🎵 Instrumental Music Program Signup

Meet Your Instructor: Mr. Ozzie Backus

We're excited to welcome students to the Instrumental Music Program! Whether you're a returning musician or just getting started, you'll be learning from Mr. Ozzie Backus, a passionate and experienced music educator dedicated to helping students grow through the power of music.

🎻 Word of Life Christian Academy Symphonic Orchestra

Offered by Tolbert Music

Tolbert Music is proud to partner with Word of Life Christian Academy to offer our Symphonic Orchestra Program.

✨ New This Year!

Students will now be pulled from class at the end of the school day on Tuesdays.
This change allows us to group students by ability level, which supports better musical growth and collaboration. Please note that students will be responsible for making up any missed classwork.

🎶 Program Overview

  • Eligibility: Open to all students Grades 1 and up

  • Instructor: Mr. Ozzie Backus

  • Schedule: Tuesdays, during the last 45 minutes of the school day

  • Instruments Offered:
    Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Percussion, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass

Our in-house method book is designed to support multi-instrument learning in a single classroom environment. Additional repertoire will be selected based on student progress.

💵 Program Commitment

Cost:

  • $40/month, or

  • $350 if paid in full for the year
    (Payment link provided upon signup. Monthly invoices sent via QuickBooks if preferred.)

Billing Notes:

  • Billed on a 10-month cycle (to account for setup in August and teardown in June)

  • Holidays and partial months are factored into the pricing

  • If more than 3 classes are missed due to cancellations, make-up sessions will be offered

📅 Full-Year Commitment Required

Musical growth takes time and consistency. A year-long commitment ensures:

  • Students get the full experience and progress properly

  • Teachers can plan and budget with stability

Need to disenroll? Please contact us first. We are happy to discuss concerns and explore solutions before processing any withdrawal.

🥁 Instruments

Students must have access to their own instrument. We recommend renting through our trusted partner, Music & Arts, which offers:

  • High-quality, rent-to-own instruments

  • Affordable rates ($25–$45/month)

  • Full repair network and equity toward instrument ownership

Important:
Avoid purchasing low-cost instruments from Amazon or similar retailers. These often malfunction quickly and are not repairable.

If you already own an instrument or prefer to rent elsewhere, that’s perfectly fine—as long as the instrument is high quality and in good working condition.

🧾 Other Costs

Expect minor additional expenses for items like:

  • Sheet music

  • Instrument accessories (e.g., reeds for woodwinds)

We also recommend purchasing the instrument care kit when available—it includes essential maintenance tools and is genuinely useful.

📚 Academic Responsibility

Since rehearsals take place during school hours, students are responsible for making up any missed classwork.

🏠 Practice Expectations

All orchestral instruments take time and patience to master. To truly enjoy and progress in music, we recommend:

  • Practicing at least 4 times per week

  • Approx. 30 minutes per session (adjusted by age and attention span)

We’re excited to work with your student and help them grow as a young musician!
Let’s make music together