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  • Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!
     
    I would like to welcome all new and returning band parents and students. My name is Chris Jala, and I am pleased to be the band director here. We have a large, full, and thriving band program here at Bragg, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to outline our music program to you below. While the first opportunity to participate in instrumental music begins in third grade, I accept beginners at the start of every year. Please know students expressing interest past the cutoff date will be asked to wait until the following year so they can receive a proper and successful start to learning a musical instrument. This is my fourth year here at Bragg, and I have been consistently impressed and excited with what I have seen so far. I look forward to working with the bands at Bragg!
     
    Explorer Program

     This  program exposes the children to all of the traditional band instruments, allowing them to discover which instrument they enjoy playing the most. This will assist them in taking an educated step forward in choosing an instrument to play the following year as they move into a more traditional instrumental program. Students will spend the first 6-8 lessons learning the recorder. Studying the recorder provides students with foundational skills for using their air, fine motor control of fingers, and working with an easy to handle instrument. The recorder will be for students to keep. Then, students will be given the opportunity to play each band instrument for 2-3 lessons (instruments remain in school).  During each of those sections, the following instruments are covered:

    -Recorder

    -Flute

    -Clarinet (with an introduction to the Alto Saxophone)

    -Trumpet

    -Trombone

    -Percussion (bell set)

    -Instrument demonstrations on Baritone and French Horn

    -Instrument demonstration/brief trial of Violin and Cello (please note we are currently unable to offer a strings program at Bragg due to lack of interest and schedule limitations)

    The students involved in this program will be able to draw from information they have been taught through out their K-5 general music instruction. At the culmination of the Explorer Program, the students and I discuss appropriate instrument choices they would like to explore in the Symphonic Band.  

    Chester Band

    The Chester Band is open to all fourth and fifth grade students who are starting a new instrument.  A majority of the students who participate in the program will have completed the Explorer Program.  Though it is encouraged, it is not required that students participate in the Explorer Program in order to participate in the Chester Band.  

    Bulldog Band

    The Bulldog Band is open to fifth grade students who are playing the same instrument for a second year in a row.  They will continue to develop upon the skills that were started in fourth grade band. In addition to more challenging music, there will be more of a focus on large ensemble skills.