Concert Band - 7:30 am daily - This is the group that goes on the trips.

The trial period is 2 weeks without missing a day or being late with no negativity and students checking in with teacher.  It's extremely important to do this because the first 3 days they won't be able to adjust yet.  Beginners who join need to also be enrolled in the during the day band class.  At 2 weeks the students become comfortable with how everything is run and how they fit in.  This is an academic class and receives GPA credit.  This group is the cream of the crop, meeting early in the morning and playing all styles of music.  All grade levels are involved, meaning 6th graders are more than welcome to participate.  The should also be in the Beginning Band class for best success.

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Concert Band students usually grow extremely disciplined and as a result do better in school.  Such students might want to base their sleep schedule around five 1 & 1/2 hour increments, as the body usually goes through all its sleep stages in that amount of time.  The worst time to wake up is in stage IV, which is the deepest sleep; people who do this tend to feel sleepy the entire day.  Most people go through a full sleep cycle in an hour and a half with REM sleep or dreaming at the end of each cycle.  Throughout the night, REM becomes longer. Below is a timetable sleep schedule and I have highlighted when I go to sleep and wake up.  Figure out when you need to wake up first and check the times that are best to go to sleep.

Time Table for a Basic Sleep Pattern

8:00 pm to sleep - wake up at 5:00 am

8:30 pm to sleep - wake up at 5:30 am
9:00 pm to sleep - wake up at 6:00 am

9:30 pm to sleep - wake up at 5:00 am

10:00 pm to sleep - wake up at 5:30 am

10:30 pm to sleep - wake up at 6:00 am

Grade Concerns

Students with poor grades who have been removed from Concert Band have done worse.  Concert Band teaches discipline, organization and focus.  These are tools to better grades.  Removing a student from a sport or art takes away the students joy that is achieved through hard work and affects other students.
Always give best effort and have a positive attitude

There are varying levels in every group.  Students respect those who try their best and practice.  No student should ever feel inferior because they are starting at a different point than someone else.  If you have a private teacher on your instrument, they will be able to spend time talking to you about your instrument with deeper insight.  In a class of 30 where there is group focus there is minimal personal time.  

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Peer or Director Assistance

Students can receive peer help or assistance from the director just by asking.  Please talk to the director when you have the first inkling of trouble.  Approaching teachers may be intimidating, but once you overcome that hurdle you will find they are very reasonable people.  They tend to respect students who take care of themselves as well.

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A parents investment in a student playing an instrument and into the students happiness is quickly destroyed by a lapse in playing and practice.  A child still needs guidance and help in setting up practice time and getting work done.

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Percussionists

Learn orchestra bells first.  When they can read and play (without looking at their hands constantly) through page 11 in the Yamaha combined percussion book, they will also learn snare drum, bass drum, cymbals and some auxiliary percussion.  8th graders usually have first option at the drum set.

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"Can I play drums?"

The best "drummers" have been "percussionists."  They played orchestra bells first which gave them the melodic training needed to play in time with a band or orchestra.  Those who only wanted to play drums usually could not keep a consistent tempo or stay with the band; they were in their own world and the other musicians were frustrated with them, because they couldn't keep the beat.