All 7th grade Orchestra students will have a daily assignment with the following questions:

What is the key signature of C major, G major, and D major

Identify the key signatures of C major, G major, and D major

Write the one octave scale (including the key signature) for C major, G major, and D major.

The purpose of this assessment is to ingrain in every child's mind the key signatures for C major (no sharps, no flats), G major (1 sharp-F#) and D major ( 2 sharps- F# and C#).  This is something they learned in 6th grade and it really should be routine to students by now.

7th Grade To Do List

All students need to be practicing the following:

1. Goblin Dance---the entire piece must be memorized...cellos need a lot of work on just playing the opening ostinato several times without stopping
2. Secret Agent--violins need to work on their melody sections....intonation especially in the 1st violins......2nd violins just need more confidence in your playing (use more bow--play it LOUD AND PROUD)
3. Finale--Coda, especially at 54 to the end....brush stroke on the 8th notes and make sure you are only loud when you have the melody (THIS IS YOUR SMART MUSIC ASSIGNMENT)
4. Brewster Bears--55 to the end....practice this section slowly gradually getting faster for cleanliness (this means you can hear every note)

Try listening to the recordings on a previous blog post so that you know what these pieces are supposed to sound like.

Teamwork is the theme

7th Grade

Tuesday you all will have a CA (classwork assessment) on Brewster Bears from the 33-51.  The purpose of this CA is for you to play together as an ensemble which means there will be a metronome and rushing will have a large impact on your grade.  You will play this by stand with one stand from each section.

8th Grade

Tuesday you will have a CA (classwork assessment) on Prelude from the beginning to measure 19.  The purpose of this CA is for you to play together as an ensemble, which means there will be a metronome and rushing will have a large impact on your grade.  You will play this by stand with one stand from each section.

Wednesday we will all do a listening log on a piece of music within the styles that we are playing in class.  We will also work on scales and shifting in 7th and 8th grade classes so bring your book.

7th and 8th Grade Concert Music

Croc Rock
Toccata

Furiant

Listen to the music above, compare and contrast your sound.  What can you do to sound like the recording?  They use vibrato, exaggerate dynamics/ articulations, and most importantly they are always aware of who has the melody.  Try to play along with the recording, does it help you, how, and why?

Turn in detailed answers to these questions for extra credit on your practice log.

Practice Log

7th and 8th grade Orchestra students have a new practice log that will guide their practice during the week.  All students must practice what is given to them on the specific days and this is due Monday, March 24th.  The only day that your child is not required to practice this week is Friday because everyone needs a break.  Students cannot make up practice for days missed although if a child speaks with me individually about a conflict then I am open to compromise.

 

I WILL NOT ACCEPT THEM LATE OR WITHOUT A PARENT SIGNATURE!

7th Grade Orchestra

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.................

CONGRATULATIONS TO HOLLY FOR BEING NOMINATED 7TH GRADE STUDENT OF THE MONTH!!!

What is student of the month?

It is an honor given to students by their peers.  Students vote for the student who they feel has the strongest leadership and organization skills.   The student of the month leads students in their tuning and daily warmups.  

7th Grade Festival Music

Furioso

Gypsy Rover- click on the Real Music file to listen to this piece

Summer Stomp

Here is your festival music, we have two weeks until your concert and one month until festival,

WILL YOU BE READY???

Listen to these pieces and try to match the same bow articulations and dynamics that you hear.

7th Grade Festival Music

Here are the links so that you can listen to your festival music:

Gypsy Rover

Try to play along with the recordings and see how well you do. Can you match their tempo, intonation, rhythms, bow articulations, and dynmaics? If you can then you are ready for festival, if not then you know what you need to practice : )

7th Grade Orchestra

You have your first concert on Thurday and I cannot wait! You all have done such a great job preparing for this concert. We have progressed so much since the beginning of the school year. We will be playing:

Bow Regards, Fancy Fiddles, Avatar, Accents, and Jericho (not in this order)...do u guys remember when you thought Bow Regards was hard?

You really need to focus on Avatar-- measure 29 for the cello and basses....i know it's good but you have to play it together and you have to play louder. 2nds measure 43 to the end, THIS IS YOUR MELODY SO PLAY OUT!!!! All my little minions make sure that you are playing at the tip and that it is very staccato actually marcato (marked)--this is the candy word of the week!

Jericho make sure that you are playing in the correct style, this is a piece with a lot of jazz elements so, if it is supposed to be swung then swing those eighth notes hard and when it is straight make sure you pluck those eighths notes in a line. (hehehe) Everyone needs to work from 43 to the end and focus on intonation throughout the entire piece.....all of your accidentals and half steps should be marked in your music. It is not good enough if your fingers are close, they must either be smashed together or far apart!

Accents is really good but we need more dramatic dynamics so when it is piano make sure that it is really quiet with your bow on highway one. When there is a crescendo gradually use more bow and when it is FORTE.....BREAK SOME BOW HAIRS OR EVEN BREAK A STRING!!!!!!!

7th Grade Orchestra

The cello and bass sections will have a quiz everyday this week on Avatar measures 31-38. Please make sure that you practice the fingerings carefully and slowly for exact intonation (how well you play in tune). btw--intonation is the candy word for the week.

The select 1st violins will also have an assessment everyday this week on measures 43-55 in Accents. Make sure you the remember the key signature (G major so low 2 on the "A" and "E" strings) and listen for the patten, which will make these measures easier.

CONGRATS 2ND VIOLINS YOU ARE SECTION OF THE WEEK!!!!!!!! I WILL HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU ON FRIDAY, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.

CONGRATS 7TH GRADE ON WINNING THE POLL, YOU ALL WILL RECIEVE A POPCORN PARTY IN THE COMING WEEKS.

212 Checklist: We don't stop until it's better than our BEST

For the rest of this week, we will continue polishing Avatar and Accents. Your concert is quickly approaching and we still have at least one more piece to learn. You need to be practicing all of your music so that you don't forget the small details like dynamics, bowings, and articulations. I will be giving pop quizzes on any piece of music randomly and these quizzes will either be by section or entire class. Remember we operate as a class (an ensemble) not individuals so if you cannot play it with other people; YOU CANNOT PLAY IT!!!!!

7th Grade Orchestra

Our Goal for the week: Play the first page of Momemtum perfectly, especially since the same melodic motif repeats throughout the page! What is a melodic motif, you tell me for a piece of candy but only this week!!!

Also all instruments should be practicing their Avatar melody handout so that when we rehearse this piece in class everyone is aware and comfortable with the melody.

On Friday, all sections will have a test on the F major scale, which we will be practicing in class on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also any student in need of extra help can see me at the beginning of class on Wednesday or Friday for a one-on-one session.

DON'T STRESS.......HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!!!

On Thursday there will be a Theory test on the 1st book, please make sure that you study your terms and review pages. If you know how these things then you will have no problem with this test. I will have a review session on Wednesday morning for all students interested, please arrive at 8:15am and we will finish at 8:55am.

Look Out

It's Coming!!!!!

Looking for extra credit write a story based on the sounds of Momemtum or Avatar. You must present a dramatic reading of your story for the class. Dramatic means that you change your voice depending on what is going on in the story; basically you act out your story for the class. You may also create a flip book for either Momemtum or Avatar. Both of these projects must be presented to your classmates prior to the concert.