Pfabe’s Music in Painesville holds open house for students

Elementary school students had the opportunity to experiment with different musical instruments to help them decide which to play.

Under the guidance of professional musicians, approximately 40 students from Lake and Geauga counties tried out flutes, clarinets, trumpets, saxophones, trombones, along with percussion and string instruments such as violin, viola and the cello during Pfabe’s Music open house on May 12.

John Eicher, owner of Pfabe’s Music, described the open house as a way of helping the elementary and middle schools with their recruiting.

“This is the time of the year when kids — typically fourth or fifth grade — try to decide if they want to do beginning band next year,” Eicher said.

There are a couple of reasons why it is beneficial for students to have the opportunity to explore a variety of instruments, according to Eicher.

“One is that they may naturally have an ability for one instrument versus another,” Eicher said. “They also get to hear the different sounds of an instrument, sometimes you don’t want to play an instrument if you don’t like listening to it.”

Another reason is that it gives the students a little bit more time to decide.

“A lot of them may have a brother or sister that plays an instrument so they may be familiar with one instrument, but might not know another,” Eicher said. “For some may be their first introduction into trying a musical instrument.”

Another reason Eicher feels this would be helpful is because Riverside and Chardon school districts require students to choose between band or choir, so the open house gives them a chance to try instruments and decide if they want to play an instrument or go to the choir.

The event also gives parents a chance to figure out the process of renting an instrument, Eicher said.

Pfabe’s Music does this every year and they started doing it on Mother’s Day and giving flowers to the moms to make it extra special for them, according to Eicher.

Sarah Harrigan, 10, of Painesville is currently trying to decide between a saxophone, a clarinet, or percussion instrument like the bells.

“It was great, I loved it,” Sarah said of experimenting with the instruments.

Sarah is has already played the violin and sings so she is looking to try something different.

Emily Morgan, 10, who attended the open house with her mom Sandy, is considering the trumpet or the clarinet.

Morgan liked the event and thought it was good that Emily was able to try different instruments and see which one she would be more interested in.

Maria Strickland of Painesville thought the explanation given by the instructors was helpful. Students were told to keep in mind that the instrument they choose should be something that they can be able to carry back and forth to band class.

Strickland’s son Riley really wanted to try the flute or clarinet, but now seems to be leaning towards the trumpet or the trombone. They are still deciding, Strickland said, but figures it will probably be the trumpet or trombone.

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