Recruiting for Beginners

For their first year in an instrumental music program, there are a number of things a child should experience, whether they will be returning the next year or not. First of all, the child should obviously get the chance to play the instrument of his or her choice, as long as it is within reason. A beginning 5th grader should probably not be playing a Baritone Sax, but Alto or Tenor definitely, for instance. The child should also get to experience the joy of performing in an ensemble, and the sense of teamwork and accomplishment that comes along with that. When every member of an ensemble plays their part and music is made, it is a feeling not really found anywhere else. And along with that, students should also get the chance to successfully play in front of an audience. The sense of accomplishment is expanded exponentially when one plays a piece successfully, and then is rewarded with a heartfelt round of applause.
It may be hard to recruit new students into an instrumental music program for a number of reasons, however. They may be intimidated by the instruments or band may have a "nerdy" impression in the school. However, giving every student a chance to see and experience instrumental music is a huge step towards ensuring their future interests and successes in music. An instrument petting zoo is a good chance for students to get some hands on time with different instruments and experiment with which ones they like best, before committing to playing that instrument. A school assembly with live performers on various instruments might also be a good way to spark students' interest in a band or orchestra program. And having the class not scheduled during other "fun" activities, like recess, would help draw students into the program, without making them have to choose between music and something else that is an easy sell.