Ball Junior High School Band Courses

Beginning Band

This is the first step of the Band program.  Students enter with little or no previous musical training.  After being introduced to all of the Band instruments, students will choose one, and then they will begin to read music and with practice, develop the skills necessary to play their instrument. Beginning Band will perform in concerts for parents and families. 

Intermediate Band

This is the second step of the Ball Band program.  Students enter Intermediate Band after having had Beginning Band or other adequate music training and with instructor's approval. Intermediate Band will be working with more complex and demanding music and in addition to regular concert performances; also perform at a band festival.

Advanced Band

This is the top concert band at Ball.  It is only for those students who have shown excellent progress. These students will be challenged by a still greater variety of musical styles and difficulties, delving deeper into the concepts introduced earlier. Advanced Band will perform at regular concerts for parents and families, as well as at a band festival and other community events such as Disneyland and other amusement parks.

Jazz Band

This is an elite ensemble comprised of some of the strongest members of our Advanced Band.  Jazz students will study Swing, Latin and Rock, as well as composition and improvisation.  The Jazz Band will be active as a performance ensemble throughout the year and travel to many community events.

Percussion

The purpose of this course is to introduce and develop the basic techniques of percussion playing and music reading. During percussion class, students play melodic keyboard instruments, such as Marimba, Vibraphone, Xylophone, and Bells; battery percussion instruments like Snare Drum, Bass Drum, and Cymbals; and other instruments, including Timpani, Tambourine, Triangle, and many more. Students play music that is specific for percussion ensemble, but also prepare musical selections that fold them into the full band setting for concert performance.