Orchestra Notes
(this is a copy of the letter that was mailed home)
Hello! The 4th grade orchestra students are working hard on learning several new things to do using their instruments. We are now playing with confidence with the bow as well as reading notes. The hard bits are almost done! Once we are through these pieces of learning, the rest becomes easy. Thank you for supporting your musician in his or her playing and helping them find time to get together with their instrument at home. It really makes a difference in their achievement as well as their satisfaction in their studies.
This Orchestra Note comes with information need for the end of the year. One big thing is the information about the Spring Concert Season (almost here… can you believe it???). This can be found on the last page so you can take it off and post it somewhere. Other information is about music in 5th grade, signing up for an ensemble and returning your instrument for the summer. There have been several good questions being asked that I would like to share and hopefully help you through the transition to the Middle School.
If there are any questions, concerns, observations or inquiries about ANY of this information in this note, please contact me at [email protected].
Music at Deerpath Middle School….
Your student, very soon, will be encountering many different selection processes connected with middle school. Some abbreviations would be good to clarify at this point…
“DPM” or “DPME” is how the school is commonly referred to.
“General music” is offered to everybody as a regular class and participation in a performance group does not affect this. There is a General Music show that your child will be involved with during the year.
“BOC” is the shorthand for “Band Orchestra Choir”, which is like one basic class that is offered during the school day. Students may select Band, Orchestra or Choir, but they all meet at the same time, and for the benefit of all, is referred to simply as BOC. Students do not have to be in any of these groups. If they are not in BOC they stay in homeroom
“Ensemble” is that time during homeroom (half an hour at the end of the day) when BOC meet in large groups. All orchestra students in 5th grade will come together during this time to practice how to play music that is orchestra focused.
“Lesson” is a small group of like instruments that meets for 40 minutes during one Wellness period a week. During lessons, students learn specifics about playing their instrument. Cello players learn cello, trumpet players learn how to play the trumpet, etc.
Students have the opportunity to continue their orchestra studies without interruption next year. We honor the time they have spent learning the foundation to their instrument and continue learning new things. If a student is starting orchestra (which is a possibility) they will be in a separate class until they are comfortable playing with the others at their level. Orchestra students in 5th grade will play music that has different parts and is longer. We are ready for ensemble music that features the different sounds the instruments make.
Advanced students have the opportunity to participate in Pops orchestra (which is open to all students starting in 6th grade) Pops meets before school once a week and plays songs that are considered pop or rock. It is important the students have a good grasp on note reading in different keys as well as all the strings. 6th grade is a great time for this, but again, if your student has been taking private lessons and is ready, this is an option.
Sign up for 5th grade…
Students will have the opportunity to sign up for Band, Orchestra and Choir the second week of May. There will be a packet that comes home. I will email you with that time to be looking for it.
Either one is an acceptable option. There is a benefit to staying in orchestra as they have already learned the foundational “difficult bits” and are ready to do musical activities. Starting a band instrument is just that, starting. Many times musical kids want to do it all and I have found the more musical, the more they will hop from one to the other, without really getting that experience of music making because they are constantly learning the mechanics of the instrument.
Band AND Orchestra. This is not something we really encourage. While it is a great opportunity to try out something, both instruments become difficult. Because of schedule, the students who try both have one week with their band lesson and then the next with their orchestra instrument, losing 50% of the lessons on both instruments. I have only seen this work a few times and this is when both instruments were being learned outside of school (in private instruction).
Orchestra AND Choir. Because the students already have a foundation on their instrument, choir works with orchestra. There are no choir lessons for the kids so they are able to attend every lesson on their orchestra instrument and will go to choir on one ensemble day a week and Orchestra on the other ensemble day.
Instrument return…
Your instrument, that you are renting, comes with some equity. Each payment you are making, some part is applied toward a final instrument. The stores all work differently, and it is important that you understand how that works. Payment into an instrument is an investment and even if your student does not continue through high school, you can always sell the instrument. All of the stores we deal with will drop the equity back to 0 if you return for the summer. This is important to know when deciding to return for the summer or not. Stores will sometimes roll equity over to a new instrument if your child is switching. It is worth asking about.
If you are keeping your instrument for the summer, there are many opportunities around town for your student to continue playing. Many private teachers will do a summer session. Midwest Young Artists also have a summer chamber camp that is very accessible. Even if you make a time through the summer for a “concert”, it gives the musician something to work toward.
If you do plan on returning the instrument for the summer, make sure your student has already had both of their concerts. The dates are listed on the last page. Everett and Sheridan will be done with classes on May 12 and Cherokee May 19. Contact your store, as they have a process they use. All of the stores pick up at DPM in my room. Please do not leave your instrument at the elementary schools, as they will stay there are get lost.
Spring Shows!!!!!
Each school has their own Spring Show. The orchestra will be playing on the show that the 4th graders are performing on for the parents. They will need their instrument and their music on these days. They are featured in the beginning, so you will want to be there at the start!
Cherokee— May 19 afternoon; Everett—May 12 morning; Sheridan— April 21 afternoon
District Spring Orchestra Concert
May 10rth, 7:00 pm at DPM Peck Gym
Musicians arrive at 6:30 for tuning
Concert dress is dark bottoms and white tops.
Students have the opportunity to play in the large concert featuring the orchestra students from grades 4 through 8. There will be great music as well as some amazing soloists. The concert will be very close to an hour and a reception will follow. Playing in this concert is part of being in the program and it is our intention that all students will attend. We will be playing Old Mac Donald, Hot Cross Buns, Ode To Joy and Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
There will be two rehearsals for students to get together in one large group (since they only play with their school group, putting together 100 students will be different). They will gain a sense of how it will sound, experience what it means to play in a large group and they should even get their nervousness out of their system. The students will take a designated bus at 1:50 dismissal and will be transported to DPM for rehearsal. They will be released at 3:25 (before the middle school dismissal to help with congestion) and will need a ride home from a parent or pre arranged transportation with a friend. Students will need a Transportation note (or Blue note) stating they will be going to Orchestra. Give the note to the school office. If there are alternative plans for your child, please write a note for you student to keep so they know what they are to do. Nothing worse than getting to the end of the day and having a confused 10 year old not knowing what is happening. If that information is on the transportation note, they will not have it at 3:35 and neither will I.
Rehearsals
Mondays, May 1 and May 8
Students use school transportation to DPM.
Parents pick up students at 3:25 in the BACK of DPM
Students need—instrument, book, transportation note
Cello and Bass players—please drop off instrument at DPME in Mrs. Rener’s room during the day so they do not have to bring it on the bus. (there is a parent orientation May 1… a good time to drop it off…)
(this is a copy of the letter that was mailed home)
Hello! The 4th grade orchestra students are working hard on learning several new things to do using their instruments. We are now playing with confidence with the bow as well as reading notes. The hard bits are almost done! Once we are through these pieces of learning, the rest becomes easy. Thank you for supporting your musician in his or her playing and helping them find time to get together with their instrument at home. It really makes a difference in their achievement as well as their satisfaction in their studies.
This Orchestra Note comes with information need for the end of the year. One big thing is the information about the Spring Concert Season (almost here… can you believe it???). This can be found on the last page so you can take it off and post it somewhere. Other information is about music in 5th grade, signing up for an ensemble and returning your instrument for the summer. There have been several good questions being asked that I would like to share and hopefully help you through the transition to the Middle School.
If there are any questions, concerns, observations or inquiries about ANY of this information in this note, please contact me at [email protected].
Music at Deerpath Middle School….
Your student, very soon, will be encountering many different selection processes connected with middle school. Some abbreviations would be good to clarify at this point…
“DPM” or “DPME” is how the school is commonly referred to.
“General music” is offered to everybody as a regular class and participation in a performance group does not affect this. There is a General Music show that your child will be involved with during the year.
“BOC” is the shorthand for “Band Orchestra Choir”, which is like one basic class that is offered during the school day. Students may select Band, Orchestra or Choir, but they all meet at the same time, and for the benefit of all, is referred to simply as BOC. Students do not have to be in any of these groups. If they are not in BOC they stay in homeroom
“Ensemble” is that time during homeroom (half an hour at the end of the day) when BOC meet in large groups. All orchestra students in 5th grade will come together during this time to practice how to play music that is orchestra focused.
“Lesson” is a small group of like instruments that meets for 40 minutes during one Wellness period a week. During lessons, students learn specifics about playing their instrument. Cello players learn cello, trumpet players learn how to play the trumpet, etc.
Students have the opportunity to continue their orchestra studies without interruption next year. We honor the time they have spent learning the foundation to their instrument and continue learning new things. If a student is starting orchestra (which is a possibility) they will be in a separate class until they are comfortable playing with the others at their level. Orchestra students in 5th grade will play music that has different parts and is longer. We are ready for ensemble music that features the different sounds the instruments make.
Advanced students have the opportunity to participate in Pops orchestra (which is open to all students starting in 6th grade) Pops meets before school once a week and plays songs that are considered pop or rock. It is important the students have a good grasp on note reading in different keys as well as all the strings. 6th grade is a great time for this, but again, if your student has been taking private lessons and is ready, this is an option.
Sign up for 5th grade…
Students will have the opportunity to sign up for Band, Orchestra and Choir the second week of May. There will be a packet that comes home. I will email you with that time to be looking for it.
Either one is an acceptable option. There is a benefit to staying in orchestra as they have already learned the foundational “difficult bits” and are ready to do musical activities. Starting a band instrument is just that, starting. Many times musical kids want to do it all and I have found the more musical, the more they will hop from one to the other, without really getting that experience of music making because they are constantly learning the mechanics of the instrument.
Band AND Orchestra. This is not something we really encourage. While it is a great opportunity to try out something, both instruments become difficult. Because of schedule, the students who try both have one week with their band lesson and then the next with their orchestra instrument, losing 50% of the lessons on both instruments. I have only seen this work a few times and this is when both instruments were being learned outside of school (in private instruction).
Orchestra AND Choir. Because the students already have a foundation on their instrument, choir works with orchestra. There are no choir lessons for the kids so they are able to attend every lesson on their orchestra instrument and will go to choir on one ensemble day a week and Orchestra on the other ensemble day.
Instrument return…
Your instrument, that you are renting, comes with some equity. Each payment you are making, some part is applied toward a final instrument. The stores all work differently, and it is important that you understand how that works. Payment into an instrument is an investment and even if your student does not continue through high school, you can always sell the instrument. All of the stores we deal with will drop the equity back to 0 if you return for the summer. This is important to know when deciding to return for the summer or not. Stores will sometimes roll equity over to a new instrument if your child is switching. It is worth asking about.
If you are keeping your instrument for the summer, there are many opportunities around town for your student to continue playing. Many private teachers will do a summer session. Midwest Young Artists also have a summer chamber camp that is very accessible. Even if you make a time through the summer for a “concert”, it gives the musician something to work toward.
If you do plan on returning the instrument for the summer, make sure your student has already had both of their concerts. The dates are listed on the last page. Everett and Sheridan will be done with classes on May 12 and Cherokee May 19. Contact your store, as they have a process they use. All of the stores pick up at DPM in my room. Please do not leave your instrument at the elementary schools, as they will stay there are get lost.
Spring Shows!!!!!
Each school has their own Spring Show. The orchestra will be playing on the show that the 4th graders are performing on for the parents. They will need their instrument and their music on these days. They are featured in the beginning, so you will want to be there at the start!
Cherokee— May 19 afternoon; Everett—May 12 morning; Sheridan— April 21 afternoon
District Spring Orchestra Concert
May 10rth, 7:00 pm at DPM Peck Gym
Musicians arrive at 6:30 for tuning
Concert dress is dark bottoms and white tops.
Students have the opportunity to play in the large concert featuring the orchestra students from grades 4 through 8. There will be great music as well as some amazing soloists. The concert will be very close to an hour and a reception will follow. Playing in this concert is part of being in the program and it is our intention that all students will attend. We will be playing Old Mac Donald, Hot Cross Buns, Ode To Joy and Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
There will be two rehearsals for students to get together in one large group (since they only play with their school group, putting together 100 students will be different). They will gain a sense of how it will sound, experience what it means to play in a large group and they should even get their nervousness out of their system. The students will take a designated bus at 1:50 dismissal and will be transported to DPM for rehearsal. They will be released at 3:25 (before the middle school dismissal to help with congestion) and will need a ride home from a parent or pre arranged transportation with a friend. Students will need a Transportation note (or Blue note) stating they will be going to Orchestra. Give the note to the school office. If there are alternative plans for your child, please write a note for you student to keep so they know what they are to do. Nothing worse than getting to the end of the day and having a confused 10 year old not knowing what is happening. If that information is on the transportation note, they will not have it at 3:35 and neither will I.
Rehearsals
Mondays, May 1 and May 8
Students use school transportation to DPM.
Parents pick up students at 3:25 in the BACK of DPM
Students need—instrument, book, transportation note
Cello and Bass players—please drop off instrument at DPME in Mrs. Rener’s room during the day so they do not have to bring it on the bus. (there is a parent orientation May 1… a good time to drop it off…)