# High School Band



## SarahTG

I didn't know exactly where to post this, but I'll give it a shot here.

I'm a high school trombonist looking to go professional, but my high school's band is really bad and takes all the fun out of music. The pieces aren't challenging and the director doesn't care. 

I was wondering how much colleges care if you weren't in your high school's band. I'm strongly considering joining several outside of school ensembles. Would that be enough if I were to drop out of high school band?


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## JeffD

I would suggest private trombone lessons. Your trombone teacher would know about all the local and regional competitions you could go after, and where to try out for regional prestigious bands/orchestras. Those things will matter a whole lot more to college than the quality of high school band.

Private instruction would also help you fill in the gaps that band class is not giving you, and get you awesomely prepared.

You might stay in band just to maintain any useful contacts, but outside ensembles are a good idea, like a professional jazz ensemble or respected community band and if they are any good that also helps with colleges.

You have to stand out, and high school band isn't helping. I would agree you can't rely on it. But it might be useful to stay connected to it.


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## arpeggio

JeffD said:


> I would suggest private trombone lessons. Your trombone teacher would know about all the local and regional competitions you could go after, and where to try out for regional prestigious bands/orchestras. Those things will matter a whole lot more to college than the quality of high school band.
> 
> Private instruction would also help you fill in the gaps that band class is not giving you, and get you awesomely prepared.
> 
> You might stay in band just to maintain any useful contacts, but outside ensembles are a good idea, like a professional jazz ensemble or respected community band and if they are any good that also helps with colleges.
> 
> You have to stand out, and high school band isn't helping. I would agree you can't rely on it. But it might be useful to stay connected to it.


I used to be a high school band director when I was younger and the above is great advice.


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## david johnson

Stay with it. It's always a good thing to be better than the ensemble you are in  I taught music for 40 years and loved to have students advance beyond the ensemble's actual capabilities.


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