Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Foundation raising money for instruments, as opposed to field turf, in support of the band? If the Foundation worked to purchase field turf instead, wouldn’t the band be able to host annual competitions to raise the funds needed?
No. While field turf would make hosting marching band competitions more feasible, realistic profits from a single marching band competition range from $4,000 to $6,000. A turf field is not a revenue generator that will solve current or future need related to band program dilapidated instruments and student growth. Hosting a marching band competition would require an enormous amount of human resources, from current band boosters and our greater community.
Why does the Waverly High School band need instruments like the Fox Renard Model 220 Bassoon and the Fox Model 510 English Horn? My high school band didn’t include those instruments.
Music comes in the following varying levels of difficulty, ranging from 1 to 6.
Level 1 (Easy): Band music that has a rating of 1 is for 1st year beginner players, or elementary students. Arrangements have very basic rhythms with restricted ranges. These pieces are for undeveloped playing technique.
Level 1.5 (Easy): Arrangements still have simple rhythms and ranges and there is plenty of doubling. There is still a lot of uniformity in the rhythms from one instrument to the next.
Level 2 (Easy): Arranged for 2nd-3rd year players with semi-fluent technique, these pieces have intermediate rhythms with some syncopation, duplet and triplet rhythms. The ranges are less restricted, and some changing meter work is introduced.
Level 2.5 (Easy-Medium): Geared more toward 3rd year players, these pieces require a more fluent technique. Rhythms vary more as do the ranges that will be played. Changing meters may also be more frequent.
Level 3 (Medium): Fourth year players, or junior high-level students may require these arrangements to be properly challenged. These generally have free use of syncopation as well as section and solo scoring. Cues and cross cues will also be used less.
Level 3.5 (Medium): The more advanced 4th year players and some 5th year players will find this level to be more suitable to their playing technique with some extreme ranges being used.
Level 4 (Medium): A level 4 difficulty rating brings very challenging rhythms to the piece. Syncopation will be freely used, as will the more extreme ranges for all instruments.
Level 4.5 (Medium-Hard): Taking full advantage of syncopation and solos, this difficulty rating is recommended for students in the 6th year of playing, or reasonably advanced ensembles.
Level 5 (Hard): Arrangements with a difficulty 5 begin to introduce polyrhythm’s and asymmetrical meters. Changing meters are much more frequent and instrumentation may be more diverse, and include piano, harp, or unusual instruments.
Level 5.5 (Hard): Solo writing, non-metric notation, more polyrhythm’s, and virtuoso writing throughout are sure signs of the arrangement having a difficulty of 5.5. This music is recommended for more advanced ensembles.
Level 6 (Hard): Pieces that have a rating of 6 are for college-level or professional grade players. These arrangements are extremely difficult in all phases of the performance.
Our Pride of the Vikes Band regularly performs music in the level 4 to level 6 range. This music requires unique instruments!
I thought each band student was responsible for buying their own instrument. Who will own these instruments when the campaign has successfully funded their purchase?
First-year band students are required to source their own initial instrument. As the band matures, some students transition to more advanced instruments to allow for higher-level performances. At this stage, most band students are still responsible for buying and maintaining their own instrument, but certain instruments must be owned by the school district because 1) the financial burden is too much for families to bear (a single tuba costs $9,229), 2) the instruments are communal, 3) the instruments are only used certain parts of the year for specific performances, or 4) the instruments are too big to fit in a vehicle or too big for families to store.
Instruments purchased as a result of this campaign will be owned and maintained by School District 145. Because School District 145 owns them, they can also insure them.
