Crews Middle School

Orchestra Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does my son or daughter have to try out to be in the Crews Middle School Orchestra?

A: Your child does not have to try out to be in the orchestra – we accept anyone and everyone.  We will have instrument petting zoos in the spring for Brookwood ES and Craig ES parents and students.  During those times, your child can come and try each of the string instruments, meet the orchestra teachers, and ask any questions you may have about the program.  This is by no means required, but if your child would like to play one of the instruments in orchestra, this would be a great way to help them figure out which instrument to play.

Q: Does my son or daughter have to have any prior experience in music in order to be in the orchestra?

A: No. We start from the very beginning and we teach all of the students how to hold and play the instruments, and how to read music.

A: If your student does have prior experience in music, on any instrument, we have plenty of optional activities that will pose more of a challenge for those students.  Please refer to our section on Enrichment Opportunities

​Q: What if my son or daughter is left-handed?  Does that mean that he/she will be unsuccessful on the violin, viola, cello, or bass?

​A: It does not matter if your student is right or left-handed.  When playing a stringed instrument, the left hand is used to play the notes, while the right hand is used to bow.  Students can be taught how to play a string instrument regardless of which hand is their dominant hand.  T

​Q: What instruments are offered as a part of the orchestra class?

​A: Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass (listed from highest to lowest)

A: We do not offer piano or guitar classes at Crews Middle School.

Q: Would my son or daughter have to stay after school or come before school every day to be a part of the orchestra program?

​A: Orchestra is a class that takes place during the connections time each school day as a part of your child's digital learning schedule.  Though we may have optional opportunities that take place before and after school, orchestra events generally only occur during the digital learning school day.

 A: When we get back to school in person, we will have concerts that will take place during the evenings, but these are times that are set aside for the students to showcase the performance skills that they will learn.  Our concerts are a great celebration of all the hard work that your child has put into learning how to play his/her instrument.

​Q: Do we have to buy an instrument for my son or daughter to be in the orchestra program?

​A: During digital learning, students will need to rent an instrument, but there are many affordable options available, and we also have some instruments that will be available.

​A: Students who choose to play violin and viola rent an instrument from a local music store.  When we return to in-person instruction, they can choose to leave the instrument in a parking spot in the orchestra room that is individually assigned, or they can take it home as they please.

​Q: Can my son or daughter decide to join orchestra in their seventh or eighth grade year?

​A: Unfortunately, students can only decide to join orchestra in the sixth grade.  We build the fundamental skills during the sixth grade year so that we can progress to more advanced and exciting things in the seventh and eighth grade years.