Students interested in joining 6th grade band for the 2022-2023 school year must undergo a two-part process. First, students, accompanied by their parents, will have an opportunity to try band instruments in an individually scheduled ‘band screening’ with one of the band directors. Second, students will attend the beginning band group startup lessons for 2 days in August or September to learn the basics of how to start playing their new band instrument. Band Screening appointments will take place during March, April, and May. Students will observe a concert and an informational band session during school in March. Parents will then schedule an appointment online for their child to meet with a band director to try out all instruments. A parent/guardian is required to be at the band screening with the student. After an instrument is selected at the band screening, parents should register their child for one of the Group Start-Up Lessons to take place over two days in August or September. We are offering the same lessons over 2 different weeks to accommodate family schedules. The first section available to choose from is August 24 and 25 and the second option is September 1 and 2. Please choose one of the two-day sections. The start-up lessons allow the instructors to cover all of the initial information and skills that are needed when school starts such as; how to put their instrument together, produce the first sound on the instrument, how to read music and learn to play the first five notes in their beginning band book. Each day’s lesson is one-and-a-half hours with other students who play the same instrument.