FAQ's
Click here for course expectations and requirements, which can also be found on each course's page.
When are concerts?
The schedule is available here.
What courses and ensembles are available?
Students in grades 7-12 participate in six different ensembles: Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band (9-12), Junior High Band, Junior High Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Celtic Music Society (extra-curricular).
What instruments are taught?
Instruments of the standard wind band are part of the instrumental music program. These include flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium (baritone), tuba, and percussion.
Additionally, students in Celtic Music Society play traditional Irish instruments, and Mr. Gowman has occasionally taught a section of string lessons when enough students have been interested. Students in Music Appreciation have exploratory units in guitar and drums.
When do lessons meet? How are lessons grouped?
Lessons are grouped by instrument and/or section, and may change slightly through the course of the year based on the material being covered. Lessons are normally scheduled once per week; group size is dependent on type of instrument and the number of periods available. We have experimented with going to a longer lesson rotation to keep groups smaller; it was discovered that this is not a viable option due to the number of conflicts difficulty in scheduling.
Both instrumental and vocal music lessons are scheduled as “pull-outs” on a five-day cycle (as opposed to the school’s four-day cycle) and rotate throughout the periods of the day. Within this system of scheduling, a student should miss a particular class approximately once per month. Students are expected to immediately make up all missed work.
How do I join and/or learn to play an instrument?
Are school instruments available for borrowing or do I need to get my own?
In most cases, the student provides the instrument, but a number of larger instruments are available for borrowing. We do have a very limited number of the smaller instruments, and these are often not available from the school.
How do I get an instrument?
There are several reputable music stores in the immediate area, including a couple that stop by the school weekly to deliver supplies and pick up or deliver repairs.
There are a lot of poor quality instruments currently flooding the market. Several families have purchased instruments which seemed like a good deal but quickly became unusable. Please consult with me before making any instrument purchases.
What supplies should I have?
Click here.
Who is Mr. Gowman?
Mr. Gowman's biography is here.
Have another question?
