Does your student love music? Band is one of the best ways to grow in knowledge and skill.

Posted on August 8, 2020

Let’s Play Music Together! A Note from Our Band Director

Does your student love music? Band is one of the best ways to grow your student’s knowledge, skills, and love of music, while being part of something bigger.

The Garwood Whaley Music Program has served Diocese of Arlington Catholic Schools for over 40 years. Our Band Directors help new and experienced musicians quickly grow their instrumental skills so they can play major pieces and perform concerts together. It’s been my privilege to have directed the award-winning St. Ambrose School band for the last 5 years!

Now is a great time to start talking to your student about joining Band. Would they like to play flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, or percussion? Would they like to try a new instrument this year? Band students get individual attention in small-group lessons and then apply what they’ve learned in full-band rehearsals. Band students also have opportunities to . . .

• Perform in concerts, play solos, and improvise.
• Perform in Band Festival alongside all 30 schools in the Arlington Diocese.
• Participate in Honor Band, which brings together exceptional students from across the Diocese for 10 weeks of rehearsals leading to a concert.
• Go on a field trip! The band will play at an adjudicated music festival then spend the day having fun at Kings Dominion, Busch Gardens, or Hershey Park. This is our end-of-year reward for all our hard work!

Consider renting an instrument this summer or even taking a few lessons, to keep music in your student’s life. Music and Arts has been working with Garwood Whaley Music Program for almost 40 years as they have extraordinary service and instrument rental prices. Check the school calendar for important start-up dates for band, as well as concerts and festivals!

I hope you have a wonderful summer, and that music is a part of it. If you have any questions about the Garwood Whaley Music Program or about summer music activities, please email me at: stambroseband@stambroseschool.org I look forward to seeing you this fall at Band Parents Registration Night!

Sincerely,

Mr. Mark Sawasky