Instrumental Music

5th grade Band/Orchestra is the first elective class students can take in elementary school. Lessons take place during the school day. Students are expected to attend all weekly lessons. Students are pulled out of other classes on a rotating basis.

Middle School Band/Orchestra is a daily elective class with an entire ensemble (band, orchestra, or mariachi). Students are pulled out of other classes on a rotating basis for lessons every 1-2 weeks. Participation happens during the school day.

During the 2024-2025 school year, standards-based grades will be given in band/orchestra around the Illinois Arts Learning (Music) Standards. These will be shared on report cards alongside other subject areas.

Lessons are smaller, with similar or complementary instruments together.
Rehearsals are larger sessions, typically with an entire ensemble.

• Elementary
  • Rehearsals - Before or after school
  • Lessons - Pull-out 1-2 tiimes per week

• Middle School
  • Rehearsals - During the elective class period
  • Lessons - Pull-out every 1-2 weeks

Students must have the required supplies (ex: instrument) which may cost money.

• The instrumental music fee waiver/scholarship program is based on the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch program. If your family qualifies, your child can receive an instrument and materials provided by the district. To qualify, you must have an up-to-date application and information on file with the district. You can find more information about Student Fee Waivers and the Free- and Reduced-Price Lunch Program here. Eligibility is determined yearly.

District 15 requires that students enrolled in the program need to provide their own instruments and supplies for use in class unless they qualify for the waivers above.

Band: Woodwind Instruments

• Clarinet
• Flute
• Oboe
• Saxophone

Band: Brass Instruments

• Baritone
• French Horn
• Trombone
• Trumpet

Band: Percussion

• Students who select percussion are learning the entire percussion family, starting with bells and snare drum

Orchestra: String Instruments

• Cello
• String Bass
• Viola
• Violin

See Instrument Overview for descriptions with pictures

Materials for All Instruments:

1. Sound Innovations Book
   1. Band: Sound Innovations for Concert Band, Book 1 (instrument specific)
   2. Orchestra: Sound Innovations for String Orchestra, Book 1 (instrument specific)
       
2. Instrument
    
3. Folding music stand with a carrying case (preferably the 2 piece plain metal style)

Supplies Specific to Instrument:

These should come with the instrument when renting. Recommended supplies should be available for purchase for an additional cost.

• Band
  • Flute: Cleaning rod and cleaning cloth
     
  • Oboe: Cork grease, silk swab,*two reeds (Jones, Lesher, Emerald or Chartier- Size Medium Soft), reed guard -- Students may need at least two new reeds each month
     
  • Clarinet: Cork grease, handkerchief/silk swab, *three reeds (Rico - Size 2), reed guard. Students will need at least four new reeds each month (Rico - Size 2 ½)
     
  • Alto Saxophone: Cork grease, neck strap, handkerchief/silk swab, *three reeds (Rico - Size 2), reed guard. Students will need at least four new reeds each month (Rico - Size 2 ½)
     
  • Trumpet: Valve oil, tuning slide grease
     
  • French Horn: Rotary valve oil, tuning slide grease
     
  • Trombone: Spray bottle, slide cream, tuning slide grease
     
  • Baritone: Valve oil, tuning slide grease
     
  • Percussion: New drumhead, new drum sticks (Size 2B), new bell mallets, practice pad
     
• Orchestra
  • Violin/ Viola: Rosin, 4 fine tuners (installed), all-friction tuning pegs (Caspari pegs are unacceptable), shoulder rest/pad (recommended: Everest)
     
  • Cello: Rosin, Rock stop (recommended: Strap Style like Xeros Endpin Anchor), 4 fine tuners (installed), all-friction tuning pegs (Caspari pegs are unacceptable)
     
  • String Bass: Rosin, Rock stop

District 15 requires that students enrolled in the program need to provide their own instruments and supplies for use in class. We recommend that families get these supplies from a district-recommended music stores (see below). 

Instrument Standard Colors:
All instruments should be in their standard colors. Non-standard colors generally indicate poor instrument quality.

• Strings instruments should be wood colored.
• Trombone, Trumpet, Baritone, Tuba, Saxophone, & Flute should be silver or gold.
• Clarinet & Oboe should be black with silver keys.

Renting an Instrument:
We recommend renting an instrument. For most store rental programs you pay a monthly fee to rent an instrument. Many stores offer rent-to-own programs. Stores usually offer a maintenance, damage/loss protection program that we recommend.

What to expect from your music store:

• Instrument cleaned and adjusted (top playing condition) at time of rental/purchase. (We recommend renting.)
• Basic instrument supplies provided for each instrument (see “Materials Needed” sheet “supplies specific to instrument” section).
• Recommended instrument supplies available for purchase for additional cost
• One week repair service with a loaner instrument provided free of charge.
• Maintenance/damage/loss insurance available with rental at additional cost. (We recommend this!)
• Book and music stand with recommended case available for purchase.

Instruments belonging to the family:
If your family owns an instrument, we recommend having cleaning and maintenance repairs done by a music store prior to the start of the school year. Our recommended music stores can give you a quote on what needs to be done and how much it would cost.

We do NOT recommend purchasing an instrument online. It is difficult to guarantee the quality, size, and maintenance needed.

District-Owned Instruments
Most families will rent an instrument from one of the recommended music vendors for their student to use for this class. However, there are some exceptions to this where students will get/use instruments from the school.

Fee Waiver/Educational Benefit (Scholarship Program): The instrumental music scholarship program is based on the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch program. If your family qualifies, your child can receive an instrument and materials provided by the district.

To qualify, you must have an up-to-date application and information on file with the district. You can find more information about Student Fee Waivers and the Free- and Reduced-Price Lunch Program here. Eligibility is determined yearly.

Rehearsal Instruments: Some instruments are too large to take on school buses (ex: cello, bass, tuba). In these cases, you will rent an instrument from a music store to keep at home and your child’s music teacher will have a second, district-owned instrument at school for your child to use for lessons and rehearsals. The teacher will tell your student about this when they start lessons.

Uncommon Instruments: When students are in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade they can choose to switch to instruments that are less common and therefore not available for rent from local music stores. These instruments will be rented from the school district for a fee of $150/year. If your student is interested in these as they get older, the teacher will provide you with more information.

These stores have agreed to carry the supplies of the recommended quality needed for CCSD15 instrumental music students.

What to expect from your music store:

• Instrument cleaned and adjusted (top playing condition) at time of rental/purchase. (We recommend renting.)
• Basic instrument supplies provided for each instrument (see “Materials Needed” sheet “supplies specific to instrument” section).
• Recommended instrument supplies available for purchase for additional cost
• One week repair service with a loaner instrument provided free of charge.
• Maintenance/damage/loss insurance available with rental at additional cost. (We recommend this!)
• Book and music stand with recommended case available for purchase.

Registration for band or orchestra for elementary students begins in November each year. 

**Important note: the registration form will be emailed to you with a very important number (Student ID) included. You will need this to register your child. If you do not know your child's student ID or did not receive the email, you can reach out to the school office and then complete the form.

Before completing the registration form, please review all of the information as a family. If you have questions or need support, please reach out to one of the band or orchestra teachers at your child’s school. When signing up for an instrument, your child will be registered in a band or orchestra course.

If you have additional questions about the program, you can review the detailed program below or contact the band or orchestra director at your child's school.

Questions? Contact Megan Preis, D15 Instructional Coordinator, at preism@ccsd15.net.