More to Start, Fewer to Quit (October 2025)

This month's More to Start, Fewer to Quit (MSFQ) tips come from Dr. Charles T. Menghini, President Emeritus of VanderCook College of Music in Chicago.

RECRUITMENT

Now that the school year has begun and beginning band and orchestra classes have started, there are probably a few students in your school that regret that they did not join band or orchestra. They hear their friends talking about music class and see them carrying their instruments to and from school and wish they were a part of the fun. SO, start a late beginner class. It would not take long for students to catch up at this point in the school year and you might be surprised how many students might join.

RETENTION

Students are recruited to “play” in band or orchestra, but up to this point all they have done is practice. In sports, kids join a sports team, have a couple of practices and are then playing games. Why don’t we do this in music?

Performances do not need to be full length concerts. For beginners, having students gather in the evening to play a few lines out of their method book is a great way for them to show off for their parents. Make these performances informal with small groups, like instruments or individual classes. Twenty minutes in and out the door…and don’t forget the refreshments.

Also, a great first “formal” concert is the First Performance National Day of Celebration kit available directly from the Music Achievement Council website. The First Performance National Day of Celebration (FPNDoC) is a short, structured demo concert designed to show parents what the students have learned within the first few months of school and to build confidence in the students. Learn more here.

SUCCESS

Invite members of the high school band and orchestra to visit your beginning classes. Have them listen to the students rehearse and offer comments about how great they sound. Then have them play their instruments for the beginners. This is a great way to give your new students continued motivation and encouragement.

Dr. Charles T. Menghini, President Emeritus of VanderCook College of Music in Chicago