S-bandiamo!
Music ensemble course for children and young people (beginner wind instruments and percussion)
The two-year S-bandiamo! course at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole aims to introduce primary and lower secondary school pupils to music through collective teaching and the immediate use of wind and percussion instruments typical of the band tradition.
One of the strengths of the music ensemble course for children and young people is the opportunity to start playing straight away wind and percussion instruments. Initially, children and young people can try all the available instruments, before choosing the one for which they show the greatest aptitude. Instruments can be rented through the School.
After this first introduction to the instruments, pupils learn to play using the “Accent on Achievement” method, starting with the production of a single sound and gradually increasing the level of difficulty.
Group participation and involvement in teamwork are fundamental principles of the project, and are highly effective in creating new incentives to learn.
The S-bandiamo! music ensemble course for children and young people provides a two-year music education programme based on ensemble playing with wind and percussion instruments typical of the band tradition.
Thanks to collective teaching and the immediate use of instruments, children learn not only to play an instrument from the very first lessons, but also to coordinate their playing with the group, thereby creating a real band.
At the end of the two-year S-bandiamo! programme, pupils who wish to continue studying their instrument are directed towards the basic courses at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, which include individual lessons and complementary subjects.
At the beginning of the music ensemble course, pupils will be introduced to and invited to try all the instruments made available by the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole. Each pupil will then choose the instrument they prefer and for which they are considered to have the greatest aptitude, also taking into account the teacher’s recommendations.
Once the instrument trials have been completed, the teachers will explain to the parents the characteristics of the instrument for which each child has shown the greatest aptitude. Families will then arrange to rent the instrument and purchase the necessary materials, following the recommendations received.
This first phase is followed by the actual introduction to instrumental practice, leading to the creation of a small “band” through the “Accent on Achievement” method used in the “ORCHESTRANDO” project promoted by Yamaha. Pupils learn to perform exercises and short pieces starting from knowledge of a single sound, gradually increasing the level of difficulty.
The enthusiasm generated by this method and the desire to play together create genuine teamwork, in which everyone contributes to a common goal and no one feels excluded.
The 12 instrumental lessons focus on the technical fundamentals specific to each instrument, providing a valuable complement to ensemble activities.
The project also offers the possibility of organising exchanges with other groups that have chosen to undertake the same type of programme.
Children aged 5 to 12
A collective band session is held every Saturday morning; during the year, 12 instrumental lessons are arranged with the teachers according to class availability.
New students – trial first lesson: Saturday, October 3, 2026, 3:00 pm
Returning students – first lesson: Saturday, October 3, 2026, 10:00 am
The course will be activated once a minimum of 10 enrolments has been reached.