Festival Season

Festival season is approaching very soon.  All 7th and 8th grade students will have their Pre-Festival Concert Thursday, February 25th at 7pm in the Theatre.  The purpose of this performance is to provide students with a sneak peek of what the real Large Group Performance Evaluation will be like.  Festival is basically like the CRCT of the music world and students will be judged on many different levels to determine if we are Superior (I), Excellent (II), Good (III), Fair (IV), or Poor (V).

All students must participate in Festival and permission slips are due Thursday, February 25th.  The cost for food and registration is $5, which needs to be paid by the 25th as well.  Parents are welcome to attend the event and/ or chaperone the event.  I have sent home information letters and permission slips with all details but just in case you may find them on the right side of the Main Blog.  I have also provided basic information below as well.

Students may bring electronics on this field trip because we will leave Awtrey at 5:30 and not return until 9:30pm.    Any student wishing to leave after their performance/ sight-reading from Lovinggood must see MC (with their parent) prior to their leaving.

Thursday, March 11th (Lovinggood Middle School)
8th Grade Orchestra:  6:40 performance time
Full Symphony:         8:20 performance time

Thursday, March 18th  (Lovinggood Middle School)
7th Grade (4th period) Orchestra:  6:40 performance time
7th Grade (5th period) Orchestra:  8:00 performance time

If you are a parent who would like to ride the bus as a chaperone or drive large instruments either turn in the forms with your child or send me an email.

Black History Program

All Orchestra students who attend and write a critique of the Black History Program will receive 5 points extra credit added to their grade.  You must critique each section (as outlined in the program) of the play and end with a synopsis of specific things you learned.

Full Symphony

Full Symphony (string players only) will rehearse on Tuesday, February 16th at 8am in the Orchestra room.  All students need to be present and on time because we are preparing for Disney as well as your festival adjudication.

Warm-ups

Due to festival preparation there will be no more Warm-ups until after Spring Break.  If you have missed a warm-up you have until February 19th to get it to me.
8th grade will still have their terms test on Tuesday the 16th,  so make sure you are studying your terms.

DO YOU NEED SOMETHING FROM ME?

Please check your blog for the new MC I NEED FORM.  The purpose of this form is so that students and/ or parents can let me know of anything they need from me electronically.  Students can get extra music, assignments, schedule extra help, or anything else they might need from me.  I will get back to you within two days with a response.

I hope this makes me more available to you and if you have any comments let me know those as well.

Violin Full Symphony Rehearsal

ALL FULL SYMPHONY VIOLINS HAVE A REHEARSAL TUESDAY MORNING AT 8:15 in the Orchestra room since you were not prepared for today's rehearsal.

Seating Auditions are Coming

Seating Auditions will be the first week in February.  These auditions will be judged by another Director and students will receive comments based upon their performance and level of professionalism.  Stay tuned for further details.

Practice Techniques

#1:  Sing, Count, Clap

#2:  Pluck and Air Bow

#3:  Arco--begin slow and gradually get faster

#4:  Add-A-Note/ Measure/ Phrase

#5:  Listen to a Recording and then record yourself

#6:  Work with someone else

DARIUS GOES WEST

This month the Jr. Beta Club is helping to promote awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  You can help the Jr. Beta Club by bringing in money for your home room and voting on-line for the Darius Goes West Inc., the movie we have been watching in advisory this month.  Please go to this website and click on the link to VOTE for DGW on Facebook for the Chase Bank Giveaway helping this organization win $1,000,000!
http://www.dariusgoeswest.org/vote

Grades

I am in the process of updating grades in Pinnnacle.  I should have all grades in no later than Friday so, if there is a problem with your child's grade as of Friday please let me know.

6th Grade and Paper Towels

ALL 6TH GRADE STUDENTS NEED TO BRING A PAPER TOWEL ROLL OR TOILET PAPER ROLL AND A RUBBER BAND NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY.

Shifting Focus

For the entire month of January all 7th and 8th grade students will be focusing on proper shifting techniques, recognizing finger patterns in higher positions, and applying shifting techniques to their music.  I have created shifting finger pattern charts that are located on each grade level blog so that students have a visual to assist them at home.  If your child is having issues please have them see MC for extra help.

8th Grade Scale Tests

Due to the weather if there is any 8th grade student that needs to take their scales test, they have until Tuesday morning.  Remember that no tests will be taken during class however students may record or come in on their own time (before school, during lunch, or afterschool) to complete this assignment.

6th Grade Practice Log

6th grade students say GOODBYE to Orkadork Powers and HELLO to Practice Logs.  Practice Logs will work like so:

• You must practice at least 20 minutes daily
• You can choose what you want to practice but you need to practice your music for class
• It is due EVERY FRIDAY in the folder on the wall near the out door...YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A VERBAL REMINDER
• Your parents must sign it verifying that the info is true....NO SIGNATURE= LOSS OF POINTS
• You must have a weekly practice goal, tell me what you practiced, and what techniques you used
• You must complete a weekly practice reflection (ON THE BACK)
• You must cut your practice log out and turn in the appropriate week
• NO NAME=NO GRADE

New Late Work Policy

Effective today any student turning in late work will have only two weeks after the due date to turn the assignment in for a grade and a loss of 6 conduct points per assignment.  If the student for any reason fails to complete the assignment after two weeks then they will receive no credit for the assignment.  All late work can be found on the grade level blog and it is the student's responsibility to obtain the assignment.  MC WILL NOT GIVE YOU AN EXTRA COPY!

8th Grade Orchestra

This is a reminder that you have your scales test tomorrow (TUESDAY, JANUARY 5TH).  Check your blog for a list of the scales that you are expected to play proficiently along with the two scale maps.

Fundraising Update

Any student missing their all or part of their fundraising needs to email or see MC ASAP!  I will be contacting the fundraising company on Tuesday to update them on what is needed and then I will let you know when you can expect your remaining products.

Thanks for your patience in this matter.

Scales Test

All grades have a scales test that they must take this week!    This test includes playing the specified scales below along with completing the corresponding scale map.
6th Grade:  D and G Major scales w/ scale map.
7th Grade:  C, G, D, A, F, and B-flat
                   4th Period Scale Map:  D (two octaves-violin), G (two octaves-viola/cello/bass), and F (one            octave--all instruments)
                   5th Period Scale Map:  F and B-Flat
8th Grade:  C, G, D, A, F, and B-flat (two octaves)
                   Scale Map:  D and F (violin) and G and B-flat(viola/cello/bass)

FUNDRAISER WILL BE IN ON THE DEC. 16TH

The fundraiser will be in on Wednesday, December 16th!!!  I will need some parent help to sort the products by student and pass them out, especially to the 6th grade students.

Concert

YOU GUYS DID AN AMAZING JOB LAST NIGHT!!!!!  I AM SO PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR HARDWORK.....IT DEFINITELY PAID OFF : )