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Flute |
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The flute is the smallest of the
beginner instruments. It is a
very popular selection each
year, but only a small portion
of those wishing to play flute
will be selected.
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Physical
Characteristics:
Flute players should have a
slight "frown" to the upper lip
with NO tear drop shape in the
middle. Flute tones are produced
by being able to focus an
extremely small airstream to an
exact location on the tone hole.
The tear-drop-shaped lip will
make it difficult to direct the
air so precisely. Flute players
should also have agile fingers
for moving this multi-keyed
instrument through a fast
musical passage. Students with
extreme overbites (receded jaw)
should avoid choosing flute as
this makes it difficult to
produce quality sounds.
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Other
Considerations:
Students with double-jointed
fingers should avoid selecting
flute as double-jointedness can
cause lack of agility in the
fingers.
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FLUTE
PERSONALITY:
Conscientious |
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Oboe
Lessons Required |
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The oboe is similar in its
appearance to a clarinet, but it
is played using a "double reed"
instead of a single reed and
mouthpiece. Selection of oboe
players is EXTREMELY limited.
VERY few will actually be
selected for oboe.
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Physical Characteristics:
Students with profound overbites
or underbites would have EXTREME
difficulties producing good
sounds on the oboe since the
embouchure (mouth position)
requires equal pressure on both
sides of the reed at the same
placement.
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Other Considerations:
Because the oboe is such a
difficult instrument to master,
only students with high academic
performance records will be
considered. Students who choose
(and are selected) to play oboe
are
REQUIRED to take
weekly private lessons with the
applied lesson teacher at
Briarhill. Private lessons cost
$15.00 per week and scholarships
are available based on financial
need and demonstration of
diligent work ethic. Students
are required to maintain a
supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds
at ALL times. Students with a
history of disciplinary trouble
will NOT be considered for oboe.
The financial trade-off for
having to take lessons and keep
a stock of working reeds is that
Briarhill provides oboes for
students at a cost of $50 rental
for an entire school year
payable to LISD for routine
maintenance.
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OBOE PERSONALITY:
Studious |
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Clarinet |
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Unlike the oboe, the clarinet
uses a "single reed" and a
mouthpiece to produce the sound.
Willingness to purchase or rent
a director-recommended clarinet
is a MUST! Unfortunately, there
are some clarinets on the market
whose poor design and
craftsmanship will make it next
to impossible for your student
to succeed. We can help you
avoid that pitfall.
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Physical Characteristics:
One necessity of clarinet tone
production is the ability to
make the chin flat. Orthodontia
is okay, but if a student has an
extremely rounded bottom row of
teeth, the mouthpiece will be
hard to place in the proper
position for tone production.
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Other Considerations:
Instruction in clarinet can be
meticulous. Students who are
able to focus on and perform a
detailed series of instructions
could do well on clarinet.
Students who have difficulty
remembering a series of
instructions should avoid
playing clarinet. Clarinet
players are also responsible for
maintaining a working stock of
4-6 quality reeds.
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CLARINET
PERSONALITY: Focused |
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Bassoon
Lessons Required |
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The bassoon is to the oboe what
the bass clarinet is to the
clarinet. It is the larger,
lower sounding version of the
double reed instrument. However,
bassoon students will not play
oboe before switching, instead
they will begin on the bassoon
itself. VERY few students will
be selected to play Bassoon.
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Physical Characteristics:
A slight overbite is okay for
students wishing to play
bassoon, however, a student with
an underbite should avoid
bassoon. Agile thumbs is a
necessity for playing bassoon
proficiently as well as a medium
or greater hand span.
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Other Considerations:
Like the oboe, the bassoon is
such a difficult instrument to
master, only students with high
academic performance records
will be considered. Students who
choose (and are selected) to
play bassoon are
REQUIRED to take
weekly private lessons with the
applied lesson teacher at
Briarhill. Private lessons cost
$15.00 per week and scholarships
are available based on financial
need and demonstration of
diligent work ethic. Students
are required to maintain a
supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds
at ALL times.
Again, the financial trade-off
for having to take lessons and
keep a stock of working reeds is
that Briarhill provides bassoons
for students at a cost of $50
rental for an entire school year
payable to LISD for routine
maintenance.
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BASSOON
PERSONALITY: Serious |
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Saxophone |
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The alto saxophone gives the
impression of being both a brass
AND woodwind instrument, however
it is indeed considered a
woodwind instrument. The alto
saxophone (which uses a single
reed like the clarinet) is a
very popular instrument like
flute and only a few students
will be chosen to play it.
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Physical Characteristics:
Since the balance of the
saxophone is maintained by the
use of a neck strap, it is
extremely important that
students be able to sit up
completely straight when asked
to.
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Other Considerations:
Saxophone players are
responsible for maintaining a
working stock of 4-6 quality
reeds. Alto Saxophone students
will have the opportunity after
their first year of instruction
to audition for Tenor Sax or
Baritone Sax (based on their
proven musical and behavioral
abilities while in alto
saxophone class). |
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SAXOPHONE
PERSONALITY: Mellow |
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Cornet / Trumpet |
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The cornet / trumpet is the
smallest member of the brass
family. The sound on cornet /
trumpet is produced by buzzing
into a small mouthpiece.
Students who choose and are
selected to play cornet /
trumpet will begin on a cornet
(smaller in size) and "graduate"
into a trumpet upon the
completion of a battery of
playing exams.
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Physical Characteristics:
While orthodontia is somewhat
troublesome at first to a cornet
/ trumpet player, it is not
impossible to make good sounds
with braces. A slight overbite
is okay, but an underbite can
severely hinder progress on
cornet / trumpet. Cornet /
trumpet players come in all
shapes and sizes.
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Other Considerations:
Cornet / trumpet parts usually
have the melody (recognizable)
part, therefore students who
choose and are selected for
cornet / trumpet should exhibit
a confident demeanor, strong
personality, and demonstrate a
high level of self-motivation. |
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TRUMPET
PERSONALITY: Confident |
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French Horn |
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The French horn is the also a
member of the brass family. Its
sound is produced by buzzing
into a small mouthpiece similar
to a trumpet. Only the top 14-16
scores will be selected to play
French horn. Students with good
musical ears (such as Honor
Choir students) should consider
French Horn.
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Physical Characteristics:
A slight overbite is okay, but
an underbite can severely hinder
progress on French Horn. Because
the bell of the French horn
rests on the knee of the player
while playing, it is imperative
that a student's upper torso be
long enough to accommodate the
size of the French horn to make
good sounds and that players be
able to demonstrate sitting
straight up when asked to do so.
The French horn's keys are
manipulated with the LEFT hand.
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Other Considerations:
Because of the difficult nature
of French horn notes (mentioned
above), students should exhibit
GREAT ability to match sung or
played pitches by humming or
singing. Perhaps this is a good
instrument choice for students
who have participated in piano
lessons or honor choir groups.
Students with a history of
academic or behavioral problems
will NOT be selected for French
horn. Briarhill provides French
horns for students at a cost of
$50 rental for an entire school
year. |
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FRENCH HORN
PERSONALITY: Academic |
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Trombone |
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Like the French horn, trombone
players should have good
"musical ears". The trombone is
played like the other brass
instruments (buzzing into a
cup-shaped mouthpiece), but uses
a slide instead of valves. The
slide is not marked or notched
and players rely on their memory
and hearing to tell if they are
in the EXACT proper location.
Students with good musical ears
(such as Honor Choir students)
should consider Trombone.
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Physical Characteristics:
While some might think that
trombone players must have long
arms, the truth is there are
numerous accommodations that
make it possible for students of
all shapes and sizes to play. A
slight overbite is acceptable,
while an extreme underbite would
hinder success. Trombone players
should have slightly fuller lips
than average.
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Other Considerations:
Great trombone playing takes
good concentration and study.
Many quiet academicians have
excelled at trombone. |
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TROMBONE PERSONALITY:
Analytical |
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Euphonium / Baritone |
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The euphonium
(you-PHONE-knee-yum) is
sometimes known as the baritone.
It is a member of the brass
family and looks like a small
version of a tuba. Its sound is
similar to that of a trombone,
but it uses valves like a
trumpet instead of a slide (like
trombone).
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Physical Characteristics:
Euphonium players should have
moderately full lips, but not
too full. A SLIGHT overbite is
okay, but an underbite would
hinder a good sound. The
euphonium requires a
medium-sized hand span to reach
the valves and students should
have an above average lung
capacity.
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Other Considerations:
Students with an above average
amount of orthodontia will find
the mouthpiece of the euphonium
a bit more comfortable than
trumpet or French horn.
Briarhill provides euphoniums
for students at a cost of $50
rental for an entire school
year, but students are required
to purchase their own
mouthpieces. |
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EUPHONIUM
PERSONALITY: Artistic |
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Tuba |
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While many believe the tuba is
the largest instrument in the
band and would be hard to
physically manage, the tubas we
use for beginners are � size and
easy to handle. In fact, tuba
players will begin by playing a
baritone horn and will switch
over in the fall semester.
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Physical Characteristics:
Tuba players need to have full
lips and a large lung capacity.
While the size of the student
doesn't matter TOO much, a long
torso (upper body) helps a
student reach the mouthpiece of
the tuba while resting the
bottom of the tuba on the edge
of their chair or across the
thighs.
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Other Considerations: The
tuba provides the musical
foundation for the band and
requires players that are
self-motivated over-achievers.
Students with a history of
academic trouble should not
consider tuba as we rely heavily
on the ability of the tuba
players to be consistently UIL
eligible. Briarhill provides
tubas for students at a cost of
$50 rental for an entire school
year, but students are required
to purchase their own
mouthpieces. |
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TUBA
PERSONALITY: Unique |
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Percussion (Drums) |
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Just because you are always
tapping on things does not mean
you are a natural percussionist
(drummer). In fact, the
percussion section is the most
select, hand-picked section of
the band. Only students with the
highest grades, lowest
discipline problems, backgrounds
in piano lessons, and extremely
high gross and fine motor skills
will be considered for
percussion.
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Physical Characteristics:
Students should exhibit a great
deal of coordination in gross
and fine motor skills
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Other Considerations: The
study of percussion includes
bells, triangle, tambourine,
maracas, claves, among many
other instruments.
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PERCUSSION
PERSONALITY: Coordinated |
