INSTRUMENT SELECTION
The best way to become part of the South Belton Band program is to select Band as your first elective during your 5th grade year when the counselors come to visit your elementary school. In March before Spring Break, we hold instrument placement nights for incoming students to try all available instruments. This is an opportunity to visit the school, meet some of the private lesson teachers, and see all of the instrument possibilities. No music experience is necessary! All you need is an open mind. You must attend an instrument placement night in order to be selected for an instrument. It is possible for 7th & 8th graders to sign-up for Band, but they will be enrolled in the 6th grade Beginning Band classes. No one will be turned away because of finances. Click here to visit our Recruiting page with Be Part of the Band and learn more about the awesome impact music has your life!
Many times, the instrument you come in wanting to play is very different from what we find out will work best. You always want to choose an instrument that will be the easiest to play. Most students will know what they are going to play on the day of the selection. Percussion students will be contacted individually IF THEY ARE SELECTED. All students must be placed on an instrument by a band director before they will be scheduled into a band class. You may attend all of the 3 instrument placement nights regardless of which campus you will attend. Watch the video below to see and hear demonstrations of each instrument, followed by additional videos for oboe and bassoon which we offer on alternating school years:
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES FOR THE FALL
Students and their families are responsible for supplying the materials listed on their supply sheet, which is mailed out and delivered to the students at their elementary school. Students are expected to have all materials by the second day of school. Please click here to visit our Materials & Supplies page to find all needed supplies.
WHY CHOOSE BAND?
Students who participate in music have the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among any group in our society. ~H. Con. Res. 266, U.S. Senate, June 2000.
The combined results of 30 studies indicate that music instruction is linked to significantly improved reading skills.
Students in arts courses develop essential characteristics for a successful future: confidence, effective communication, analytical reasoning, problem solving, creativity, accountability, perseverance, ingenuity, and flexibility & adaptability.
Art and culture industries generate $5.5 billion to the Texas economy, and contribute $343 million in state sales tax revenue.
Texas schools with more students in music classes have better academic ratings, fewer discipline problems, and higher attendance rates.
“Our data have confirmed a rapid transfer of cognitive benefit in young children after only 20 days of music training. The strength of this effect in almost all of the children was remarkable.” ~Dr. Sylvain Moreno, Rotman Research Institute
Nine out of ten adults and teenagers who play instruments agree that music making brings the family closer together. ~Music Making and Our Schools, American Music Conference, 2000.
More music teachers are role models for minority students than teachers of any other subject. Thirty-six percent of surveyed minority students identified music teachers as their role models, compared to 28% for English teachers, 11% for elementary teachers, and 7% for physical education teachers. ~”Music teachers as role models for African-American students,” Journal of Research in Music Education, 1993.
Researchers at the University of California and the Niigata Brain Research Institute in Japan have found an area of the brain that is activated only when reading musical scores. ~”Musical Brain – Special Brain Area Found for Reading Music Scores,” NeuroReport, 1998.
South Belton Band 