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- Top Ten Reasons to Participate in the Toll Gate, Diley, & Harmon Band Programs
1. Creativity - Being able to think on your feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think outside of the box will distinguish your child from others. In the Harmon/Tollgate band program, your child will be asked to perform music in different ways, create music to communicate their feelings and moods, and compose short pieces of music. When children have practice thinking creatively, it will come naturally to them now and in their future career.
2. Confidence - The skills developed through band, not only train your child how to convincingly deliver a message, but also build the confidence they need to take command of the stage. Band training gives children practice stepping out of their comfort zone and gives children the confidence to perform in front of large audiences.
3. Problem Solving - Artistic creations are born through the solving of problems. How do I portray a particular emotion through music? What are others playing and how does my part fit the overall sound? Without even realizing it kids that participate in band are consistently being challenged to solve problems. This will help develop important problem-solving skills necessary for success in any career.
4. Perseverance - When a child picks up a band instrument for the first time, she/he knows that playing Bach right away is not an option; however, when that child practices, learns the skills and techniques and doesn't give up, that Bach concerto is that much closer. In an increasingly competitive world, where people are being asked to continually develop new skills, perseverance is essential to achieving success.
5. Focus - The ability to focus is a key skill developed through playing in band. Participation requires each participant to not only think about their role, but also how their role contributes to the big picture of what is being created. Research has shown that participation in the band improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in other aspects of their lives.
6. Non-Verbal Communication - Through experiences in band, children learn to breakdown the mechanics of non-verbal communication. They experience different ways of creating sounds and how those sounds communicate different emotions. The ability to understand and interpret non-verbal communication is critical in all fields of employment.
7. Receiving Constructive Feedback - Receiving constructive feedback about a performance is a regular part of band instruction. Children learn that feedback is part of learning and it is not something to be offended by or to be taken personally. It is something helpful. College recruiters and employers are looking for people with the ability to accept and process constructive feedback.
8. Collaboration - Band is collaborative in nature. Through participation in band, children practice working together, sharing responsibility, and compromising with others to accomplish a common goal. Through these experiences children gain confidence and start to learn that their contributions have value even if they don’t have the biggest role.
9. Dedication - When kids learn to follow through with artistic endeavors that result in a finished product or performance, they learn to associate dedication with a feeling of accomplishment. They practice developing healthy work habits like being on time for rehearsals and performances, respecting the contributions of others, and putting effort towards the success of large projects.
10. Accountability - When children practice creating something collaboratively they get used to the idea that their actions affect other people. They learn that when they are not prepared or on-time, that other people are negatively impacted. Because mistakes are a regular part of the process of learning in band, children begin to see that mistakes happen. Children learn to acknowledge mistakes, learn from them, and use those lessons to improve themselves and the group.