FAQ's for Band Parents
Future Lamar Band Parents FAQs
Can you tell me about the band classes at Lamar High School?
All students participate in marching band in the fall semester. This ends at the conclusion of football season (approximately 14 weeks). After marching season, the band formally divides into two groups for the concert season, the Wind Ensemble and the Concert Winds. The Concert Winds rehearse during 2nd period and the Wind Ensemble rehearses during 7th period. Percussion currently meets separately during 8th period. The difference between the groups is the difficulty level of the music they perform. The division allows for more individualized instruction and keeps the students progressing at their own level.
Can I get all the classes I need and still be in band?
Yes! The Lamar High School 8-class block schedule will allow you to take all of the classes needed to graduate and still participate in band all four years. The credits earned in band all count toward the graduation requirement. PLEASE NOTE: You can be in band for four years in high school (including 9th grade) and get everything you need to graduate!
How much time does band take?
There is some extra time required for rehearsals and performances. However, it is not nearly the time commitment some people make it out to be. In fact, if you compare it to other band programs or other types of school activities, you will be surprised at how little extra time is actually required. Marching season generally runs 13-14 weeks out of the 36-week school year. A few extra rehearsals are called during concert season. Many band members continue private lessons outside of school time, but this is optional, although highly recommended. Band does require some extra commitment, but as with anything worthwhile, the more you invest, the more you get out of the program. Remember that anything done well takes an investment of time.
How often does the band perform?
The band performs at all home and away football games, and at 2-4 competitions or other events. After marching season ends, concerts are presented during the second semester. Students have the opportunity to perform in honor bands such as All-City, All-Region, All-State, and Solo and Ensemble Contest.
How much time do parents invest in band?
This comes down to how much you have to invest, and how involved you want to be. We have many things you can do, from assisting with uniforms, meals, and equipment to chaperoning on trips for football games, and contests. Yes, you may also devote time to transporting your child to and from rehearsals and other events, but with a band program as large as ours, carpools can be arranged fairly easily. We even can help you find other band families that live in your neighborhood
How do I help my child be successful in band?
First of all, be supportive—very few things can be as destructive to a child’s success in the program, and thereby jeopardize the success of the entire program, as a parent who does not support what a child is doing. Now that doesn’t mean you have necessarily be at every performance cheering the band on (although you may find following the band is addictive and will become a highlight of your week if you just try it), but by all means don’t take a negative approach to your child attending rehearsals and performances. Yes, having a child in band may mean making some sacrifices—just as it does if they are taking dance, or karate, or piano lessons, or tennis lessons, or riding lessons, or playing a sport, or just about anything else. But they won’t be children long, and the time they have to do these things that will enrich their lives will fast get away. Don’t become an enabler—if they want to miss a practice or (even worse!) a performance, make sure you don’t make it easy for them to bail out on the commitment they have made. Once we start, it gets easier and easier to let our responsibilities slide, and this is definitely not a road we want our children headed down.
What happens if my child misses a rehearsal?
When one person is missing during marching practice, the problem is amplified many times over. It is simply impossible to learn to march a show if there are "holes" instead of bodies on the practice field. Those students who are at practice can't figure out where to go because the people their drill relates to are missing and the people who are missing don't know where to go when they return. Everybody loses.
The purpose of concert band rehearsals is to learn everyone else’s part and to fit them together for a true ensemble experience. If your child is missing, we cannot fit all of the parts together. If your student MUST miss rehearsal or part of a rehearsal, you need to explain this to a director as soon as possible. This does not automatically excuse the student from the rehearsal. We will deal with these on an individual basis. One reason we do not schedule any event on most Mondays is to give everyone a day to take care of errands, doctor and dental appointments, etc. Read the next topic and you will see why it is so important to be at every scheduled rehearsal!
What do you mean by "the show"?
The show is the halftime performance or field production the band performs.
- Halftime/Contest Show—The contest show is the performance the marching band spends hours and hours perfecting for marching competitions and halftime performances at football games. The contest show is around 7-9 minutes and consists of several different segments. Often there will be a concept or thematic thread that will run through the contest show that will be “played out” on the field as the show unfolds. Watching a marching band show is kind of like watching a three-ring circus—there is more going on than you can possibly keep up with. At any given time, there may be flags, rifles, sabers and dancers, in addition to the horn line, drum line and front ensemble! Occasionally we will use "props" in our production, if the concept calls for it, but more often we try to make the show come to life with music and movement alone. Both shows come together a little at a time, week by week. During rehearsals at the beginning of the season the band learns several new "pages" or "sets" each day. Pages are designed by the drill writer with a computer, which then prints out charts and a “coordinate sheet” for each band member. Band members are required to bring their charts and coordinate sheets to each rehearsal, in the notebook provided to them at the beginning of summer marching camp. They use a string, strap, piece of yarn, etc. to make it possible to wear their notebook over their shoulder to keep it handy during rehearsal. The coordinate sheets tell each student where they should be standing at certain points in the music and how many steps it will take them to get to that point from the last point. A "set" is made when band students form up as indicated on their "coordinate sheets". You can see now why it is SO important not to miss a marching practice! The show is made up of many chunks (different parts of the show). It is nothing short of awesome to watch our kids put it all together on the field.
What do I need to know about contests?
The Lamar Band Boosters and parents play a large role on competition days. There is so much to be done that there is no way the band performs successfully without tremendous support from the Lamar Band Boosters and parents. Making certain everything needed gets to the performance, everything set up, students fed at the right time, water made available before and after performances—these and many other tasks are accomplished by very supportive parents. Even if you are not on duty in those ways, a prime responsibility is to take your place in the audience. Our parents have a reputation for being some of the most supportive of any at a competition, not just of our own band, because that’s easy and natural, but also of the other bands performing. Every band works hard to achieve their level of excellence, and deserves to be cheered and applauded and to receive a standing ovation from everyone in the audience, because what marching bands do today is nothing short of miraculous. So the expectation is that our parents will give their support to every band that performs. Even though there are some parents from other schools that act as if their support for another band is disloyal to their own child’s band that is not the stance we want our parents to take.
Please explain the terms, "horn line," "drum line," "front ensemble," and "guard."
Simply put, the "horn line" is all the students who perform on brass and woodwind instruments in the marching band—the flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, French horns, trombones, baritones (or euphoniums – used interchangeably) and sousaphones (the tuba player’s marching instrument).
The drum line is made up of the percussionists who march, carrying their instruments—snare drums, tenors (five drums— one person) and bass drums. The marching percussion is often referred to as "battery" percussion.
The "front ensemble" or "pit" is made up of the stationary percussion instruments and the students who play them. The front ensemble is a critical element of the band. These instruments form up on the sideline at the 50 yard line facing the audience. Although the pit members don't march, they move from instrument to instrument along the sideline.
The "guard," or color guard, are the visual performance ensemble, using dance-type movement and flags to visually portray the music being performed by the band.
How do I know when to pick my child up after an event?
The staff tries very hard to end rehearsals on schedule, or very nearly so. This is not an exact science, and sometimes it takes a few minutes extra to bring adequate closure to the rehearsal. At any rate, after rehearsal the students have to put away equipment and get their stuff ready to go home, so to make it easy on yourself, allow 10-15 minutes after the announced end of rehearsal before you would expect them to be ready to get in the car. You are also welcome to come a few minutes early to watch the band.
How does the weather affect rehearsals and performances?
Rehearsals are never cancelled due to inclement weather. We will not usually rehearse outdoors in the rain, unless it is just drizzle or intermittent light rain. In the event of steady rain, we will rehearse indoors and go out at the first opportunity. Students should dress for the weather, whether hot or cold. Not having the proper attire is not a satisfactory reason for having a poor rehearsal. Students should wear comfortable shoes (preferably low-topped tennis shoes) and socks for rehearsals. This is important in that the style of marching step we use requires that the foot and ankle be permitted to move freely. Caps and sun block are recommended. There will always be water at rehearsal, and in extreme cases of cold or heat the rehearsal format may be altered, but the rehearsals are never canceled.
Very rarely a marching competition will be cancelled due to rain. If it is raining on a competition day, we will still load up and travel to the site unless we are notified that the competition has been cancelled. We will then assess the weather and our chances of presenting a creditable performance after arrival. Students will not be asked to stand or sit for lengthy periods in the rain—if we can find no other shelter we will return to the buses. For home football games, a rainy Friday night can be a pain, but we generally wait in the band room to see how the rain is going to develop. In the event of light rain, we might issue ponchos and try to wait it out in the stadium, leaving the woodwind instruments either in cases or indoors. In the very rare event that we get information that conclusively points to cancelling a performance far enough in advance, announcements will be made the students and parents.
What happens after marching season ends?
Some people think that everything is over at the end of marching season, but nothing could be further from the truth. Auditions for All-Region and All-State are in December and February. Several of our students are often selected to both of these groups and the all-region performances are in January with the All-State performance in February. In April, our students have the opportunity to perform at Solo and Ensemble Festival. Concerts are presented in, February, April, and May.
How much does it cost for my child to be in band?
The costs to participate vary year by year. Neither the band, nor the school receives any profit from the costs to participate in band. The money collected will help provide clinicians and staff for marching season, uniform cleaning costs, the costs for gloves, shoes as well as other optional items. A price guide will be sent home with students before school is out for the summer.
Why does the band need so much money?
Just like with any family, it takes a lot of money to keep a band "up and running." While the band receives money from the school system, there is still not enough to accommodate and provide for a band this size. Yes, we could operate a band with only the funds provided from these sources, but it would not be the same band we have come to love and respect—the kind of band opportunity we want for our children—or the kind of program that could keep pace with other schools in our area. That is why it is so important for students and parents to help with fundraising activities that benefit the band program.
What's in it for me?
You’ll have the opportunity to spend quality time with your child and over 80 outstanding young musicians. The chance to see our young people at their very best may be the number one thing parents get from their child’s involvement in band.
Why should my child go to Lamar for band?
The band program at Lamar is one of the very best with the Houston ISD. We offer students a world class musical experience. When paired with Lamar’s exceptional academic track record and the opportunity to participate in an internationally recognized IB World School program, you can trust that your child will be receiving the very best education, both academically and musically.
My child is interested in attending a high school that does not have a marching band, but also would like to participate in marching band, what is the best option?
There are some high schools within HISD that do not offer marching band. Lamar offers an exciting and unique band experience for its students, paired with the International Baccalaureate Programme. Your band student will not find a better school to meet his/her musical and academic needs.
Will my child need to audition to be in the Lamar Band?
Auditions are recommended, but we want all students who are capable of playing an instrument to have the opportunity to participate and be part of our band family. Students who are interested in being part of the Wind Ensemble will need to audition for placement within that ensemble.
Who do I contact for more information about my child becoming part of the Lamar Band?
You can contact one of the directors. Mr. Summers: jsummers@houstonisd.orgor Mr. Chitmon: kchitmon@houstonisd.org.