Overview

Students are required to have an instrument to take part in the Elementary Band and Strings Program. Students can rent or purchase an instrument from a local music store or rent an instrument from the NVSD Instrument Collection.

Choosing an Instrument

Instrument choice is made based on a variety of parameters such as:

• Size suitability
  
• The instrument's physical demands
  
• The need for ensemble balance
  

Students in a band or strings ensemble have a variety of instruments to choose from:

• Band Program: Flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone, euphonium, tuba, and percussion. 
  
• Strings Program: Violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
  

Band and Strings teachers will distribute information about instrument selection and availability in the spring and will be in contact with students to finalize their instrument selection leading up to the 2025/26 school year. Please note, piano and acoustic guitar are not part of the Band and Strings program.

NVSD Instrument Collection

The NVSD Instrument Collection is pleased to have an inventory of quality musical instruments available to students at a subsidized cost. The more specialized instruments (Tier 2) in particular, represent a significant cost savings over what is commercially available.

User fee and damage deposit 

Instrument user fees are categorized into two tiers. This fee is the cost of using the instrument and is based on maintenance, sanitization and instrument replacement.

• Tier 1: $195
• Flute, trumpet, clarinet, trombone, violin, viola
  
• Tier 2: $250
• Oboe, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, French horn, baritone, euphonium, tuba, cello

Please note, these fees are for the 2025/26 school year. The fee is a set cost for the entirety of the program, regardless of the length of time the instrument is rented for within that year (E.g., if your child withdrew before the year was over). The Band and Strings Program does NOT rent instruments on a monthly basis. If the instrument is returned throughout the year there will be a $50 cleaning fee charged to ensure the instrument is cleaned for use by another NVSD student and partial refunds will be prorated for how long the family had the instrument + the $50 cleaning fee.

In addition to the user fee, a damage deposit of $100 is required to use an instrument from the NVSD Instrument Collection. The deposit will be refunded in the summer of 2025 to the original payment method if the instrument is returned no later than June 1, 2025 and there has been no student damage to the instrument. If there is an issue with refunding to the original payment method, the district will issue a cheque that will be mailed out to families in the fall. The NVSD covers the cost of any repairs due to normal instrument wear and tear.

Students may keep their instruments over the summer if they have paid the user fee for the 2025/26 school year.

Mid-Year Repairs

You can also view these steps in the NVSD Mid-Year Instrument Repair flowchart.

1. Student shows instrument to their Band or Strings teacher.
2. If the Band or Strings teacher is unable to fix the instrument, contact instruments@sd44.ca. The instrument repair will be approved or they will tell you if there is an alternate instrument available.
   
3. If they approved the repair, bring the instrument to Long and McQuade (1363 Main Street, North Vancouver) and they will facilitate the repair. They will only accept instruments and repairs that are approved. Any damage deemed outside of regular wear and tear is charged back to the student’s damage deposit.
   
4. Let Long and McQuade know that this is a repair on an NVSD Elementary Band & Strings instrument. Ask Long and McQuade to call you (the parent) when the instrument is repaired.
5. Pick up the instrument from Long and McQuade. Do not pay anything at Long and McQuade! If the repair is due to wear and tear, NVSD will pay for the repair. This is often the case. If the instrument has been damaged by the student, the repair will be taken off the instrument damage deposit or you will be billed by the NVSD.

Withdrawals

If your child withdrew from the Band & Strings program before the end of the year and used an instrument from the NVSD Instrument Collection, please email instruments@sd44.ca.

Instruments can be returned to the Education Services Centre reception. Please visit the Office Hours web page for the Educational Services Centre address and public hours.

Donations 

If you have an instrument you would like to donate, please contact instruments@sd44.ca. Thank you for your generous donation.

Questions? 

If you have questions or require more information about instruments, please contact instruments@sd44.ca.