Dear Parents,

          Congratulations on providing this truly wonderful experience of instrumental music for your child. Many educators share the opinion that playing an instrument provides numerous attributes, benefits, critical thinking skills, social developmental skills as well as an enormous amount of personal enjoyment for its participants. The purpose of this letter is to relay important information that should enhance your child’s instrumental music experience. 

Teacher Contact Information: The following is a list of contact information of the instrumental music faculty of the Pennsbury School District.

Mr. Joseph Doris - Quarry Hill, Walt Disney, Oxford Valley Elementary Schools. 215-321-2400 Ext. 17878 (Winds and Percussion).

Mr. Chris Bygott - Village Park, Afton, Edgewood  Elementary Schools. 215-428-4100 Ext. 18601 (Winds and Percussion)

Mrs. Marta Grothman – Afton, Edgewood, Walt Disney Elementary Schools.  215-949-6868 Ext. 20052 (Strings)

Mr. Mark Capriotti – Manor Elementary School. 215-949-6700 Ext. 70878

Mr. Walt Evanowicz - Village Park and Makefield Elementary Schools. 215-949-6700 Ext. 70877 (Strings)

Mrs. Diane Rhone - Quarry Hill Elementary 215-428-4237 Ext. 40315 (Strings)

Mrs. Roberta Stafford – Makefield, Eleanor Roosevelt and Fallsington Elementary Schools. 215-321-2420 Ext. 11879

Mr. Jonathan Rees –Penn Valley (Winds, Percussion and Strings), Oxford Valley, and Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary Schools 215-949-6800 Ext. 14880 (Strings)

Miss Kate Haas - Walt Disney and Edgewood Elementary Schools 215-321-2410 Extension 12726 (Strings)

Instruction: Elementary School Instrumental Music Lessons occur in accordance with the Pennsbury School District Elementary 5 day rotation schedule. This means that your child will have a lesson on a regular School Day # and should bring in their instruments and materials accordingly. Please remember that if school is cancelled for weather that the Pennsbury Elementary School 5 Day rotation schedule stays in occurrence and your child’s lesson will remain on the appropriate rotation day.

The exception to the 5 Day rotation lesson schedules are for Strings at Village Park, Fallsington and Quarry Hill Elementary Schools. Due to scheduling issues Village Park, Fallsington and Quarry Hill string lessons will occur on the same day each week.  All Pennsbury Instrumental Music Lesson Times occur on a rotating basis so as to not affect the same classroom instruction time. Your child’s lesson will not occur at the same time every week. Please circle on your family calendar your child’s lesson days.

On your child’s lesson day they should bring in their instrument and instructional materials to school. Once in school your child should store their instrument in the designated area, check the lesson schedule for their time and attend their lesson at the appropriate time. After their lesson they return their instrument to the designated area and return to class. Music stands are at the schools and do not need to be brought into school. At the end of the school day students should bring their instruments home. Instruments should never be left in school overnight for security reasons.

Practicing: Practicing is absolutely essential to learning a musical instrument. I have heard it blatantly stated “if you practice you will be successful and if you don’t – you won’t (pardon the double negative)!

Instrumental Music is the first time in your child’s educational career where teacher instruction occurs only one out of every five days.  This places the major portion of learning on the individual student. In instrumental music, like sports, you are developing muscle and coordination skills and therefore daily practice is essential.

This is a brand new activity and your child may need some initial parental guidance in setting up his or her daily practice routine. Consistent times, as well as a designated “practice area”aid drastically in their development. A daily 15-20 minute practice time, 5 to 6 days a week is recommended. Your child is never without homework.  Teachers generally will mark a date on the lesson book of the work they are currently doing.  Supplemental exercises may be added and may require a portion of daily repetition. If your child is absent, and misses their scheduled lesson he/she will continue to practice the current lesson until they see their teacher again.

If your child’s instrument is in need of repair bring the instrument in to their instrumental music teacher. If you are leasing an instrument from Music and Arts, Inc., all repairs are covered under the terms of your lease agreement and your child’s teacher will see that the instrument is delivered to Music and Arts for the repair.  Music and Arts, Inc. - 1-800-347-1116.

If you own your child’s instrument and the instrument is in need of repair have your child also bring the instrument in to your child’s instrumental music teacher. Please include a note stating that the instrument is in need of repair and that you give permission for the instrument to be sent out for repair. Please put your name and contact information on the note. Your child’s music teacher will deliver the instrument to the Music and Arts representative.  Music and Arts will contact you with a cost estimate and will seek your approval prior to making the repair. If you approve, the work will be done and the instrument returned to school.  The process may take from one to two weeks.

If your child needs music supplies such as reeds, valve oil, cork grease, slide treatment, rosin and strings they may purchase them from the instrumental music teacher at school.  The cost is $.50 per item. 

If your child decides to discontinue their instrument it is recommended that before such a decision is finalized that you contact their instrumental music teacher for a discussion. I have seen many times the frustration that leads to discontinuation alleviated with strategies from our outstanding faculty.

It is my sincere pleasure to serve both you and your child in this exciting aspect of their education. Please visit www.Pennsburybands.org .

Sincerely,

Frank Mazzeo

Pennsbury School District

Instrumental Music Coordinator

215-949-6700 Ext. 70874

Important End-of-the-school-year note:  Don't return your instrument for the summer!  Get a private teacher to help you get better if you can.  Even if you can't take private lessons, keep it so the credit you have built up to use for the purchase of an instrument is not lost.  If you rent all over again next year, you don't get the money from this year's rental in your account with Music and Arts, Inc.!

4th and 5th Grade

The purpose of elementary instrumental music program at Pennsbury is to give as many children as possible the opportunity to receive instruction on a musical instrument. The emphasis of the instruction at this level is to develop good executive skills (proper holding position and tone production), music reading, rhythmic and pitch acuity, and basic ensemble and solo skills.

The program at this level is centered around a group lesson, which meets once every five days on a rotating time schedule. Students are grouped homogeneously by instrument. There is small band and string ensembles in each building which perform as part of the school’s spring concert.

Care is taken to counsel students on the selection of the instrument they will choose in order to provide maximum opportunities for the child in the future and to insure that the ensembles, both at this level and in the future, will have a well-balanced instrumentation.

Instruments are leased on a four or nine month trial basis through Zapf’s Music Store of Pennsauken, New Jersey.  At the conclusion of the lease period, families have the option to purchase a new or used instrument or to continue leasing on a monthly basis.  Pennsbury does maintain an inventory of instruments for students where financial concerns could preclude a child from participating in the program.

Elementary Instrumental music students are eligible to audition for the Bucks County Youth Orchestra.  Participation in your school instrumental music program is a prerequisite of the Bucks County Youth Orchestra.