New for the 2026-27 school year, Maercker students in fifth grade are getting introduced to instruments and band in general thanks to a new experience musically dubbed Band Prelude.

Westview Hills Band Directors Karen Moffett and George Huff will be at Maercker Intermediate School on a regular basis to guide 5th grade students through this exciting musical opportunity. Each fifth grade class will attend five separate sessions, where students will be able to get to know the two band teachers, learn and review the basics of reading musical notation, engage in rhythm activities, and learn about the band instruments they will have the opportunity to try later in the year. All fifth grade students will participate in these classes, even if they have indicated that they do not plan to participate in band at Westview as a way to increase exposure to other options.

“It has been a really great start so far,” said Karen Moffett. “We wanted to be able to provide an experience like this for every single fifth grade student so they can see the possibilities and try something new in a supported way even if they weren’t initially interested in band.”

While the full class meetings will be going until February, students will also get to take part in a concert by the Westview Hills 8th Grade band in December. Starting in March, students will take part in instrument fittings which will give those who want to be in band the opportunity to try different instruments and receive guidance in choosing the instrument that is the best fit.

“We have developed the program to really be where the band journey begins for students,” said George Huff. “This is a wonderful way to start a love of music and interest in playing an instrument that will really set them up for success before they start with band in sixth grade.”

While the first two phases of the Prelude program are known as Movement 1: Discovery and Movement 2: Try It Out respectively, there will also be a Westview Hills Band Information Night or Interlude, on Friday, April 9, 2027. Families will be able to hear directly from band directors on several topics, participate in the Band-O-Rama fundraisers, and more. Movement 3: Band Lessons will take place in April and May and involve small-group lessons with Moffett or Huff to focus on instrument-specific information and skills. 

The Finale for the program is really a new beginning, as Sixth Grade Beginning Band will be co-taught by the two directors with daily meetings in both band rooms in order to create smaller instrument class sizes and maximize time with their teachers. 

“This was a really great way to bridge the gap between elementary and middle school for our young musicians,” said Huff. “George and I know where we want our students to be by the time they hit sixth grade and this will give us a way to create meaningful connections with students as they look ahead to their time at Westview Hills,” added Moffett. 

Watch for more updates from the Band Prelude program during the 2026-27 school year.