Please watch the videos below  to help select an instrument to play.  Please watch all of the videos-even those for instruments you are not as familiar with!  We need a balance of all instruments in the band to sound good.  After you have watched the videos, please fill out the form linked below.

Percussion is often a child's first choice because they feel that it will be "easy".  Qualities of an outstanding percussionist: 

• Independent: often percussionists are the only ones in the band performing their individual part

• Responsible:  percussionists are responsible for performing on, maintaining, and caring for equipment valued at several thousand dollars and must be able to treat the equipment with respect.

• Ability to self-regulate behavior: percussionists are always at the back of the rehearsal space, standing up during rehearsal, and often must be very patient while other sections work out issues with fingerings and tone production.  They often spend less time playing during a rehearsal than other musicians.

• Coordinated:  Extremely high gross and fine motor skills are required to be successful on percussion.  Just because you are always tapping on things does not mean you are a natural percussionist (drummer)!

Things parents and students don't always realize about percussion:

• Percussionists MUST rent a xylophone for at home use.  Simply having a pair of drumsticks is not sufficient.

• Percussion students spend the entire first semester or longer learning mallet instruments only.

• The study of percussion includes bells, triangle, tambourine, maracas, claves, among many other instruments.  Drum set is rarely used.

• Private lessons are recommended to ensure that percussionists can perform independently on multiple instruments.

Complete the form to indicate your preferences for an instrument.  

Register for a woodwind or brass instrument fitting appointment on April 16th or 17th.

Is your child interested in percussion?  If so, they MUST attend the percussion screening and register on this percussion screening link.  Please DO NOT register for an instrument fitting appointment at the link above!  Students will meet with a percussion specialist at the appointment and then will go to a separate area to try other instruments.  All decisions of who will be permitted to play percussion will be made by late April.

• We will host a ZWMS beginning band clinic for all incoming 5th grade band students July 22-26.

• Register here!

• Most of our band and orchestra families rent-to-own their children’s instruments through Paige’s Music, and some families decide to look for instruments elsewhere.

• If you decide to acquire your band musician’s instrument through Paige’s Music, then it will come with their band book, cleaning kit, and other required items (Please order by Wednesday, July 12th, so that Paige’s can process and deliver your order to ZWMS in a timely fashion prior to camp).

• If you plan on acquiring your band musician’s instrument from somewhere other than Paige’s Music, please do not do so without contacting Mrs. Granlund cgranlund@zcs.k12.in.us . She can provide very important information on what instruments to consider and which to avoid—this will ensure that your band musician’s instrument will be of good quality and will be worth your investment (when instruments are priced unbelievably low on Amazon or at Wal-Mart, Meijer, Sam’s Club, or Costco—it’s for a reason! These cheap instruments are very poorly made and will break and need to be replaced, and they are a waste of your money!)

Paige's Music makes it easy for you to provide your child with the best chance to succeed in school music. They do this by renting, selling and servicing teacher-approved band and orchestra instruments.

3 Easy Steps To Get Your Debut Beginning Rental

STEP 1:

• Complete A Rental Package Application

• You can do this at your school instrument display night, on our website, or in our store in Indianapolis.

STEP 2:

• Your instrument is delivered to your school.

• Your instrument, accessories, and all of your supplies for class are delivered to your student’s school with their name tag attached, reserved just for them.

STEP 3:

• Make Monthly Payments

• Rent your instrument until you own it, or return it, it’s up to you. You can return at any time or exchange to another instrument. 100% of all your payments will apply towards ownership.