Welcome, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School families!

Starting in Fall 2026, Encore Ensembles will partner with

St. Francis Xavier in Buffalo to provide band lessons and rehearsals at your school.

Encore Ensembles is a tuition based program. St. Francis Xavier has generously offered to pay for 2/3 of the band tuition costs.

NOTE: families are expected to provide the band instrument and supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What fees can I expect?

Annually, the band tuition is $600.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School will pay $400 per student annually.

Families will be responsible for the remaining $200.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School band students will also be invited to participate in Encore Ensembles’ Band Festival and Honor Band, which have small fees of $25-35.

Who will our band director be?

Mr. Nelson Penserga will be teaching at St. Francis Xavier.

What day will band be at my school? What will the schedule look like?

The lessons will take place in the afternoons, Wednesdays - Fridays. The exact schedule will be finalized before the first week of band.

The original instrument we chose isn’t a good fit. Can my child switch instruments?

We recommend at least 8 weeks of lessons on their first choice instrument before making a switch. If the instrument your child originally selected is not a great fit, that is no problem! Please talk to your band director to discuss changing instruments. Many music stores with rent-to-own programs offer instrument switches.

To sign up for band in fall 2026, please fill out the following form: