playing the piccolo in band

[wmsjordan]

My daughter really wants to play the piccolo, she is begining her third year in middle school band with the flute, I spoke to her band director and she said that at the middle school level there really wasn't much call for a piccolo, I have a private lessons teacher lined up to teach her to play she already takes extra lessons on the flute from him. I then spoke to the high school band director since that is where she will go next year, the high school band director told me that The piccolo isn't an instrument that is always used on pieces of band music and usually only one person plays it in a band class. However, there will be occasions when it might be used. I would say that purchasing a piccolo is only a wise investment if your daughter is considering continuing in music after high school. Is this true? Is there usually only one piccolo player in a band and does most band music not support the piccolo?

[pied_piper]

My daughter really wants to play the piccolo, she is begining her third year in middle school band with the flute, I spoke to her band director and she said that at the middle school level there really wasn't much call for a piccolo

At the middle school level, true.

I then spoke to the high school band director since that is where she will go next year, the high school band director told me that The piccolo isn't an instrument that is always used on pieces of band music and usually only one person plays it in a band class. However, there will be occasions when it might be used. I would say that purchasing a piccolo is only a wise investment if your daughter is considering continuing in music after high school. Is this true? Is there usually only one piccolo player in a band and does most band music not support the piccolo?

Generally, yes. In a high school concert band or orchestra, the piccolo is not really a primary instrument. Usually, one (sometimes more) flutists will double on the piccolo. In many marching bands, the band directors will sometimes have the flutists play piccolo instead of flute because the higher pitches of the piccolo will carry better and be heard outdoors much better than the flute, so there may be a better opportunity there.

If her private teacher thinks she is ready for it, I certainly would not discourage your daughter from learning the piccolo and taking lessons on it. She should not give up the flute though. Her lessons should follow the model of the flute being primary and the piccolo being secondary. She'll need to get used to switching back and forth between them. Even though the fingerings are mostly the same as the flute, it's a very different instrument and many flutists have a difficult time making the adjustment. Lessons from a good teacher would go a long way to helping her achieve her goal. She may need a year or more learning to play the piccolo before she actually gets the opportunity to play it with the band. When she first gets to high school, she'll be "low girl on the totem pole", so the piccolo parts may go to the upperclassmen. Some directors use seniority to choose the piccolo player, some like to rotate the players so that more than one player gets a chance at the piccolo, and others use a challenge method where newcomers can challenge another player and the best player wins. Lessons would give her a leg up if the challenge method is used.

There is definitely a place for the piccolo in band and orchestra and good piccoloists are highly valued. She just needs to realize that it should not be considered her primary instrument (at least not at the middle or high school level). Only at the professional orchestra level can the piccolo be considered a primary instrument and even then, the orchestra's primary piccolo player is often called upon to double on flute playing the third flute part.

I hope that my advise as a flutist, piccoloist, teacher, and former band director helps to provide you with some insights into making your decision.

[Sonata]

School programs are designed to keep it simple for the students. You don't want to get a child in over their head or they will give up and go play Nintendo. When your daughter moves on to college or wants to play professional those piccolo skills will make her quite valuable. If playing the piccolo excites her and encourages her to continue with music then it is well worth the investment but she will need to continue learning the flute as well.