Trombone
Dear Parent /Guardian
RE Brass Lessons for Beginner Trombone Students
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome your child to brass lessons, and look forward to working with you, to help your child experience the joys and challenges of learning a musical instrument.
Students in their first year of learning will need to buy:-
Accent on Achievement Book One for Trombone by John O’Reilly/Mark Williams, published by Alfred.
This book includes a free CD/CD-Rom which is a useful tool for students to use when practising at home. Please purchase this book as soon as possible; we will be using it from the second lesson.
Whilst at the music shop buying the above book, please also buy:-
A tub of ‘Trombone Slide Cream’; not slide ‘grease’
Whilst at the music shop buying the book and oil, you may also wish to buy the following items, which are required by the end of term one:-
A mouthpiece brush
A pull through (sometimes called a ‘snake’ or flexible cleaning brush)
The items above should last your child all of this year, and the brushes, if maintained, should not need to ever be replaced.
From your local pharmacy or supermarket, please buy a Tub of Petroleum Jelly.
REPORTING
Your child’s official school semester report will include comments by me in regard to their progress in brass lessons, in addition to grades allocated by me.
ASSESSMENT
There are formal performance assessments each semester, prior to me writing my report comments. These take place during normal brass lessons. These formal assessments are of a relaxed nature. In conjunction with ongoing observations I make on a regular basis in lessons, these allow me to allocate your child a fair grade based upon their semester’s work in brass.
CONTACT
As I currently teach at numerous schools each week, it is not easy for me to have face to face contact with parents before, during or after school. Therefore, the School of Instrumental Music issues all students with a Student Journal, free of charge, and this is the main method of contact between parents and me. I welcome comments from parents in the appropriate part of the journal each week, and/or a parent’s signature. By using the journal to communicate with me it also allows to see your child to see that we are working collaboratively to help them achieve the best outcome on their brass instrument. I give my email address only as a secondary method of communication for issues such as giving you a means of contacting me on the lesson day should your child be absent (not required; but appreciated! ), or should you wish to inform me of something without your child’s knowledge (eg a ‘surprise’ gift of a new instrument; or a problem your child is having that may affect their participation in brass lessons). Please also check my website* for FAQ.
I look forward to teaching your child this year.
Nigel McIntyre
Brass Teacher School of Instrumental Music/Instrumental Music School Services
Nigel.McIntyre1@education.wa.edu.au
*www.mcbrass.webnode.com