Music Education Services provides comprehensive band programs to elementary schools, which include two weekly sessions totaling 80-90 minutes of instruction, instrument rentals, and a team of 19 dedicated state certified professional teachers. We are currently serving over 100 schools, both public and private, and enrolled more than 2,500 students in our band program this past fall.
Students Enrolled Last Fall
Children in school band…
score 19% higher in English, 17% higher in mathematics, and use more of their brain than those without music education
Elementary schools served in the greater Chicago area
Two 40-45 minute group lessons per week on separate days.
- The spaced repetition of separate days ensures young instrumentalists the close supervision they require to show rapid progress.Scheduling can be customized to fit your school’s needs.
- Returning students receive one in-school and one out-of-school time each week.
- Additional lessons are included as the children prepare for upcoming events.
Our comprehensive curriculum utilizes both sequential and performance-based learning with documented learning benchmarks.
- Sequential learning includes lesson books with theory exercises, graded band arrangements, solos, and supplemental exercises.
- Each student will perform in at least three concerts, have the opportunity to participate in a solo and ensemble festival, an honors band concert (advanced students) and various social activities.
Students can elect to begin instruction in the fourth, fifth, or sixth grade.
- Advanced classes will be formed as needed through eighth grade. In new schools, all children in fourth through eighth grade may register.
Progress reports are mailed directly to the student’s home twice per year.
- As part of each child’s grade, parents are urged to sign a practice record at the end of each week.
Newsletters are sent during the school year detailing upcoming musical events.
- They contain informative articles about band, practicing and the arts.
Our recruitment program is a 3-step process at the beginning of the school year.
- Demonstration Concert: A half-hour assembly performance by a professional trio. Band instruments are demonstrated and explained.
- Instrument Trials: Each child has the opportunity to try a few instruments in order to determine his/her interests, natural ability and to match their physical characteristics to an appropriate instrument.
- Band Sign-up: Parents have the opportunity to meet their band director, ask any questions, and register their children. On-line registration is also available.
20 Teachers on faculty who hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and are licensed in the State of Illinois
Our faculty is supervised and evaluated throughout the year by our Director of Education, a 21-year veteran teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education.
Our mentoring Program matches younger educators with more experienced Master Teachers under the direction of our Instructional Coach, an 18-year veteran teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education.
Our teachers receive ongoing educational and band-specific training every three weeks at our faculty meetings.
Our teaching staff maintains extensive mandatory parent contact to encourage collaboration.
On average our teachers have been with Music Education Services at least 7 years. Nearly all have previous teaching experience.