Recruiting young musicians

[tubeast]

Hi,
just wanted to share last weekend and maybe discuss youth band projects.
In community band we need to recruit youngsters and teach them to become band members. There are only few chances to get experienced members otherwise, and no school band programs to headhunt kids from.

At start they´ll be issued a free instrument to get started. (These are and will remain property of the band). In addition, the community covers half the expenses for lessons, the band will pay another quarter, while the remaining 25% of lesson fees are up to the parents. (Good deal on the parent´s side, I think).

There is a preparatory band in which we get kids started on actual band playing. Every once in a while, the first chair kids of that band "upgrade" to community band, into which they gradually merge.

Last weekend (starting Thursday morning and ending Sunday afternoon) we had a band camp for that prep band:
Went to a large alpine cottage nearby. Had intensive band and sectional rehearsals (sectionals led by the band´s instrument instructors, mainly non-members), individual practise time, and classes in musical theory.
The kids got time to relax between sessions, including playing soccer or frisbee and the likes.
The nights were spent in the (simple) rooms of the cottage.
Band members (pensioneers and school personnel who were able to spare the time without taking extra days off) took care of technical things (i.e. cooking, pastime programs, guidance). Others (like me) joined Friday night after work.
Everybody stayed overnight.
On the last day each participant held a short report on their respective instruments (history, playing techniques,…), and in the afternoon there was a one-hour concert with the new repertoire.
About fifty people (band parents, band members, and friends of accompanying personnel) attended that concert, enjoying food, beverages, and music. (Not necessarily in that order).

Results: Kids learned something about music, got to know the new repertoire of next season and established personal contact to band members of all ages.
They´re likely to tell their friends about that weekend, maybe attracting others to join.
It was fun for all and decreased the danger of kids wandering off to the village´s soccer team.
I especially enjoyed getting to know our youngsters who I had only seen occasionally before that. Good kids aged 9 through 16.

Funding: there´s a budget issued by the community intended for the band´s youth activities. Everything was free of charge.