FAQ - Joining The Eternity Band

The Eternity Band was started as the school band of Challenger School Ardenwood in 2018.  To expand our talent pool and performance opportunities, we left Challenger School in 2019 and became a private organization.

As of May of 2024, we have four bands

2 high school bands ( Audacity 21 / 23 ) and 2 middle school bands ( 8th Grade Band and 5-7th Grade Band ).

Our students are from 10+ different schools and we perform 70+ concerts a year across the Bay Area, which include about a dozen full length band concert, a dozen Lunar New Year / Moon Festival / Diwali cultural variety shows,  and 50 community concerts. ( Library Music Hour in collaboration with AC Library and Music by the Track in collaboration with BART. )

As the most influential student band in the San Francisco Bay Area, we generate numerous Presidential Volunteer Service Award medalists every year and are commented by local governments and state assembly / senate.

We also operate online tutoring center, student art group, environmental clean up, charitable fundraisers, and many other social projects.   

More information can be found on our website

Eternity Band     www.eternityband.org

Online Academic Tutoring Center & Academic Volunteer Projects     https://goaudacity.com

Federal 501c3 Nonprofit Organization    https://funyouth.us/

YouTube Channel    www.youtube.com/c/eternityband

News & Announcements    https://www.facebook.com/theeternityband

Member Original Music Scores    https://musescore.com/eternityband  

– Members play what they like

– We integrate any instrument

– Scores are written to members’ skill level

– Create social impact and develop musicianship / friendship through 70+ shows every year (www.eternityband.org/events)

– A musical path from middle school to college

– In house academic partnership and tutoring center (www.goaudacity.com)

– A variety of other volunteer activities geared towards social impact and college applications (www.funyouth.us)

The Eternity Band is a private partnership between band organizers and band members.  The Band is a democratic institution run by band organizers, band leaders and band members, who collectively determine our programs and directions.  Each of our bands elects its own leader who carries various duties in his / her own band.

To allow students to visualize the impact of their music skills, to provide motivation to practice music, to foster musicianship through frequent stage experience and have fun in the process

To provide a platform for peer-to-peer friendship and academic partnership, and shepherd students through tumultuous teenage years

To provide the opportunities to practice teamwork, self-determination, responsibilities and commitment

To provide volunteer activities opportunities and create active connections with the society that supports college application

Members of each of our bands propose their favorite music to their band ballot and determine their programs through votes.  Members’ original compositions are given priority.

The band organizers and senior band members write scores for band members according to instrument compositions of each band and each members’ current skill levels.

We have a sizable network of performance agencies, school districts, governments, libraries, senior centers and charitable organizations.  We also have a concert request form mechanism on  our website, through which organizations / institutions can request concerts from us. 

Each band performs on average 6-7 full length band concerts every year. Mini ensembles and soloists can choose to perform at all our 70+ community shows each year.

All student musicians between 5-11th grade. who resides between Hayward and Fremont, has 3+ years of continuous training in vocal or a single instrument and has a desire to impact the real world, can join the Eternity Band

We recruit our members through social media, word of mouth and even public performances.

We require all members to join the band through their free will, maintain good standing in school, take responsibility for their own affairs and commitment and be kind to others in the band family.

Practice — 20+ minutes daily

Weekly recording submission — 15+ minutes per week

Weekly rehearsal — 1.5 hours per week

1+ concert every 2 months — 2.5 hous

FUN Youth is our own federal 501(c)(3) non profit organization that approves and supports student activities and events, record / service volunteer hours and administrate PVSA awards.  More information at www.funyouth.us

Audacity Academy is an “open / free to all” year round online tutoring center run by our high school members that teaches dozens of middle and high school subjects.  It also runs our charity events, fundraisers, academic seminars, and other high school-oriented projects.  More information at www.goaudacity.com

ColorVision is our student art group. We do commission work, such as street art and murals, for public institutions and use our earning towards charitable causes.  More information at www.funyouth.us/art

To recognize our members’ positive impact on the community, almost all activities run by the Eternity Band, Audacity Academy, ColorVision and Fun Youth counts as volunteer hours.  We offer 600+ hours of annual volunteer opportunities across our organization.  In 2023-2024 PVSA year, our collective total volunteer hours exceed 10,000!  

There is a monthly band membership in 10 months of the year.  (Between September through May)  Band membership is suspended in June and July. 

The Eternity Band was initially free like Audacity Academy.  But it became a problem for the team when some members just want to take advantage of free resources but not keep up with the commitments.  So the membership is there to remind everyone of their commitment, and also to pay for shared equipment, supplies, materials, subscriptions and websites.

Band rehearsal is only about 1 hour per week and every minute of that time of this shared time is devoted to practicing ensemble.  Band organizers / leaders will point out problems in playing or singing, and the student is expected to resolve the problems on their own with the help with a 3rd party teacher with their own time.  

No, the Band does not provide individual instruments / equipment.  But the Band will make recommendations of necessary instruments / equipment and provide necessary connections to shared equipment.

First email music@eternityband.org or pm through social media the link to your recording on cloud or Youtube, along with the score if you have it.

If we determine you meet our standard, we will provide an audition form for you to fill complete information and go from there.