• 10 Things You Need to Know About Joining the HENDRICK BAND

    1. The HENDRICK BAND is one of the most EXCITING and DYNAMIC organizations at our school. Among the largest organizations at our school, the band program takes part in a number of performances and other activities throughout the year. 

    2. No prior experience is necessary in order to enroll in Band. Your background in music classes in grades K-5 will be valuable to you, but we will teach you all that you need to know.

    3. To sign up, indicate BAND as your FIRST elective choice on the course selection form that you will receive from the counselors and administrators at your school. 

    4. The Band is made up of a very diverse group of young people who develop into the leaders of our school. There are band members at Hendrick who are star athletes, members of any number of school organizations and clubs, and are among the highest achieving ACADEMIC leaders in the school.

    5. Band classes meet as a regular part of the school day. Classes are divided by instrumental family so that students receive concentrated instruction. The only required activities that take place outside of school are our three concerts in the Winter, early Spring, and May.
     
    6. Instrument choices at Hendrick include Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Baritone, Tuba, and Percussion. For video demonstrations of each, see the instrument demo links in this page

    7. If you enroll in BAND, you will need to attend an instrument selection meeting. You will be allowed to try the various instruments and, with the help of a band director, select the one that you will be most happy AND have the most potential for success in playing. Placement meetings take place on the morning of Saturday, March 19th.

    8. In addition to our concerts, band members take part in FUN social activities. You are joining a ready-made group of friends who will be involved in Band with you all the way through high school. You can look forward to making music, social events, and other rewarding and fun activities.

    9.  Students provide their own instrument. You will receive more information regarding instrument rental (or purchase), recommended instrument brands, and other needed supplies. A few of the larger, more expensive instruments, as well as a limited supply of smaller instruments, are provided by the school for a yearly fee.

    10. If you want to participate in band in high school, middle school is where it all starts! Once they complete the beginner classes, Hendrick Band members can become members of the award-winning Hendrick Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. The Hendrick Bands perform several concerts throughout the year, participate in a number of contests and festivals, play at school events such as pep rallies, and more. 

  • Parents! Did You Know?

     

    ♫ In recent reports, students taking music courses scored on average over 60 points higher on both the verbal and math portions of the SAT than students not enrolled in music.

     

    ♫ Students who participate in their school band are 52% more likely to go to college and graduate – many on scholarship, whether they major in music or not.

     

    ♫ A recent Rockefeller Foundation study discovered that music students have the highest rate of acceptance to medical schools. This is a strong indicator of both high academic achievement and well-developed interpersonal skills.

     

    ♫ Participation in Band is not only fun, it promotes important life skills such as self-discipline, responsibility, critical thinking, social and emotional development, and teamwork.