Step-Up Night Featuring Marshall Music Festival Instruments
It would be wonderful if all our students played on a horn or string instrument other than the beginning model they started renting a year or two ago or their parent’s horn from 20 years ago. The student line horns and strings of today are adequate considering the limitations of manufacturing costs and price constraints parents are willing to pay for a child just starting in music. Unfortunately, few parents ever consider the possibility of upgrading their child’s instrument and the benefits to their children. They just aren’t aware this is a consideration. It doesn’t occur to them their child’s abilities might outgrow the instrument’s capabilities.
The second through third year is a great time to have a step-up program. The child has progressed enough to realize the benefit of an instrument manufactured to standards similar to a professional model possessing better tone and intonation with some of the features of the professional models. A brand new instrument revitalizes the student’s interest and creates a stronger commitment from parent and student to stay in the ensemble longer.
The best times to promote a step-up night are mid November through December when parents are in the gift buying mode for the holidays and January through February before solo and ensemble or band and orchestra festival season. A brief announcement in the program at the fall or December concert is a great way to get the parents and students thinking about purchasing a better quality instrument. A couple weeks prior to the step-up night have instruments available for students to play during class along with a brief handout to take home to parents. Once a student plays a fine instrument he/she realizes he/she is a better player than their beginning instrument allows them to be. The instrument has a fuller tone and plays easier than the beginning model and the “feel” is just better.
Parents are understandably hesitant to purchase another instrument for their child after having invested $600-1000 in the first instrument. Marshall Music realizes this is a concern and has a program that allows parents to apply their investment to a step-up instrument.
Two years ago Marshall Music instituted the Festival Program which allows parents to apply between 85-100% of the equity in their child’s beginning instrument toward the purchase of one of our exclusive “Performance Series” instruments while the rental contract is still active. We asked the world’s finest instrument manufacturers to provide us with:
Special models of instruments with added features normally found on professional models.
Special pricing to make these “Performance Series” instruments affordable.
Instruments of proven high quality with consistent tone and intonation.
The Festival Program allows students and parents to choose from a variety of quality name manufacturers with woodwinds by Emerson, Gemeinhardt, Armstrong, LeBlanc, Yamaha, Fox, Buffet, Accent and Selmer. Brasses include Bach, Yamaha, Conn, King, Getzen, Holton and Jupiter. Ludwig drum sets are available for percussion students renting percussion kits. String students choose from Eastman Strings featuring the Haffner, Impressario and Hoffstanier.
Over time step-up nights will become a natural occurrence for parents. Parents and students who do not buy a better instrument in the first couple of years may wait until high school to make the change. Step-up nights can help raise parent awareness of the advantages of a better instrument that will enhance their child’s musical abilities and playing enjoyment.