u/InstanceConscious251

I am a high school band director at a small school in SD. We are trying to start a marching program at a school that has never had one before. What this means is we have no real equipment. I know looking around at schools that are upgrading and selling off used gear is a great way to get started. What I am looking for is something I can put together to take to admin, community and grants that lists out basic needed equipment and estimated costs so we can start raising funds.

A little about the school and current program. We have around 200 total students in the high school. Currently around 25 in high school band. All these students started under a different director and we had a year without causing a lot to drop. The school has has numbers in the 60-70 just in high school band. My first beginning class is now in 8th grade and I have around 20 in each 6, 7 and 8th grade (around 50% of the class) we will be marching a more traditional style

I have 7 years of college band experience in a large (300+ members) so I do understand the size of this undertaking.

What I could use is an inventory list or a list of items you can't live without. Nothing is too small so I can calculate costs. Don't include instruments unless it is something "not normal" or accessories that most wouldn't think about. I know we will need carts for some things like bass amps or sound system equipment but honestly not sure where to look for some of that stuff outside the standard road case style (I used to run live audio for festivals so familiar with audio production and mobile equipment)

Thanks for any help in making this huge task a little bit quicker.

I am in a small school in South Dakota. This with be my 4year teaching, 3rd in band. (Just had my 47th birthday and graduated college back in 2009) I have a few of my high school kids I want to audition for all-state band.

My Flute player will be a senior and is taking lessons outside of class and that teacher has already worked with her on a solo.

I am in need of recommendations for an advanced freshman horn player. She does not have lessons outside of school and I will be working with her. She is the one who attends all the honor bands and gets excited at a challenge. She has a super good sense of pitch. Speed and rhythm is probably one thing as her "room for improvement"

I also need recommendations for a freshman clarinet player who has had lessons in the past but her schedule has made it difficult to continue them last year. Something fun and challenging. Range, something that can push her range but not so much as frustration would immediately kick in. Again speed and rhythm would be something she needs more confidence in.

Next is a sophomore bari sax player. For her it's not for all-state but a couple of the honor bands require an audition with a solo. She played alto in middle school and just changed over to bari last year. Something that could increase breath control as she has really been working on that.

Next are two trumpet players. One is a junior transferring in from another local school and I was told he was a strong player that loves band and performing. Good air support and range. But I haven't heard him play personally. The other is a sophomore that I spent last year working on her confidence and pushing her range. She still pinches and tightens everything when going for high notes so something with a good range but not too high so we can get her improving without frustration.

The last one is a junior Tuba player that also is transferring in. Also told he was a good, strong player who practices and wants to play.

Please when recommending if you know where I can get the sheet music that would be helpful. Also if it is something I could have them preview before purchasing that's even better. Thanks.

Preface with, my main instrument is trombone yet I can still hit some pretty high notes on trumpet consistently with good quality tone. I know for me relaxing neck and jaw are key to not having that "pinched" tone. What I am looking for are some exercises, things you would tell your trumpet players to get them out of the mindset of notes above E are "too high" and when they go to play them they immediately tighten up and pinch their air ways.

All my high school trumpets this year were freshmen and I had no upperclassmen to "push" and help guide them into a lot of the first part music. I tried several things and they can hear the difference between pinched and not and they understand the concept of keeping the airways open but in practice they still pinch every time. Mainly looking for those wonderful nuggets of truth that sparks them to change something and feel something different.

I know one exercise for trombone was glissing into the higher notes. Also playing scale degrees leading up to the higher notes (5, 6, 7, 1) and lip slurs ascending helped a lot. I also was using a BERP in college and that helped more with intonation and finding the pitches every time.