow an instrument can get repairs through MusiCraft, or through Vermont Musical Instrument Repair in Middlesex (229-4416). In addition, all students are expected to provide their own accessories, such as reeds, swabs, oils, etc. These can be acquired form either MusiCraft or Vermont Musical.

Scholarship assistance is available for students whose families are not able to afford the purchase or rental of an instrument.

Lessons begin with at least two weeks instruction with just mouth pieces - the rest of the instrument stays in the case. This lays the foundation for a good sound, since it allows students to focus solely on tone production, without having to worry about holding or fingering the instrument. Then students are taught the correct way to hold and finger their instrument, and work from the method book begins.

We use a method book called "Accent on Achievement", which is designed with the nine MENC National Standards in mind.

Instruction consists of a half hour weekly lesson, and a half hour weekly band rehearsal.

Fifth graders are expected to be able to read whole, half, quarter and eighth notes, perform reliably six notes from concert B flat to concert G, and to be able to play a one octave concert B flat scale from memory by the end of the year. They are expected to practice between forty and sixty minutes per week, and to report their practice time in writing. Practice records are provided by the school, or the student may simply write it down on a piece of paper. We ask for parent signatures in order to encourage dialogue between students and parents, and to help keep parents involved in the music program.

The big issue for second year players is key signatures. This means that the notes they play change depending on what key they are playing in. The key may be given at the beginning of the music (key signature) or be indicated by accidentals, which are symbols inserted right next to the notes. Fifth graders are expected to play reliably in the keys of concert B flat, E flat, and F. In addition, they are expected to play dotted half, dotted quarter, and pickup notes correctly, and to perform in three different time signatures with the correct feeling.

During sixth grade we begin to think ahead to U-32. There are five skills, identified in cooperation with U-32 band director Tom Cate, which are essential for success in the seventh grade band program. These are:

It is our goal to exceed these five criteria whenever possible. In order to meet these goals, and to become accustomed to the greater practice requirements at the seventh grade level, it is good idea for sixth graders to practice an hour or more per week.