DD9 is currently making this choice but she has to pick a first choice, second choice, etc. She is currently taking piano and I thought viola would make a good alternative to violin, but then realized it reads alto clef. I thought that would be way too confusing since she's trying to learn piano, which reads treble and bass. We put violin as first choice, cello as second (cello uses bass clef). The teacher told her that way too many people chose violin as first choice and there are not enough cellos so if she doesn't get violin in the lottery she will be stuck with cello. I think it can be sized down but not sure how this works. I'm not relishing the idea of dragging a cello around.
I played clarinet and later on, trumpet, in school (clarinet in college as well). Clarinet is a "squeaky" instrument and so many people make it sound horrible. I would stay away from it unless your child really wants to play it. I always wished I had played oboe instead. Trumpet was Ok but takes a lot of breath and really strong lips.
They allow 4th graders to play strings, but no wind instruments til 5th grade. The lottery instruments (meaning too many people chose them, at least this year) were flute, violin, viola and percussion.
