Why Should Your
Children Stay In Music? What about class scheduling? Is there a time commitment? What about parent involvement?
Information - Concert
Band, Symphonic Band, and Percussion Class Information - Marching Band Information -
Colorguard Information - Mini Camp
in May See and hear the band
in action! Ask a question...
Consider these statistics:
• College-bound seniors with coursework in performance
music scored 52 points higher on the SAT Verbal and 37 points higher on SAT
Math (The College Board, September 1997).
• Scientific studies indicate that music strengthens academic performance
in Reading and Math (from Gardiner et al., Nature, May 23, 1996).
• One in three school children will eventually work in an arts-related
job at some time in their career (Education Commission on the States).
• Over 90% of students who participate in high school music and attend
college complete their degree (Music Advocacy's Top Ten for Students - Selmer
Music Co., Elkhart, IN).
• There is a very high correlation between positive self-perception,
high competence scores, healthy self-esteem, total interest and school involvement
and the study of music (O.F. Lillemyr, Achievement Motivation as a Factor
in Self-Perception, Norwegian Research Council for Science and the Humanities).
• "Successful music students tend to possess the qualities and skills
that are considered essential to employers in business, education and service
organizations. They are ahead of others in writing, communication skills,
and analytical skills (Rees, M.A., Instrumentalist, November 1988).
• "The study of music is where we may learn commitment to quality
and excellence in our work and where we can explore the inseparable relationship
of mind and body (Hollander, F. The Educational Forum, Vol. 55, Winter 1991).
If your child is enrolled in music, studies have shown
that keeping them involved throughout high school will earn them significantly
higher results on standardized testing and grade point averages.
If your child is not involved, the best thing you can do is get them involved
in music now and KEEP THEM INVOLVED!
More music facts are available from the National Coalition for Music Education
at menc.org
What about Scheduling?
If your child is joining marching band for his/ her 9th grade year in 2004-2005,
it is a requirement to also be in a band class during the day. Concert band
is scheduled by default unless a tryout is set
up in advance (preferably before August), in which
case, Symphonic Band may be an option. Obviously, a strong music program
will depend on students who study the instrument throughout the year on
a daily basis. Think of the Concert and Symphonic bands as the "class" with
Marching Band as the optional "after school lab". Students enrolled
in Concert and Symphonic Bands are not required to take Marching Band.
Is there a time commitment?
To be successful at just about anything, time must be invested. Band class
and marching band are no different. Typical marching band time commitment
is from the month of August to the beginning
of November (plus one Saturday in December for Christmas Parades). Practice
time is required during the school week and is typically from 2:45-5:15pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. An activity bus is provided to give students
a ride home. Students depend on one another to meet this commitment, and we
need EVERYONE at EVERY practice and performance in order to do
our best.
What about parent involvement?
Parent involement is essential to the Royal Brigade Marching Band's success.
The parent group is better known as the Courtland
Band Parents' Association (CBPA). Responsibilities include running concessions
during the football season, serving food at various band functions, and providing
a "pit crew" to help set up and take down equipment at football
halftime shows and band competitions. If your child is a member of the RBMB,
you are automatically a member of the CBPA. The CBPA general parent meeting
is on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year at 7:30pm. For
more information on the CBPA, please contact Karen Eudailey at (540) 891-7226.
If you have any other questions, please contact the band director.
540-898-4445, ext. 1123, work
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