Those fabulous music class recorders

[honugirl]

Ahh, good old recorders... sigh. Never could play it, not even hot crossed buns. Moved on to the French horn where the band teacher threatened to flunk me if he ever heard a single note come out of that stinking instrument, I passed band with a C because I just pretended to play. That was the LONGEST 2 years of my life. I couldn't wait to get out of band class. Music truly isn't for everyone!

Oddly enough one of my doctors was a double major and one of them was music. I think the other was biology? I can't remember. All I know is every time I go to the office I'm subjected to hours of classical music.

 

[MerMom60_94]

My DD started out in fourth grade with a recorder and then took up the flute. Since she was interested in learning, we signed her up through private lessons. They were arranged through her school so the price wasn't bad and it was worth every penny! You have to figure a band teacher has 30 +/- children learning all sorts of instruments that they are trying to teach all at once. Half those kids probably never practice outside of class. My experience is that a lot of the parents as supportive as they should / could be of the music programs. If your daughter wants to take up playing flute, invest in some lessons for her if you can at all.

DD has spent the past few summers playing in a flute symphony at a local conservatory. Those are concerts we have looked forward to every year and being a conservatory they had students who were interested in recording and production so we were able to purchase the concerts on c.d.'s.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I feel ya I have two of them using the recorder right now

 

[Pigeon]

I don't mean to belittle anyone - but - please realize that the feeling of accomplishment in playing (and practicing) those annoying little songs sets your child up for the rest of his/her life to.....

1 work in a group successfully
2 learn how to not give up in practice
3 feel good about themselves for personal successes

Cover your ears if you have to, but realize that all of that music practice shapes your child's character - and raises SAT scores at least 150 points higher in each category.

I'll stop preaching now.....stepping off of soapbox.....(retired music teacher)

I so agree. My 12 year old daughter is a violinist, and the positive effects in terms of school involvement have been amazing.

My 9 year old is starting flute. Neither beginning flute nor violin were too bad to listen to.

Recorder is a whole different ball game. Those suckers sound awful no matter who is playing them. I know politics are forbidden here, but legislation protecting innocent school children (and their parents) from the recorder is something both political parties should be able to rally behind.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

By the way band mom's, I hear that Bassoon is the instrument to play to get into college. All the bands need a bassoon player and nobody knows how to play it.

Yes! My coworkers daughter got a scholarship to Vanderbilt to play the bassoon.

The recoders are pretty horifying. I still remember my class having to learn them in 5th grade - it wasn't pretty.

 

[minkydog]

Oboe ranks up there with bassoon with an instrument that colleges are begging for since there are so few that play them. For a beginner, it is best for them to learn how to play the flute, clarinet, or sax first then move onto the oboe or bassoon, they are considerably more difficult to learn and the reeds are expensive (on average, $7-10 per reed)

And yes, IMHO, there is nothing worse than a beginning oboe sitting next to you in band.

My sisters would concur. I learned on oboe first and it was hard, but not impossible. My daughter did too. When I went to college I found that I could get music scholarships for band so I signed up for everything. I played alto sax in marching band, oboe in symphonic band, and tenor sax in the jazz ensemble. That's *3* scholarships, ladies and gents. Band paid a significant amount toward my real major--nursing. Because of band(and later, a small chamber choir) I was able to pay my way and only take out minimum loans. When I graduated I only owed about $800.