Beginning in 5th grade, students can elect to join our Basalt band program, which serves over half the student body in 5th through 8th grades at Basalt Middle School. The program continues on through high school. Currently there are over 300 participants in the grades 5-12 program. Students additionally audition for Colorado honor bands, including All Valley and District Honor Band. The program offers many performances annually, ranging from sporting events to street performances to formal concerts
5TH GRADE: Students in 5th grade can elect to be part of the 5th grade Band with Mr. Zakerski. Each spring, the current band students give a presentation to the incoming 5th graders to help them choose an instrument. Students are placed in either Brass or Woodwinds class depending on their preference. Brass class is for trumpet, trombone, and baritone, and Woodwinds class is for flute, clarinet, and saxophone. Each student will have two trimesters of band where the first and second trimester students will be in brass or woodwinds class, and third trimester is mixed.
6TH GRADE: In 6th grade, band students move to having band all year long, with separate classes for Brass and Woodwinds taught by both Mr. Zakerski. 6th graders also have the option to explore new, more advanced instruments like percussion, tenor saxophone, and tuba.
7TH GRADE: In 7th grade, band is no longer split up into Brass and Woodwinds. All band students have class together as one large ensemble with Mr. Zakerski. In 7th grade there is also a music enrichment class that will be taught by Mr. Zakerski, which will focus on music technology and some guitar basics.
8TH GRADE: 8th grade band is set up just like 7th grade band with Mr. Zakerski. Additionally students have the opportunity to participate in a Drumline enrichment class where students learn the basics of reading music and participating in an ensemble.
