Junior High Band

WELCOME

On behalf of the ACE Band Program, we would like to welcome you to ACE Junior High! ACE is a building full of new opportunities, exciting challenges, and a dedicated staff. One of these new opportunities for your child is participation in Beginning Band!!! This is a beginning-level class – you do not need to have prior music instruction. Participation in band is a great way for young people to meet new friends, expand and enhance creativity, self-esteem, self-discipline, critical thinking skills and also works a portion of the brain not normally exercised!! Some important information regarding the Beginning Band program:

BAND IS AN OPPORTUNITY OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS

In the past, some of ACE’s most successful band students have been ones that are challenged by other subjects, as well as those students who are average and above average in the classroom. Instrumental music provides experiences for students to learn and grow in different and exciting ways. If students are involved in sports, dance, scouts, and other after-school activities, they can still participate in Band.

HOW DO I CHOOSE WHAT I WILL PLAY AND HOW DO I GET AN INSTRUMENT? (This process begins with our visit to each 5th grade class before the end of the school year and finishes in August!)

O’Malley Music services our school, and they have experienced music representatives that, along with our Directors, will work one-on-one with your student in what is called an “instrument fitting”. This “fitting” takes into consideration each student’s physical characteristics and coordination, specific skills, AND also the student’s interest and preference to certain instruments – ALL of this helps guide and determine the best instrument choice for your student to succeed in band. As far as obtaining an instrument, O’Malleys has a variety of new and used instruments available at different costs. A “Rent-to-Own” program is available allowing you to spread out monthly payments over the course of several years. They also offer a repair service/maintenance plan for these instruments so that when they need a little “TLC”, it will be fixed for little or no cost. You are not obligated to rent/purchase from O’Malleys – but every child will get fitted for an instrument giving them an idea what will be best for them to play! There are other instrument retailers/sources that Mr. Brown can recommend if you would like other options after your student’s instrument fitting. We even have former Band families with used instruments for sale. AND some students may already have instruments in their households that they will be using for 6th Grade Band – that is fine!! However, it is important that they are looked over and repaired by a reputable instrument technician before the first day of Band class. *VERY IMPORTANT!!!! There are also certain school instruments available for students/families with special financial needs. If this is your situation, please contact Mr. Brown – we will help those who indeed want to commit and are truly interested.

INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE OFFERED IN 6TH GRADE BAND:

Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Trumpet/Cornet, French horn, Trombone, Baritone, and Percussion (Bell/DrumKits are used in 6th grade band).

JUNIOR HIGH BAND DIRECTOR:

Mr. Thomas Brown currently serves as the Junior High Band Director at ACE. Additionally, he works with Mr. Tyner and the ACE Marching Band. Mr. Brown is in demand throughout the southeast as an adjudicator and clinician. He has judged marching bands in Georgia, Alabama and Florida. He has judged concert bands in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina and has been a Head Adjudicator in Georgia since the program’s inception. He has been an Honor Band Clinician in GMEA Districts 1, 2, 8, 10, 11 and 13. He has been the guest conductor for the Southeastern United States (SEUS) Concert Band Clinic Middle School Honor Band at Troy University and was the first High School Director ever invited to conduct one of the SEUS High School Honor Bands in 2010. Mr. Brown recently served as the Conductor of the Winterfest Middle School Band at Georgia Southern University -Armstrong Campus. He has been listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers and was the Jeff Davis County 2007 Teacher of the Year. He is a four-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence. In January 2009, he was named the GMEA State Music Educator of the Year. He served GMEA as a Vice-president for All-State Events, the District and Instrumental Chairman for District 8 and served as Instrumental Chairman for District 11. He is a member of NAfME, GMEA, Phi Beta Mu, and the National Band Association.

Listen to our band: