School band and orchestra: a parent's guide to the first year

In the first year of school band or orchestra, a child learns to put the instrument together, make a steady sound, read about a dozen notes, and play simple tunes with the group. The first months are squeaky. By the spring concert, most groups can play several short pieces in parts. This page tells you what to expect and how to help.

The year at a glance

When	What happens
Before the start	Sign-up, and choosing an instrument
First month	Putting the instrument together, first sounds, and the first three notes
Months 2 to 3	Five or six notes, simple tunes, and playing together
Winter	The first concert, often with tunes of a few notes
Months 5 to 8	More notes, harder rhythms, and music in two or three parts
Spring	The second concert, and sometimes a festival

Choosing the instrument

For band, read how to choose a band instrument. For the difference between the two groups, read band vs orchestra. For string sizes, read violin sizes for kids.

What you will need

• The instrument. Most families rent in the first year. Read renting vs buying an instrument.
• The method book that the teacher names. Buy the one for your child’s instrument. One such series is Essential Elements. Read Essential Elements Book 1 explained.
• A folding music stand for home.
• Care items. These depend on the instrument.

Instrument	Care items
Flute	A cleaning rod and a cloth
Clarinet and saxophone	Reeds, a swab, and cork grease
Trumpet and other brass	Valve oil and slide grease
Trombone	Slide oil or cream
Violin, viola, cello, and bass	Rosin, a soft cloth, and a shoulder rest for violin and viola
Percussion	Sticks, mallets, and a practice pad or a set of bells

Ask the teacher for a list before you shop. Stores that work with schools often sell a starter pack for each instrument.

What the first months sound like

Squeaks, honks, and scratches. This is normal for every instrument.

• A clarinet squeaks when a finger leaks or the reed is poor.
• A trumpet cracks while the lips are still learning.
• A violin scratches until the bow arm learns its weight and speed.

It gets better fast. Say something kind about the effort, and close the door if you need to.

How much practice?

Follow the teacher’s request. Many ask beginners for 15 to 20 minutes on most days. Short and regular is what builds the lips, the fingers, and the ear.

Set a place for it. Leave the stand up and the book open. A child who has to hunt for things will not start.

Read how to get kids to practice music without a fight.

How to help when you do not play

• Ask your child to teach you one thing from this week’s class.
• Ask for a small concert on Friday.
• Listen for a steady beat. You can hear that without training.
• Clap along, or use the metronome for kids.
• Sign the practice sheet if there is one.

Read how to help with practice when you cannot read music.

Looking after the instrument

• Dry the inside of a wind instrument after every use.
• Loosen a string bow after playing, and wipe the rosin dust off the strings.
• Keep the instrument in its case when it is not being played.
• Never leave it in a hot or cold car.
• Put a name tag on the case.
• Do not try to fix a stuck part yourself. Take it to the teacher or the shop.

Concerts

Most groups give two concerts in the first year. The teacher will send a note about what to wear. Arrive early, because tuning takes time. Read concert etiquette for kids.

Common bumps in the first year

“I want to quit.” This often comes a few months in, when the newness wears off and the music is not yet fun. Ask your child to stay until the next concert. Playing for an audience changes minds. Read what to do when your child wants to quit music lessons.

“I want to switch.” Talk to the teacher. Some switches are easy, and a few are needed for the balance of the group.

Braces. They make playing a wind instrument sore for a while. Tell the teacher, who will have seen it many times.

Falling behind. A few private lessons can close the gap. Ask the teacher for names.

Forgetting the instrument. Put a note on the door for band days.

Do they need private lessons?

No. School classes are built to teach beginners. Private lessons help a child who is keen, who has chosen a hard instrument such as the oboe or the French horn, or who has fallen behind. Read private vs group music lessons.

Questions to ask the teacher

• Which days does my child need the instrument at school?
• How much home practice do you ask for?
• Which book, and which care items?
• When are the concerts?
• How will I know how my child is doing?

Print and play

Print a weekly practice chart and a lesson notes page. To learn the families, read instruments of the orchestra for kids.

If the clarinet or the trumpet does not match your piano, read transposing instruments explained. For more on lessons, see music lessons for kids: a parent’s guide.