Current Programs

BBB4E offers programs 11 out of 12 months of the year.

We invite public, private, parochial and home school students to participate in our tuition-based programs. Our families then have a vested interest in their participation. Our students perform in many public concerts throughout the year. Venues include: Purdue University Calumet, Symphony Center in Chicago, U. S. District Courthouse in Downtown Hammond, Hammond Public Library, and the Jean Shepherd Community Center.

We accept performance invitations for corporate and community events.  Please contact us or further information or to make arrangements.

Our community music programs require interested students who enjoy challenging experiences. Students are asked to practice 30 minutes/day at home so that they are prepared for weekly rehearsals. There is no residency restriction to participate. During the 2010-2011 school year, student musicians from over 20 different schools participated in our programs.

How do I get my student involved?

Students who are in grades 4 through high school may enroll in band; true beginners and those with experience are welcome to join. Students in grades 3 through high school may in enroll in choir. Vocal students learn a variety of music some of which is sung in different languages. A variety of free concerts are performed throughout the year so that the community can enjoy and appreciate the hard work of our students.

Please note: the city of Hammond is offering a voucher program which will cover the cost of our program.  The voucher program is closed for this fiscal year, but applications will be taken starting in March of 2012 for the next fiscal year which begins in April of 2012.  Please call Cynthia Rangel at 219-853-6371 for further details and an application.

Click here for our current brochure.

Click here for the schedule of fees.

Community Band

Rehearsal Location: O'Bannon Elementary School, 1317 - 173rd Street, Hammond, Indiana.  Enter through Door "C".

Beginners and experienced players are encouraged to enroll.  Experienced students will take a placement assessment so they may be placed in the appropriate group, beginning students may directly enroll in the beginning band.  We welcome students in grades 4 through high school.

Band instruments are available for rent and are available on a first come first serve basis.  Choices include: flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, xylophone and snare drum.

Students will receive group instruction twice a week and are placed in either the beginner, intermediate or advanced levels. Students are placed at the discretion of the director. Musicians are encouraged to work hard so that they may advance into the next level.

Instruction is held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Times:

Advanced Beginner Band:  5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Concert Band:  6:40 - 7:40 p.m.

Symphonic Band:  7:45 - 8:45p.m.

Students should arrive 10 minutes prior to the beginning of their rehearsal so that they have plenty of prep time to assemble their instruments and gather materials.

Please contact us for a schedule of fees.

Community Choir

Rehearsal location - Hammond Public Library, 564 State Street in Downtown Hammond, in the Community Room.

6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Boys and Girls in Grades 3 through high school are welcome to join, and no experience is necessary.  The students will learn about proper breathing technique, solfege, dynamics, and multi-harmony.

Please contact us for a schedule of fees.

Choir Ensemble

Rehearsal location - Hammond Public Library, 564 State Street in Downtown Hammond, in the Community Room.

Boys and Girls in Middle and High School are welcome to join, and no experience is necessary.  The students will have a chance for a more intensive study of the musical elements, and the music selected will be of a more challenging nature.  Placement within this group is at the discretion of the director.

Please contact us for a schedule fees.

Rehearsal schedule will be announced soon.

Making Memories: A Family Literacy Program

This six year partnership of Books, Brushes & Bands for Education with South Shore Arts has created the opportunity for us to work with hundreds of families. This program rotates throughout every public library in Lake and Porter Counties in Northwest Indiana. Families with students in grades 3 - 6, and one adult family member meet weekly for 5 weeks to have dinner and receive a brand new book which they retain for their home library. Each week a new media is presented to acquaint families with bookmaking, music, theater, poetry, storywriting, and illustrating. This project instills the correlation of reading and writing and its relationship to literacy. Participants work together to create a handbound single section book of their own. Together they record their thoughts, feelings, experiences and memories.

An end result of the program is for the family to have the opportunity to exhibit their completed book in their neighborhood library at the completion of the program. Each weekly artistic presenter may provide current information about arts events and related programs throughout the community.

Families are also given information about art events and other programs offered throughout the community. Comments from participating famlies included: A great place to spend time with my family; Learned more about my grandchildren; I liked the quality of the materials; It showed us that the library had more to offer; Commendable program; My kids found a brand new outlet for writing; I have seen my child's imaginaton grow from this program!

For further information about the upcoming Making Memories schedule, contact the office at 219--932-3232.

Music in Motion

A Partnership with Northwest Family Services for ages 3 - 5

Weekly preschool music sessions concentrate on singing traditional children’s songs to the accompaniment of a piano that we own which is stored on site; local musicians direct preschool children by incorporating small percussion instruments into the program; the focus is to work together as a group, to make props and to concentrate on diction so that there is an emphasis on language; guest musicians occasionally bring other instruments for "show and tell"; concerts are held seasonally, and performances are open to the public.

Contact us for more information about any of the above programs.