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Dear FUTURE BMS BAND Parents,

We recommend, after having interviewed your child and tested him/her for musical aptitude, that ______________________ play the ________________________. You will need to provide the instrument for your child unless it is a tuba, bassoon or other large instrument, which the school has bought in order to loan to students for an annual fee of $25.00. There are several excellent music stores in the area from which you will receive flyers. These stores have rental plans, rent to own plans, and purchase plans.

Everyone needs to purchase:

1. Standard of Excellence Book 1 for his or her particular instrument

2. Music Theory and History Workbook (These books are both red.)

3. Wire music stand to facilitate home practice

4. Standard of Excellence accompaniment cassette tape or CD

5. Specific supplies needed for each instrument are listed below:

Flutes: need cleaning rod and soft, thin cloth to attach to it.

Oboes and Bassoons: need a minimum of 3 reeds (Jones Brand- medium soft), cork grease and a cleaning swab. Bring an old film canister to soak reeds in.

Clarinets: need to purchase a plastic ligature (Luyben) or a leather ligature (Rovner) to replace the metal one that comes with the horn. A box of reeds is also a necessity (Mitchell Lurie brand- size 2 ½) as well as a reed guard. Make sure you have a cleaning swab and cork grease.

Bass Clarinets: need to purchase a mouthpiece (Yamaha 4C works well.). A box of reeds is also a necessity (size 2 ½) as well as a reed guard. Make sure you have a cleaning swab and cork grease.

Saxes: need to purchase a leather ligature (Rovner) to replace the metal one that comes with the horn. A box of reeds is also a necessity (La Voz brand- size medium) as well as a reed guard. Make sure you have a cleaning swab for the body of the sax, a small cleaning swab for the neck, and cork grease.

French Horns: need a Holton medium D mouthpiece (Farkas), soft cloth, rotor oil and rotor string.

Trumpets: need a Bach mouthpiece size 7C, valve oil (Blue Juice), a soft cloth, and a straight mute.

Trombones: need a Bach (size 6 ½ A or AL) mouthpiece, slide cream (not valve oil) and a small squirt bottle for water. (Find one small enough to fit in your case.)

Baritones: need to purchase a Bach (size 6 ½ A or AL) mouthpiece and valve oil (Blue Juice). When asking for your book, specify baritone bass clef or B.C.

Tubas: need to purchase a Bach (size 18) mouthpiece and valve oil (Blue Juice).

Percussion: need to purchase a drum kit with a stand, and a practice pad. Also required: a stick bag containing snare sticks, hard timpani mallets, yarn mallets and a pitch pipe. When asking for your book, specify Drum and Mallet Percussion.

All instrument cases need to have a nametag to readily identify their owner. All drum sticks, mallets, and brass mouthpieces should also be labeled permanently (wood etched, permanent marker or metal etched for mouthpieces).

Take this paper to the store with you when you go shopping.