COPPERAS COVE, TX (April 26, 2022)—Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary fifth grader Katielynn Velesky enjoyed listening to the music of the junior high band visiting her school. But the visit is about more than just entertaining the students. It is also about recruitment.
“These are unique opportunities to showcase the talents of our band program. Elementary students get to see what performing in a band program looks like while introducing the various instruments available in our programs,” S. C. Lee Junior High Director of Bands Lawrence Varela-Halbert said. “During these visits, sometimes individual sections are featured, such as flutes perhaps playing a cute theme from Henri Mancini like The Baby Elephant Walk or even as full band arrangements from popular movies like Disney’s Frozen.”
Question and answer sessions follow the performances to break down barriers about being in the band. Common questions include if learning to play an instrument is difficult or if a student may participate in other extra-curricular activities while also being in the band. Band students respond to the questions to put the elementary students at ease that they can be in the band and enjoy other activities as well.
Junior High band directors contact elementary principals in October to schedule the performances. They follow up in the Spring semester to give fifth graders the opportunity to try different musical instruments to determine if they would like to participate in the junior high band programs for the upcoming school year.
“It was really fun to get to try out all the different mouth pieces of the instruments,” Velesky said. “It was actually a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. It would be pretty fun to be able to play in the band and see how it is.”
Students can try the instruments that interest them at as many as 10 different stations. The students receive aptitude ratings on each instrument they try to help them get an idea for instruments with which they would be most successful.
“Aptitude isn’t everything though. We want to ensure that every student chooses an instrument that they will enjoy playing,” said Copperas Cove Junior High Director of Bands Ryan Stewart. “Once a student has tried at least three instruments, they show their scores to a director who will help them make a decision.”
Students are then given a supply list for their chosen instruments and forms for their parents to sign indicating their students’ desire to be placed in the school band.
“I am super excited to try and get into band next year,” fifth grader Siara Ross said after trying the mouthpieces of several different instruments. “I just love music and I cannot wait to play in the band.”
The goal is at least 150 students for each of the junior high school beginning bands. More students are accepted if parental permission is given. These students may participate in the junior high band for three years before competing to become one of 200 musicians on the award-winning Copperas Cove High School Pride of Cove Band.
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