Grow your Band by starting and keeping more brass players. Here’s how:
Keeping your band program strong means providing your students with every advantage they can get to succeed. To administrators, however, numbers matter. If 10% of the students join band, your program is weaker than if 30% or 40% join AND stay.
For decades, beginning band recruiting and retention have really not changed. Today, though, there is another tool that is working to both begin and keep more trombone and trumpet players in your program.
Developing young brass players has many challenges. Probably one of the most significant is the size and weight of most brass instruments in the hands of young players. In the United Kingdom, so few children were choosing to play the trombone, for example, it was called an “endangered species”. By extension, all brass was threatened.
Beginning band directors in the Delaware Valley, (southeast of Philadelphia) had the same issue. After some discussion, one director (a trombone player) gave the pBone a thorough test and decided to try it. More students were interested and chose the trombone to start.
They start students out on a pBone and a plastic mouthpiece. After students get to a certain point, the director upgrades them to a metal mouthpiece which gives them an immediate improvement in sound quality. Then, in the same way, directors transition them over to the brass trombone. Directors found many benefits to starting students on pInstruments first.
It’s very exciting for the kids as they progress and earn their brass mouthpiece and then their brass trombone. Other players see one student earn the reward and want it as well. Progress is sure and steady. In just a few weeks, players receive their metal trombones and their success and excitement continue to motivate them.
The trumpet isn’t as large or heavy as the trombone, but STS (sagging trumpet syndrome) still demonstrates how weight and size can impact performance. The pTrumpet provides a better option for the beginning trumpet player.
Click here for more information and getting started in this “pathway to brass” opportunity.
https://blog.pbonemusic.com/the-pinstrument-pathway