Parent Information

How can you help your child succeed?

Music is a three-way partnership between the teachers, parents, and student. The successful band student is almost invariably supported and encouraged by parents who take an active interest in their child’s musical activities.

What can parents offer this partnership?
Patience in reminding the student to do their daily playing. This should be done with a kind firmness.
Encouragement when your child may become frustrated. Some things in music are learned easily, while others require intensive, repeated study.
Consistency in offering your child the most favorable playing conditions.
Commitment to your band and all its performances. Remind your child often about the commitment he/she made to the band and all its activities all year long.
Favorable Playing Conditions


As your child advances in his or her music study, regular practice becomes more important. Regular and quality playing time can be promoted if parents assume the responsibility for providing the most favorable playing conditions. These include:

1. Regular time scheduled for playing instrument.
2. Praise for work well-done.
3. Regular maintenance and repairs done in order to keep instrument in excellent condition.
4. Never using playing time as punishment.


What is a Step-up instrument?

A step up instrument becomes necessary in your child's playing around the eigth or ninth grade.
As your child progresses, he or she will out grow their beginning instrument. The beginning band instrument is designed to help your child learn the basics of playing, but it will not allow your child to become the best player that they can become. A step up instrument is made of a nicer metal, sometimes silver or gold which gives a much better tome quality to your child's playing and will allow your child to do much more with his/her playing.

A step up instrument can be purchased or rented from McFadyen Music in Florence. You and your should can go into the store and try out some of the different step up instruments to find one you like.
Please do not purchse a new instrument from anywhere other than Mc Fadyen music unless checking with me first. There are a lot of retailers out there who claim to have a step-up instrument, but what you are really buying is a newer, more expensive version of what your child already has.


If I want to but my child something what should I get?

There are many items that each student must have in order to take care of their instrument. There are also many things that a student can get in addition to the neccessary item.
Please make sure you child has these things first
If your child already has those items than here are more options for you


McFadyen Music Care List


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