Program Philosophy

The purpose of music education in the public schools is to provide an opportunity for study in the discipline of music, both as an art form and as a integral part of our lives and culture.  As a subject, music held its place in the original curriculum of the Greeks and was given the same academic regard as Latin and geometry, and it continues to hold an important position of the modern curriculum as well.

In addition to its importance as a serious subject, it is also noted that music (more specifically band) is an elective and selective subject.  It is elective in that each student has an active decision and choice as to whether they would like to be a part of a music program within the public schools. A student is not required to be in band class and therefore has no obligation as to whether to include it as part of their personal education.  With this in mind, it is also to be understood that any student who wishes to be a part of any music class accepts certain responsibilities and obligations, just as there are with any other academic class.  These include but are not limited to practicing outside of class, additional rehearsals outside of the school day, and adherence to procedures that are not commonly associated with a traditional classroom setting.

Conversely,  band and music is also a selective subject in that it requires a certain requisite maturity and ability level to participate in.  This places a strong emphasis on what we educationally refer to as like-ability grouping.  An example would be scheduling all students who scored a 5 on the FCAT Reading portion into AP English or English Honors.  Thus, it is important to understand that while there is a place for all students who wish to study music, it is firmly stated that ability level shall be the determining factor as to what the ensemble as a group is capable of performing.

Balancing the Individual vs. the Ensemble

When selecting appropriate music for a performing ensemble, consideration is given first and foremost to the weakest section of the group.  As the saying goes, "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link".  Given the diverse ability levels currently enrolled in the Lemon Bay High School band program,  the director will select music based on its educational and performance value that presents the most opportunity for growth for the largest number of students.  While there are always students who will excel above their peers, they are NOT the determining factor as to what is appropriate literature for the school band to play.  As in other subjects, it is detrimental to the entire group to teach to either the top or bottom 10% percent of the class.  A third-grade teacher would be in great error if they decided to read advanced literature based on the reading levels of one or two very bright students; they would also be committing a mistake if they focused on books that only the slowest learners could read.

The same standard will be applied to the music program.  If 80% of the band can play a piece of music 80% correct on the first attempt, it is worthy of devoting work to its performance for the entire ensemble.  The educational and performance goal is not to seek out the most difficult literature available, but rather to find your limits as an ensemble, devote time to meet and exceed them, and repeat the process.  A band that performs music which only the top 10% of the students can correctly play will fail 100% of the time.

At times, some students that display exemplary ability will need to be given additional music in order to maintain an interest in music and continue to develop  their individual skills as musicians.  These students have two options: study with a qualified private teacher, and begin working on music for Florida Bandmasters Association Solo and Ensemble festival, held each year in February.  The first option provides the best outlet, as the student will receive individual attention sometimes not available during the course of the regular school day, while the second option is a great opportunity to "show-off" a student's individual skills for their peers and qualified music educators.  If a student, for some reason, is unable to access one of the two options above, they should ask the director about additional resources with which to work (suggested solos, method books).  The needs of the individual musician, no matter how outstanding or skilled they may be, are secondary to the overall needs of the performing ensemble.