Recruiting

Just a couple weeks after returning to the swing of things in January, it will already be time to recruit students to be in the beginning band next year. I will be taking my Honors Band over to perform for the fifth graders at the four cluster elementary schools. We will play Katy Perry's "Firework," which we performed at the middle school band night with the high schools in November. We will also play "Bobsled Run," which we performed on our Winter Concert last month, as well as "Let it Go," which we read through just prior to leaving for the Winter Break. I think it is a good mix of music to play for the fifth graders - marching/pep band music, more serious music, and pop concert music. I will also have each section perform short little melodies to demonstrate the sound of each instrument. These are the tunes used for Garland ISD while I was there. Maybe I'll write out new ones this summer to use for the following year. I have a feeling that some of my kids will have suggestions - many of them look up and/or write out by ear, the melodies from the latest pop songs that are on the radio. 

These are just a few of them. You can click here to download the entire file. 

I always love going out and talking with the fifth graders and getting them excited about being in band in sixth grade. It is a chance to share my passion and excitement for instrumental music with them and briefly educate them about the different instruments and all the wonders of being in band. I usually like to give out band folders to the kids with informative flyers, coupons for the local music stores, and flyers for the upcoming instrument test drives. I will contact some of the music stores this Monday to see if I can get my hands on some folders and coupons. I will also have the students fill out a form with their contact information and which instrument(s) they are interested in playing. I will be able to use this information in contacting the students individually. In band we accept everybody, but in order to get the cream of the crop, I will get a list of the gifted and talented students and contact them first. I will have a brief survey for the music teachers to rate the fifth grade students on their behavior, work ethic, attention span, and grades. I want to balance out the sections and make sure there are those exceptional students on ALL the instruments. Some directors end up lumping the same kind of kid on the same instrument which sometimes backfires. 

This is the form I will use to get the basic contact information from the students:

I think the plan is to first go perform for the students, then go back by myself and test the students individually, and then have a parent meeting with the music stores present to give the parents the necessary information regarding being in the band and what supplies are needed. The parents will be able to meet with the music stores and make arrangements to purchase supplies and buy/rent an instrument. 

I think this year I'll have two to three levels of supply packages (like when purchasing a car). Some parents will only be able to purchase the lowest level - just the very basic needs to perform the instrument while other parents will be able to purchase higher levels which will include things like clarinet neckstraps, etc. I will share those once I've created them. 

I'm looking forward to this new semester, but know it will be a whirlwind with solo and ensemble contest, pre-UIL, UIL, post-UIL, recruiting, and end of the year auditions.