Students in Beginning Band learn the fundamentals of instrument technique, note and rhythm reading, musicianship, and ensemble playing. Beginning Band students perform in two concerts (Winter and Spring), an end-of-year parade, and the (optional) Solo/Ensemble Festival. Beginning Band prepares students for Intermediate Band the following year — no audition is necessary to progress from Sellwood Beginning Band to Sellwood Intermediate Band.

Some incoming 6th graders with Elementary Band experience wonder whether Beginning Band or Intermediate Band will be the right fit. Because our Beginning Band rehearses 5 times per week for the whole school year, we cover much more than one or even two years of Elementary Band. For most students, joining the Sellwood Beginning Band with prior experience is a more successful and enjoyable experience — at the start of the year, they get to be leaders and demonstrators while still having a chance to review fundamentals. And by the end of the first quarter, we are past where the elementary programs ended the year.

Traditional wind band instrumentation is used: flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinets, saxophones, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, string bass, and concert percussion.

For students who have multiple years of Elementary Band experience, or who tend to practice far above the minimum requirement, Intermediate Band may be the right placement. The audition for incoming students who want to start in Intermediate Band without having taken middle school Beginning Band can be found here.