If you have any questions about band lessons or instrument rentals, please do not hesitate to email me at: prealmuto@hazlet.org

Visit the following link to find helpful videos if you are having trouble making a sound or putting together your instrument:

Instrument Demonstration

Click on the link, choose your instrument from the drop down menu, and then click the link for "video lessons."

How to Join the 4th Grade Band

Step 1: Fill out a sign-up form

-This goes to Mrs. Realmuto so she can add your child to the band schedule

-Forms were sent home with your child in June or you can ask for a new copy and send it into school asap.

Step 2: Get an instrument

If you don't already have access to an instrument to use for lessons, please consider using our district instrument supplier, Garden State Music, to rent an instrument.

Click the link for the Garden State Music (GSM) Online Rental Form:

Garden State Music Rental Form (Online)

(rentals for flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and trombone ONLY)

Students interested in Percussion (Drums/Bell Kit):

Do not rent any drum supplies until after drum auditions take place in September!

Students who are selected for Percussion will rent the "bell kit" option through Garden State Music. The bell kit includes the bell set (like a xylophone), a drum pad, and drum sticks.

Instrument Buying Guide

For students in 4th grade, we usually recommend that students rent so that they can get a good feel for the instrument and see how they like it. However, if you are interested in buying an instrument, here are a few tips to guide you:

Be very careful about selecting instruments online. There are a lot of 'knock off' brand instruments that may be very attractive because of their low price, but are made of very low quality materials that bend and break easily. More often than not, a low quality instrument will have to be sent to the repair shop multiple times which very quickly eats up the money you hoped to save in the first place.

We always recommend that parents, who are interested in buying an instrument, buy a gently used name brand instrument off of eBay or a local music shop.

Recommended Name Brands (in no particular order):

Flute: Gemeinhardt, Jupiter, Yamaha, and Selmer

Clarinet: Selmer, Yamaha, Artley, Bundy-USA

Saxophone: Selmer, Yamaha, Bundy-USA, and Jupiter

Trumpet: Bach, King, Yamaha, Bundy-USA

Drums: Remo 6" or 8" drum pad, Vic Firth Drum Sticks (size 5B)

The instruments manufactured by these companies are made of good quality materials that will not constantly break, and are durable for traveling back and forth to school.

Why used?

Although these instruments are very expensive when they are brand new, you can find them in USED condition generally from $100-$450 (depending on the instrument). Most of the time they are being sold by other parents whose son/daughter took band lessons for a few years in school, but are no longer interested. Instruments are very easy to clean/disinfect.

Make sure to read descriptions thoroughly! Avoid anything that says "parts/pads missing" or "needs overhaul."

What model do I get?

Instruments come in three different models: student, intermediate, and professional.

Beginning students only need a “student” model instrument.

Putting it all together

Here's an example of how you put all this information together in a search:

If you’re looking to buy a trumpet, search for:

Bach student trumpet

You can do the same search but substitute "Bach" with a different brand name that is listed above to get different results and prices suitable to your needs.

****Parents are not required to purchase any items by the brand names listed above which are listed merely for informational purposes. The above brand names have no affiliation with and are not endorsed by Hazlet Township Public Schools.****

Raritan Valley Elementary School

Mrs. Pamela Realmuto

Welcome to Mrs. Realmuto's Website!

Welcome!

Raritan Valley Performance Dates

General Music Class Grading

4th Grade Band Info

Band Grading Rubric

Emergency School Closing Assignments