September 2023

Hi everyone! Look below to find the review for your orchestra. Happy Practicing!

Beginning Orchestra

This week was taping week! Everyone needs tapes on their instruments to prepare us for learning to put our fingers on the strings, so unfortunately that took a long time.

Our goal for this week is to learn the first 7 notes of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. I have explained it in this video below:

If your student is dying to know how to play the rest of that line, here are videos explaining how to play those notes — we will go through this next week, so there is no need to do it unless they really want to!

Violin:

Viola:

Cello:

We will review everything next week, so don’t give up on me! I promise it will all be easy soon enough.

Intermediate Orchestra

This week, we started our playing check-ins. Unfortunately we didn’t get to everyone, so we will do recordings next week as well. If you didn’t record your check-in last week, make sure to practice Maiden’s Rescue measures 5-13. Here’s what we did this week:

• Rustic Dance — We played from the beginning until measure 21. We also played measure 29 to the end — although the end is a little bit different, everything else is the same as the beginning! As a heads up, our playing check-in for October will be in Rustic Dance: measures 21-29.
• Rain Dribs — This is sounding great! This week, we learned from the beginning until measure 21.
• Maiden’s Rescue — We practiced from the beginning until 21.
• Christmas Train — We didn’t get to this this week, but make sure to still practice it at home! Please try to practice through to measure 23.

Advanced Orchestra

We started our playing check-ins this week, but unfortunately we didn’t get to everyone. We will finish the recordings next week and then I will let you all know where you sit the week after. If you didn’t record this week, make sure to prepare Fantasy on Greensleeves — violins will play measures 5-21 and violas and cellos will play measures 37-53. Here’s what we did this week:

• Appalachian Hymn — Well, you guys are too good and we kind of played through the whole thing. We don’t know measure 65 to the end as well since we just sightread it, but you all will be ready on this one way too soon!
• Beyond the Thunder — We learned from the beginning until measure 46.
• Velocity — We practiced until about measure 37. Seconds and violas, you need to practice from measure 25 to 45. This will be your most difficult part! Our October playing check in for 2nds and violas will be measures 37-45. 1st violins, yours will be measures 45-53 and cellos, your will be measure 17-25.
• Fantasy on Greensleeves — We sightread the whole thing at the end, but didn’t spend a ton of time practicing it.

Hi everyone! Look for your orchestra to see what we did on Monday:

Beginning Orchestra

This week, we learned how to use our bows!

Bows are really tricky, and this is where the scratching and screeching may come into play! There are a few things that are difficult in this stage:

• Playing the correct string/only one string at a time
• Keeping your bow straight and away from the bridge (it is really squeaky if it is near the bridge!)
• Learning to use the sideways motion of the bow rather than push or use very little bow

We will continue to work on these things, but don’t be surprised if your student is a little discouraged at this stage. The best thing they can do is to practice! They will start to get it after a while.

This week, students should practice pages 4 and 5, but with the bow.

Intermediate Orchestra

Our first playing check-in is next week! You will go to a practice room and record yourself playing measures 5 through 13 of Maiden’s Rescue. This will help me know what we need to work on and also determine where you sit in the orchestra. Be sure to practice!

This is what we practiced on Monday:

• Maiden’s Rescue: Measures 5-13
• The Christmas Train: Measures 1-15
• Rain Dribs: Measures 1-13
• Rustic Dance: Measures 1-13

Advanced Orchestra

Our first playing check-in is next week! You will go to a practice room and record yourself playing an excerpt from Fantasy on Greensleeves. You will play these excerpts, based on your instument:

• Violins: Measures 5- 21
• Violas and Cellos: Measures 37-53

This will help me know what we need to work on and also determine where you sit in the orchestra. Be sure to practice!

This is what we practiced on Monday:

• Fantasy on Greensleeves: Measures 1-53
• Beyond the Thunder: Measures 13-29
• Appalachian Hymn: Measures 1-33
• Velocity: Measures 1-25

Happy Practicing!