SUMMIT ACADEMY! ! Music Program! and Last Name:________________________________________________! 4/5th Grade First ! Room Teacher: ______________________________________________! Instrument Home ! Selection

Students at Summit will participate in EITHER band or orchestra, but NOT both. Please check mark your choices within band, or orchestra only. I choose to participate in Orchestra.!

! Please number your 1st and 2nd choice as to what instrument you want to play in Orchestra.! ! ___Violin!

___Viola!

___Cello!

___Bass

I choose to participate in Band.!

! Please number your 1st and 2nd choice as to what instrument you want to play in Band.! ! ___Flute! ! ___Clarinet! ! ___Alto Saxophone!! ___Trumpet! ! ___Horn!

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___Trombone!

___Euphonium!

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___Tuba!

Student Signature_______________________________________________!

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___Percussion Piano Experience? ! Y/N

Parent Signature________________________________________________ Note: After you have selected a 1st and 2nd instrument choice, you will be contacted by Mr. Wilson or Mrs. Hanson with more information about your instrument selection as well as more information on the music program (band or orchestra) that you have chosen.

Dear Summit Academy 4th Grade Parent(s) or Guardian(s) and 5th Grade New to Summit,!

!WELCOME to 4th & 5th Grade at Summit Academy. Summit Academy K-8 is a special Focus School within Mesa Public Schools. One of the major distinctions from other elementary schools is that here at Summit, all 4th and 5th grade students will learn to play a musical instrument. The two music areas that students may choose from are Band and Orchestra. !

!During the second day of school, students will attend instrument demonstrations so that they may hear and

see the instruments that they may choose from. Following that, on the following Tuesday, students will spilt into the room that they have chosen (Band or Orchestra) and turn in their instrument selection form. There they will get more information that is more specific information.!

!All Mesa Elementary schools offer stringed instrument instruction starting in the 4th grade, and Summit

Academy is the 1st to offer band to its 4th grade. Instruction is free of charge and are held two times a week for 30 minutes during the school day. Getting started is the only expense. The instrument itself is available from local music stores on a rental basis. Please check your local yellow pages, or a web search under Musical Instrument Rental for information and location of the store. The package includes the instrument, case, other necessary equipment, and sometimes insurance. Smaller instruments such as the violin, viola, flute, clarinet, and trumpet/cornet are reasonably priced for rent on a monthly basis. Alto sax and trombone are also typically very reasonably priced. The school does have a small amount of the largest instruments, such as: string bass, cello, euphonium, and tuba. All school instruments are loaned out after a review of the previous years report card to review such categories as citizenship and behavior. Instruments can be loaned out with a contract agreeing to the districts terms for using district instruments. !

!If renting an instrument is financially difficult, please contact the band or orchestra program to inquire

about using a school instrument. If an instrument is available, then it can be check out with a DISTRICT EQUIPMENT LOAN AGREEMENT and is passed out according to district procedures. Please understand that using a school instrument might limit the instrument option due to what the inventory of the school is. For 4th grade, school instruments on loan will only be allowed to be used in class (depending on the instrument). If renting and the school are not options, you may THEN consider contacting www.desertsounds.org to inquire about acquiring an instrument for the year. Desert Sounds is a charity that specializes in putting instruments in the hands of needy students.!

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Using a school instrument might mean that the student will be limited by what is available to them at the time, and will not receive their first choice of instruments. Because of this, we recommend getting the instrument yourself so the student may play the instrument of their choosing. Learning to perform an instrument and belonging to the school orchestra or band can open up a whole new world of friendships and fun. Your child will be able to take advantage of musical performances with other orchestra and band students at both the junior high and high school levels. The opportunities for playing an instrument after graduation from high school are abundant, with many colleges and universities offering scholarships for participation in orchestra or band.!

!It used to be said that smart kids are involved in music. Now we understand that kids may be smart because

they are involved in music. Studies say that students who participate in music and the arts are better equipped to learn in other areas. For example, the skills needed for reading, mathematics and science are enhanced by the active study and application of music. So, too, are important but less measurable skills like coordination, the ability to pay attention, listen accurately, concentrate, set goals, function socially, and develop self- respect, increase self-confidence, and creativity. !

!As with any course of study, individual effort on the part of the student is essential. Students are expected to

attend ALL instrumental music classes with their instrument and music, to take the instrument (if owned or store rental) home to practice during the week, attend all scheduled evening concerts and make a commitment to performing with the ensemble for the entire school year. We look forward to teaching your child!!

!Questions? Please feel free to contact us by E-MAIL during the summer. ! !Brian C. Wilson, Director of Bands/Department Chair ([email protected])! Elizabeth Hanson, Director of Orchestras ([email protected])!

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THE INSTRUMENTS The String Instruments of the Orchestra! VIOLIN!

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The violin is the smallest member of the string orchestra. It has the highest! sound. It is known for its brilliant tone quality. The violin is held under the! chin and parallel to the floor. There are more violins in the orchestra than! any other instrument. They are divided into two sections, the first and! second violins. Like all the stringed instruments, there are different sizes! of violins to fit different sizes of students!!

VIOLA!

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The viola looks like the violin, but is slightly larger. This instrument! produces a lower sound. The tone quality is rich and mellow, less brilliant! sounding than the violin. The viola, like the violin, is held under the chin.! Good violists are always in demand in small and large performing groups.!

CELLO!

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The cello has a beautiful tone, which gives the orchestra a rich, full sound.! It is tuned an octave lower and is much larger than the viola. The cello,! along with the bass produces the bottom sound of the orchestra. The! instrument is supported by a long endpin, which rests on the floor, and the! player always sits to play it.!

BASS!

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The bass has a deep, dark sound, which gives the orchestra a solid! foundation. It is a versatile instrument, which can be used in a variety of! groups ranging from the symphony to the jazz combo. Many bass players! also learn to play the electric bass! The bass is the largest member of the! string family. It is usually played standing up or sitting on a stool.!

The Instruments of the BAND! FLUTE!

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The Flute is a woodwind instrument. (While today it’s silver-plated, the earliest flutes were made of wood.) Each note has a different fingering, and the sound is made by the player blowing over the hole in the headjoint (the part without the keys). The flute can play some of the highest notes in the band, and often gets to play the melody and some of the “flashy” parts in the music.!

CLARINET!

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The Clarinet is similar to the flute. Both are woodwinds and both use a number of keys to reach all of the different notes. The clarinet though can play lower notes, and its sound comes from a vibrating reed attached to the mouthpiece. Reeds wear out and are replaced regularly. Because it can play high and low notes, the clarinet can do many jobs in band and can be teamed up with a variety of instruments!

SAXOPHONE!

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The saxophone is between the woodwinds and the brass. It uses a reed like the clarinet, but is made of brass like trumpets and trombones. That makes it louder than the other woodwinds, but it still uses a different fingering for each note. Saxophones are used in band and especially in jazz groups, but they aren’t found in orchestras very often. In band they play background parts a lot, but they are usually featured in jazz ensembles.!

TRUMPET!

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The trumpet is a bras instrument and uses its three valves to open different tubing for its notes. Players have to “buzz” their lips to make a sound, and make their lips tighter or looser for high and low notes. That’s why the same fingering can make several notes: the player is changing muscle tension, too. Trumpets play a lot of melody parts, and often get to play the loudest parts of a song. Trumpets are used in band, orchestra and jazz ensemble!

HORN !

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The Horn is sometimes known as the FRENCH HORN. It is a member of the brass family and players have to “buzz” their lips to make a sound. Horns have three or four valves depending on the instrument to open different tubing for its notes. Students only with good musical ears (such as students that may have sung in a choir or piano players) should ! consider French Horn.

TROMBONE!

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The Trombone is a lot like the trumpet, but it plays much lower notes. Its sound is made the same way, but instead of valves, it uses a slide to change the length of its tubing for different notes. Trombones get to play all the low, loud parts in band, orchestra, and jazz ensemble. !

EUPHONIUM (Baritone)!

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The euphonium is sometimes known as the baritone. It is a member of the brass family and players have to “buzz” their lips to make a sound. Euphoniums have three or four valves depending on the instrument to open different tubing for its notes. The Euphonium looks like a small version of a tuba and has a VERY beautiful sound. In fact, the name euphonium is based after the word EUPHORIA.!

TUBA!

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The Tuba is a member of the brass family and players have to “buzz” their lips to make a sound. Tubas have three or four valves depending on the instrument to open different tubing for its notes. The tuba is the largest instrument in the band and many would believe it would be hard to physically manage. The tubas we use for beginners are ¾ size and easy to handle. !

PERCUSSION!

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Percussion includes all kinds of drums (like snare drum), mallet instruments (xylophone, vibraphone, marimba, bells), and auxiliary percussion (triangle, tambourine, etc.) Most of the instruments are stuck with drumsticks, mallets or beaters. ! Percussion is not “drum set”. It is not part of the curriculum and students that choose to participate in percussion will learn to play ALL of the percussion instruments, not just hitting a drum. Students that have a piano background will be given priority if they choose percussion.!