Band instruments in public school (rentals, buy, middle schools)

[Anony-Momma]

We rent band instruments for our children for school in the Midwest. The company we rent from has no locating in the South.

Do middle schoolers and high schoolers in the Nashville area buy instruments or is there a big company or two who rent them?

Rental is much more expensive over the long term, although it has its conveniences. If a part breaks, the company repairs it for free under the rental contract, and they have a representative at the school once or twice a week, which means we don't have to take the instrument to or pick up from their store for a repair.

[Anony-Momma]

Another question: Do middle schoolers in TN have marching band or does marching band begin at the high school level?

[septimus]

I think you can rent instruments at Shuffs. Band starts in middle school (which I find odd because up north in the two states I've lived strings started in 3rd grade and wind instruments started in 4th grade and lessons were during the school day with the music teacher pulling small groups of students out of class for instruction.

I'm not sure if the middle schools do marching band. My kids love watching the FHS band practice in the parking lot when I pick them up from school since we get stuck in traffic there every day.

[vivelafrance]

Normally 8th graders (and sometimes advanced 7th) are given the opportunity to try out for the high school marching band. Although, this might only be common practice at middle/high schools located next to each other.

Music & Arts and Sam Ash are other places to rent/buy instruments.

[Antioch]

I assist with a marching band here in Nashville, been playing Trumpet for 20 years, 8 years of marching band, highschool and college, so I know almost everything you would want to know about band, LOL...
Most schools in Nashville, Metro Nashville Public Schools, have school owned instruments for those who do not own or rent. A few years ago each school was given a full set of instruments, however most trumpets and woodwinds own their own instruments, some of the larger instruments are usually always provided by the school.
In Nashville middle schoolers offically can not march with high school bands and nor do they have their own marching bands. However, in some cases 7th and 8th graders do march with their zoned high schools, but it is usually kept undercover. Alowing middle schoolers to march would be a great help to high school programs or if they did have their own marching bands. I don't understand why they can't march considering they can play football starting at 7th grade, which is much more physical and dangerous than marching band...
What instruments do your children play and what schools will they be going to? I can better answer your question based on what school they will be attending if they are in Nashville.

[shanabrez]

For the williamson county schools I'm familiar with, there are even some rentals available from the school, especially handy for middle schoolers with big instruments, you can rent one cheap from the school and rent a better instrument from a store and not have your kid lug a huge instrument
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM on the bus (funny clip about guy who had to lug and play a cello).

Our middle school lets kids do a pep band thing at a couple of football games then marches in a couple of parades.