At what grade does your public school offer instrument lessons?

[Hannathy]

Our district is Strings in 4th gr. You can switch to band instruments if you want in 6th gr. To take percusion you must have 2 yrs of outside piano lessons.

 

[luvmyfam444]

The school where we were last year didn't offer lessons at all & this is one of the TOP rated schools in the state & a VERY rich suburb (near the beach, etc) they only offered traditional band once you got into middle school (6th grade)

Now where we moved (another state) offers group lessons starting in 3rd grade - violin & others (don't remember since we were only interested in violin) it's offered directly after school.

I lived in VA for a couple years growing up & they had strings but it was 4th or 5th grade there - & I want to say it was during school - not afterwards (but I might not remember correctly there)....

So it really does depend on where you live & probably how much influence the local arts community/symphony has & how much they're willing to help since that's who seems to teach/help out the most with this.

I know my niece started taking violin early in Houston with school - just can't remember what grade for sure...

 

[pkasbohm]

My ds is in 5th grade and started this year!

 

[disykat]

When I was growing up, orchestra started in 4th and band started in 5th.

My kids have band and orchestra starting in 5th. The neighboring district has band starting in 6th and no orchestra.

 

[simba928]

Its 4th grade here for most instruments. The only one that you can't take until later is percussion, which you can take in middle school (6th grade). I played violin 5th and 6th grades, but quite because I hated the teacher. The year after I quit, she retired and the current band director (who I wouldn't mind having as a teacher) took over.

 

[monsterkitty]

We start orchestra in 4th grade and band in 5. However, if a younger child is interested and is doing well in other classes, they can start in 3rd grade for orch and 4 th for band( if they have the size for band).

We are the only district in my area to start at this age. Our classes are free of charge other than renting the instrument. We do have school instrument that are free of charge for those who can't afford an instrument. Of my 250 students, about 75% are using school instruments.

 

[bigbabyblues]

5th grade here....band instruments (trumpet, flute, clarinet, sax, snare drum, trombone, etc).

 

[A4Disney]

I started playing violin in third grade. DD-9's school doesn't offer instrument lessons until fifth grade - and then it's only a few instruments (no strings). Is this common around the country. I grew up in the inner city but now live in the suburbs. If this mostly an inner city thing (maybe it's felt that suburbanites can afford private lessons instead - not my personal opinion - just wondering). Thanks.

4th grade and we live in the suburbs...

 

[Cindy B]

They start in 4th grade here, but there are some exceptions to this rule. I subbed in a first grade classroom and there was one time a 1st grade violinist (she had been taking private lessons since she was 3!)

Anyway, the instruments offered are:

Strings: voilin, cello, bass, viola
Band: drums, xylophone, saxophone, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, English horn, flute, trumpet, trombone and I think a few others.

My son plays the oboe.

 

[tjmw2727]

Here the kids start on the recorder in music class for grades 3, 4 and 5. Band is optional but free twice a week for 45 minutes (no instruments provided) for grades 4 & 5. Strings start in 6th but I don't have the details yet.

Last year in MA it was strings starting in 4th with instruments provided and band starting in 6th.

Both my dd's have been playing violin privately since 1st and my 5th grader is now playing the clarinet as well and my 3rd grader is now learning fiddle instead of classical violin and LOVES it LOL.

TJ

 

[skooniebird]

I started playing violin in third grade. DD-9's school doesn't offer instrument lessons until fifth grade - and then it's only a few instruments (no strings). Is this common around the country. I grew up in the inner city but now live in the suburbs. If this mostly an inner city thing (maybe it's felt that suburbanites can afford private lessons instead - not my personal opinion - just wondering). Thanks.

4th grade they all begin on a recorder. trained teachers observe their playing (without them really knowing) then they are given written test at the end of the year. Through visual observation of how they hold recorder, mouth movements,etc, and test scores they are then given usually 2 recommendations for an instrument to continue on in 5th grade. Percussionists must pass extra test. It realy does seem to target the kids strength's. Of 4 feeder schools going into our high school our school earns more first chair positions then any other and we are the second smallest of these schools.

 

[golfgal]

Here it is 4th grade for orchestra and 5th grade for band.

Same here. Our orchestra is horrible though so starting in 4th grade doesn't really help them any. My twins started sax this year (5th grade/10 years old) and the sax is a lot lighter then DS13's trombone case! Band is HUGE in our town, they have a hard time fielding the football team because everyone is in marching band . The town we are moving to this summer has an even better band program so that is good!

 

[Cindy B]

I forgot to mention the entire 3rd grade starts on recorder.
Then 4th grade band lessons