With 55 middle school students participating in band, things can occasionally get a little chaotic, but students are learning something new every day.
“Middle school band is such an important stage because students are building fundamentals while also learning how to be part of an ensemble,” said Band Director Nicholas Berg. “There’s a lot of growth packed into a short amount of time, and it’s always exciting to watch students start to build confidence as they figure things out!”
Students in 7th and 8th can participate in activities with 9–12 students from time to time. For example, while Jazz Band is technically a 9–12 activity, Berg encourages 7th- and 8th-grade students to fill in the gaps in some sections and instruments.
“I still treat the ensemble as I would if it were exclusively 9–12, and the 7th- and 8th-graders are generally able to catch up,” said Berg. “I also allow some of our middle schoolers to join us for Pep Band events and even invite some 8th-graders to perform in the Spring Concert with Concert Band. I'm also trying something new this year, where I have high school students help out with my 6th-Grade Beginning Band for the Spring Concert, since they are a smaller band of 15 kids. I'm all about building community in the band program!”
Opportunities like these are important because they help students build confidence before high school and make the transition to high school feel less intimidating. It also gives them a sense of belonging within the larger band program before they officially arrive.
“I think music at the middle school level is important because it allows students to try something new and decide whether they like it or not,” said Berg. “For some kids, it’s hard to grasp their interest in a classroom music environment, but for some, once they have an instrument in their hands, the light bulb turns on! Along the way, they build teamwork, discipline, and persistence in ways that carry over beyond music.”