Dear parents and guardians:

As the Year Starts I want to thank each and every one of you for the opportunity to share music with your children. Moving forward I plan to put my best effort into expanding every childs musical education via band/instrumental music. With that said, I expect every childs best effort as well.

Who is eligible? Anyone in the 4^{th- 7th}   grade who is interested in learning how to play a musical instrument. No previous experience is required, even in reading music. In fact, most people starting band or orchestra won't even know how to put their instrument together yet! That's perfectly OK. That's what we learn in orchestra and band.

Is music hard? Yes & no. Most people have the necessary skills and aptitude to succeed in the music program. The problem lies in that music takes a fair amount of dedication. Like most things in life, to be skillful at something a person needs to work at it. In other words, PRACTICE. Practice is by far the single most important element in being successful in a music program. Without sufficient practice (20 minutes per day, 6 days a week), students most likely will stagnate in their abilities, and then get discouraged because they can't play the parts the other students can play. The most challenging part of music comes where a person's natural talent ends and hard work and dedication must take over. To a certain extent, it's the "hardness" of anything that makes an endeavor valuable and worth doing. Otherwise anyone could do it!

Most of the school Band classes will be during the school day while full band rehearsal will be on a after school basis. Information on the designated day will come home in a few weeks.

For the children who are seriously considering to improve in their musicianship I encourage you to continue to listen to live musicwhenever possible. Also Seek out private instruction on the instrument that you play.  If costis an issue never quit .. just simply continue to search the web for online tutorials for free. 

I look forward to anoher exciting year of Music"!!!!

Hammonth@orange.k12.nj.us

Mr. Thaddeus Hammond

Instrumental Music Teacher at Park Avenue/ Lincoln Ave School