Frequently Asked Questions. This page contains answers to common questions
regarding the band program at Herberg Middle School.
- How do I contact the band director?
- On what days does grade 7&8 band meet to rehearse?
- On what days does grade 6 band meet to rehearse?
- How much should my band student be practicing at home?
- How can I get my band student involved in taking private lessons?
- When should my band student take their instrument home from school?
- Where would be a good place to take my band student to hear a concert?
- What time should my student be at school on the night of a 7:00pm concert?
- What is the dress for the concert?
- I would like to volunteer to help at the concerts. Who should I tell?
- Where can we rent an instrument?
- How can I get my band student more involved in band?
- What type of music will my student be working on?
- What should my band student have for lessons?
How do I contact the band director?
Mr. Nelson-Unczur can be contacted by:
email - cnelsonunczur@pittsfield.net or unch01@yahoo.com
phone - 413-448-9640
snail mail - c/o Herberg Middle School 501 Pomeroy Ave. Pittsfield, MA 01201
visit - Room 101
On what days does grade 7&8 band meet to rehearse?
On Tuesday and Thursday mornings during the extended homeroom time (7:35-8:24)
On what days does grade 6 band meet to rehearse?
Everyday during period 7.
How much should my band student be practicing at home?
The best answer to this question is - however much time it takes to accomplish
the objective that has been previously decided upon. Some students may need
more time to achieve the goal, some will take less time.
The key is to set clear goals.
How can I get my band student involved in taking private lessons?
Go to the Private Teacher page of this website. I keep the list of teachers
updated often. I am constantly adding teachers for each instrument. The fee
that each teacher charges will vary depending on the teachers level of experience.
When should my band student take their instrument home from school?
All band students should bring their instruments home on Friday and
bring them back to school on Monday morning.
Where would be a good place to take my band student to hear a concert?
There are many great concert venues in our area and many great musicians that
live in our area too. Please click on the Concert Venues page located on the
left side of the main page.
What time should my student be at school on the night of a 7:00pm concert?
I tell the students to shoot for 6:15pm but no later than 6:30pm. That will
give us enough time to set up and warm up instruments and be able to get focused.
What is the dress for the concert?
Concert dress is White (or light) on top and Black (or dark) on bottom. Dark
shoes, preferably no sneakers. No ties for boys. Dresses/skirts must be below
the knee for girls.
I would like to volunteer to help at the concerts. Who should I tell?
Great! Thank you so much! We could always use help with video recording for
PCTV or with the voluntary admission before the concert. Please email me and I
will
forward it to the person that needs to know.
Where can we rent an instrument?
The two shops that make visitations to Herberg are Performance Music and John
Keal Music. Please go to the Band Overview page to get their phone numbers.
How can I get my band student more involved in band?
Private lessons, the Junior Western District Festival and Eagles Band
rehearsals are just a few ideas.
What type of music will my student be working on?
Band music is graded on a scale of Beginner through grade 6. The 6th grade
band will be working on music up to, but not limited to grade 1+.
The Concert Band will be working on music up to, but not limited to grade 3.
I try to get them working on music of varying style from different time periods.
For example: Marches, Classic Band literature, pop tunes, slow lyrical pieces,
etc.
What should my band student have for lessons?
Their instrument, method book (one of the Essential Elements 2000 books), band
music and their band warm up book.