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Instrumental Music Information

The Meriden Public School System is proud to offer an array of music education experiences for your son or daughter at each grade level. As a department rooted in the concepts of 21st century skills, our department is actively growing and developing to meet the needs of our students.

As part of our comprehensive music program, we offer instrumental music instruction in grades 4 through 12. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this program starting in fourth grade in order to maximize their musical understanding and gain valuable experience in leadership, discipline and teamwork in ways that only performance-based ensembles can provide.

Once you have decided to enroll your son/daughter, the next step is acquiring an instrument for his/her use. You have several options. Instruments can be rented from the district (see details on the sign-up form), you can rent-to-own an instrument from a music store, or you can purchase an instrument from a store.

PLEASE NOTE: If you intend to rent-to-own or purchase an instrument, please talk to your son/daughters prospective music teacher prior to making a purchase or signing a contract. There are many deceiving products on the market; many that will not work for your son/daughter, will cost you too much money, or will not last. Please also consult a teacher before purchasing anything online or engaging in an online auction.

If your son/daughter plans to play percussion: All percussion students will be required to rent or purchase a percussion combo kit. The district does not offer these to rent so all rentals and purchases must be done through an area music store. Teachers will be happy to provide you with a suggested store to visit if needed.

An instrument and a method book are the two requirements students need in order to participate in instrumental music in the Meriden Public Schools. There are several options available to obtain an instrument listed below. Method books are provided by the district at no cost to the student.

Parents/Guardians have several options when considering the rental or purchase of a musical instrument. 

  1. Rent through the Meriden Public Schools
    1. Is the most economical approach to acquiring an instrument for your student. Instruments are rented for a $70 annual fee and can be obtained by filling out the registration fom on this website. A link to the form is at the bottom of this page. We do have a limited quantity of instruments, and instruments are of varying quality. It is recommended that beginning students consider this option and more advanced students consider purchasing an instrument of their own. 
  2. Rent through a music store
    1. Is a popular option for all levels of students. Information on this option can be obtained from local music stores or by contacting your music teacher. Please note when considering a store to rent from: Each school in the Meriden School District works with one or more music store for their repair needs. Schools often have music stores that come to the school to pick-up instruments in need of servicing. Students who rent from these stores can take advantage of pick-up and delivery at their school, warranty repairs and a free loaner instrument while their rental is being repaired. See your music teacher for recommendations and details. 
  3. Purchase a new or used instrument
    1. is a great option if you are careful. While there are great instruments on the market today, there are many "deals" out there that can be very deceiving. Here are a few suggestions to help ensure that you get what you son/daughter needs:
  • Do not purchase anything without consulting with a music teacher first. Make sure that you know exactly what your student needs before you shop. In many cases, the teacher may have suggestions on where to get the right product, where to get a deal or other advice that can help you obtain the correct instrument.
  • Purchase an instrument through a music store. Make sure you are getting a repair warranty along with your purchase. There are a lot of places that sell instruments these days. Many instruments sold at big box stores and other non-music stores will not be repairable by repair facilities and will end up not lasting very long. Always consider what type of store you are purchasing from, the warranty they offer and whether or not they service instruments ON LOCATION.
  • Be very cautious when considering instruments through online auctions. There is a lot of false information and endless amounts of false advertising online. Only consider instruments through an auction if you are well-versed on the product and you know exactly what you are getting.
  • Used instruments from the right store can be a great way to get a good instrument at a reasonable price. A used instrument that has been properly serviced can be as good or better than a new instrument. See your teacher for details.

The music department within the Meriden Public Schools is a great place for your son/daughter to learn and grow and we are excited to have you and your family join us. We look forward to working with you and thank you for your interest in music education in Meriden.

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