Interested in Beginning Percussion Class?

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It is such an exciting time for 5th graders to experience choosing an instrument to play in band. The process of assessing a student’s ability to play a percussion instrument is a little different than selecting a wind instrument.

 

Percussion is a highly specialized instrumental class and takes special skills in order to play. We want to make sure that your student can be as successful as possible on any instrument. It makes learning an instrument much more enjoyable and allows students to progress easily and quickly. We use a specialized percussion assessment to make sure percussion is the correct fit for your student.

 

Below is the process for assessing a student to play in the beginning percussion class.

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Beginning Percussion Assessment Process

Step #1 - Audition for a wind instrument by attending a Rogers “Instrument Selection” event. The purpose of this step is to reserve a spot in a wind instrument of your choice if that is a better route for your student once the percussion assessment takes place. A sign up can be found at www.rogersband.com/new-to-band.

 

Step #2 - After you have chosen a wind instrument, we will host a separate percussion assessment day to take place at Rogers Middle School for students who advance past the initial screening. This year’s percussion assessment will be on April 13th. Due to the high interest in percussion, all interested students must be present for this assessment.

 

Step #3 - An individual invitation will be emailed to the students selected for percussion. At this time, they may choose to play their original wind instrument selection or elect to be in the beginner percussion class. Students not selected for the beginning percussion class will automatically be enrolled in their chosen wind instrument class.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

My student has already taken drum lessons. Do they still need to be assessed for the percussion class?

Yes. Every 5th grade student interested in percussion needs to attend the percussion assessment day. While piano or previous percussion experience will be taken into consideration they are not required nor do they guarantee a spot in the beginning percussion class. We will assess students on their natural rhythmic ability, internal pulse and hand/foot coordination.

 

Do previous piano lessons increase my chances of being considered for the percussion class?

This is a common misconception. Previous piano experience is beneficial to playing percussion keyboard instruments. While it is taken into consideration, previous piano lessons are NOT required. In fact, piano experience helps students excel on all instruments. However, we start from the most fundamental level in every beginner class.

 

How many students are selected for the percussion class?

The number of students selected for the class is contingent on the overall number of students who select band. Generally the class will range in size from 8 to 12 students.

 

What do you look for in selecting a percussionist?

We are looking for students whom the idea of rhythm and coordination come very easily. Percussion is comprised of some very easy and some very complex instruments. The percussion assessment is never based on intelligence but rather on the student’s physical ability to play. Students who demonstrate strong internal rhythm and coordination will make improvement more efficiently and have quicker success.