Most ACT public high schools offer opportunities for students to play in concert bands at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. While most of these band programs are administered directly by the schools, a small number of these programs are fully or partially managed by the IMP. Information about these IMP-operated and IMP-affiliated band classes is provided below. For information about the programs offered at specific high schools, parents/carers are advised to contact the high schools directly.
ACT IMP High School Band Classes – Full Program
The ACT Instrumental Music Program provides group instruction on concert band instruments (woodwind, brass, percussion) to students at participating high schools. The IMP full program of instruction for high schools operates in four of Canberra’s public high schools and is designed to supplement the music education of students in Years 7-10. It is not the intention or purpose of the Instrumental Music Program to be the sole provider of any student’s music education.
IMP staff are qualified ACT Education Directorate teachers employed under the same conditions as teachers in ACT public schools. All IMP teachers hold qualifications in music and/or education and have experience in instrumental music performance and pedagogy.
Each band class will be supported by a teacher from the school. This teacher is called a School-Based Teacher (SBT) and is integral to the success of the band. The SBT is the first point of contact for parents/carers for any band-related matters and facilitates performance opportunities within the school.
At regular intervals throughout the year (usually once per term), band classes from different schools will combine to rehearse together. This provides students with the opportunity to play as part of a larger ensemble.
Student Participation
Participation in the IMP high school band program is a full-year commitment.
Students at all levels of skill and experience are welcome to participate in the IMP-run high school bands at participating schools. A wide range of repertoire will be selected to accommodate a wide range of skill levels. Although some individualised instruction will be provided for beginning students in Term 1, the majority of learning for beginning students throughout the year will be self-directed. Home practice, particularly for beginning students, is expected and necessary.
Instruments
In general, the high school bands comprise woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
In most cases, students are able to select the instrument they wish to play. While instrument balance within the ensemble is desirable, it is not necessarily a priority. The IMP teachers will select repertoire that suits the instrumentation in each particular group.
There may be restrictions placed on the ability of students to select percussion as their instrument. This will depend on the size of the group and the number of experienced percussionists already participating. Beginning students wishing to select percussion as their instrument may also be asked to participate in a selection process designed to determine their ability to keep a steady beat, play at a range of tempos, and produce rhythmic patterns accurately.
Percussionists are expected to play a range of percussion instruments including bass drum, snare drum, glockenspiel (bells) and auxiliary instruments. Music reading is required for percussionists in the same way as it is required for all other instruments.
Students who play instruments (violin, guitar, piano…) that are not traditionally found in a concert band may be considered for inclusion in the group. Please check with the School-Based Teacher at your school.
Resources Provided
Students will be provided with the use of an instrument and all of the required books and printed music. Percussionists will be provided with a kit of instruments including glockenspiel, practice pad, sticks and mallets. Parents/carers – including those of percussionists – are not required to provide any additional instruments for their students.
After instruments have been allocated, students will receive a loan form that will need to be completed by parents/carers and returned to the school before instruments can be taken home. The instruments are assets of the ACT Education Directorate and are loaned by the IMP to the school, who then loans the instruments to families of IMP students. As is the case for all ACT Education Directorate assets, neither the IMP nor the Directorate commercially insure the assets when they are on loan to a school or student. Families are encouraged to check with their insurance providers as to whether or not an IMP instrument would be covered under their Home and Contents insurance policy and under what conditions. Parents/carers may also wish to speak to their child’s School Principal regarding the loan of the instrument from the school to their family. Instrument repair for ‘wear and tear’ and reasonable accidental damage is included. The cost of instrument repair that has been made necessary as a result of neglect, misuse or intentional damage may be passed on to students’ families. Parents/carers are welcome to purchase instruments for their students if desired, but there will be no reduction in IMP fees payable.
Students will receive one group session per week with a specialist IMP teacher. Typically, this session is one hour in length, but this may vary slightly depending on school timetables.
Parent/Carer Support
Parents/carers can support their developing musicians by:
- spending time with their student exploring their instrument
- offering praise and encouragement to their student
- providing a space and time for regular practice at home
- providing a music stand
- providing a secure place for storage of the IMP instrument
- helping students to bring their instrument and other necessary equipment to school on band days
- attending school performances when possible
- helping their student to balance their activities and fulfill their commitment to the band program
Benefits of Instrumental Music Learning
The benefits of instrumental music learning are well-documented and tend to outweigh any challenges presented by withdrawal from other lessons. Parents/carers are advised to contact their child’s school with any questions about how their student’s learning schedule may be affected by withdrawal for band lessons.
Private Instrumental Music Lessons
Students in IMP high school band classes are not required to take private instrumental lessons. However, lessons are encouraged where students display particular interest and where families are in a position to provide them.
ACT IMP-Affiliated High School Band Classes – Partial Program
In addition to the program described above, the ACT Instrumental Music Program also offers support to high school band programs where the school music teacher is able to run the band on their own, but requires support with the provision of instruments and music. This particular service is currently being provided in four of Canberra’s public high schools. Bands from these schools are also invited to join the IMP-run Combined Band sessions at least twice per year. An IMP teacher may also be available on occasion to support the learning of beginning students in Term 1 at the request of the school.
Cost
There is a cost associated with the provision of resources and services in both the full IMP-operated program and the IMP-affiliated program. This is set by the IMP and is charged to each school in Term 1 each year. Each school will determine how to pass this cost on to families and will provide this information to families along with the offers of place. The IMP does not charge families directly. The fees paid by schools and families is a contribution only and is not reflective of the true costs of the provision of these resources to students.
Additional Opportunities
Instrumentalists in Years 7-10 IMP bands at school have the opportunity to audition for ACT IMP extension ensembles including Junior Concert Band, Senior Concert Band, Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble. For further information about these ensembles, please see the relevant page on the IMP website.