Hampstead Middle School Band Philosophy
Hampstead Middle School Band members will develop a lifelong appreciation for the value of music in their life. Music gives people a chance to feel, hear, and create in a way that no other activity can provide. It opens a world of sound, form, and emotion that is critical to the aesthetic development of each person. We want every student to become the most proficient musician and performer of which he or she is capable. Through our band program, we hope to instill a strong sense of self-discipline, self- motivation and an inner drive for excellence in everything each student does both inside and outside the band program. We hope to develop an attitude of success while striving to focus each student’s skills and abilities to the common good of the band.
Bands at Hampstead Middle School
Beginning Band
The Hampstead Middle School beginning band is made up of fifth grade students who choose to study a band instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone or percussion). They meet once a week in a like-instrument group lesson as well as once a week in a full band setting. The beginning band presents two informances (informal performances) and performs at the HMS spring concert. Please see the performance schedule for specific dates and times.
Sixth Grade Band
As this suggests, the Hampstead Middle School 6th grade band is made up of sixth grade musicians choosing to continue the study of their band instrument begun in fifth grade. Sixth grade students who would like to start studying a band instrument will also be placed in this group and will learn at a slightly accelerated pace than they may have in fifth grade. This group meets once a week in small group lessons and once or twice a week as a full band. The sixth grade band performs at the winter and spring concerts and musicians have the option of performing in the Christmas parade. Please see the performance schedule for specific dates and times.
Seventh and Eighth Grade Band
The most advanced of the instrumental groups at Hampstead Middle School, the seventh and eighth grade bands meet every day during a unified arts block as a grade-level ensemble. The group performs at the winter and spring concerts as well as the Great East Festival and possibly the NHMEA Large Group Festival. Please see the performance schedule for specific dates and times.
Jazz Band
The award winning jazz band at Hampstead Middle School is an audition-only group that rehearses once a week after school. Open to musicians in sixth through eighth grade who have at least one year of experience studying their instrument, the jazz band performs at all Hampstead Middle School concerts as well as festivals throughout New Hampshire. All jazz band students, except pianists, guitarists and bassists, must be enrolled as a member of the Hampstead Middle School band program. Auditions are held in September each year and instrumentation is limited in this group.