Rehearsal Review 11/8
Hi everyone!
Look below to see the review for your orchestra. Our concert is coming up quickly, so be sure to practice at home!
Beginning Orchestra
We began our rehearsal by reviewing the pieces we already know — Twinkle Twinkle, Rolling Along (aka Mary Had a Little Lamb), and Lightly Row.
Once those were going well, we learned about the notes on the A string from pages 10 and 11. Here are some videos about how to play the “A ladder” on different instruments:
Try to start memorizing where these notes are now, because pretty soon the names of the notes won’t be inside of the noteheads!
Intermediate Orchestra
We gave out new seating charts this week, so thank you to all of you who recorded playing check-ins! We will have only one more playing check-in, focusing on The Christmas Train. The violins and violas will record measures 15-23, and the cellos and bass will record measures 23-33. We will start recording the playing check-ins after Thanksgiving Break.
Here is what we did in rehearsal:
- Rustic Dance — We haven’t focused on this one for a while, so I wanted to makes sure we got to it today. The section between 21 and 29 is sounding a lot better! We definitely need to work on some confidence, especially with the 2nds and the violas. We then worked on having really big dynamic contrasts between measure 29 and 45 — if we only do it halfway, it’ll sound like a mistake! So we need to make those sound really dramatic.
- The Christmas Train — We worked on this for a while, mainly focusing on measures 15-33. Make sure you know these measures! We also had to work on watching me in the beginning and at the end.
- Maiden’s Rescue — This is sounding great! We had to work on the violins and violas not tuning out between 13 and 21 while they have half notes, but once I pointed it out they had no problems. I will bring pencils next week and hopefully we can write in some dynamics to make it more interesting.
- Rain Dribs — We only had time to quickly run through this, but I would like to work on it more in detail in the coming weeks.
Advanced Orchestra
We gave out new seating charts this week, so thank you to all of you who recorded playing check-ins! We will have only one more playing check-in, focusing on Beyond the Thunder. The 1st violins will record measures 62-end, the 2nds and violas will record measures 46-54, and the cellos and bass will record measures 29-37. We will start recording the playing check-ins after Thanksgiving Break.
Also, we are having a party next week! We are extremely prepared and still have several rehearsals left, so we are going to have a pre-Thanksgiving party. Bring a snack or treat to share if you would like, and I will bring some small group music that people can try out. You deserve a break!
Here is what we rehearsed this week:
- Beyond the Thunder — This is sounding great! We had to work a bit on 46-54, mainly because the rhythms are a little weird. The 2nds and violas are doing something totally different from the 1sts and it’s confusing! Other than that, this one is sounding great.
- Appalachian Hymn — I LOVE THIS ONE! And you all are playing it so well. We worked with the violins and violas on measures 69-71 because we had some intonation problems, but other than that I feel like we are ready.
- Velocity — We are losing our tempo sometimes, and I think it’s because our quarter notes are a bit too long. And 2nd violins, don’t forget to be super strong on measures 25-28 — that’s my favorite part!
- Fantasy on Greensleeves — We just played through this one. It’s sounding great, but I have to figure out a way to make it more interesting! You all have done your job, though 🙂
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Review from 10/9 — No rehearsal next week!
Hi everyone!
Look below to find the review for your orchestra. We will not be having rehearsal on Monday, October 16th. Our next rehearsal will be on Monday, October 23rd. Make sure to practice in the meantime!
Beginning Orchestra
On Monday, we worked on the lines we know from Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and learned the 3rd and final line. I know that many people were a bit confused, so here are some videos explaining it, as well as music sheets you can use to practice at home:
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is also in your book under the name “A Mozart Melody” on page 15.
We also started learning Mary Had a Little Lamb, which can be found in your book under the name “Rolling Along” on page 8. I have made it easier to read in the sheets below:
Intermediate Orchestra
This week, I announced the results of our playing check-ins and we had a map of where everyone is sitting. Overall, I was very proud of how you all did with the playing check-in! If you aren’t happy with where you are sitting, make sure to practice for the next one. We will start recording for the next playing check-in at our next rehearsal on Monday, October 23rd. Students will be playing measures 21-29 of Rustic Dance. Students who choose not to make a recording will sit behind those who do, so be brave and make it happen!
Here is what we did in our rehearsal:
- Rustic Dance — We played the whole thing! We worked a good amount on measures 21-29, since we will be playing those for the playing check-in.
- Maiden’s Rescue — We also played through this whole song! We definitely need more detail work on it, but you should be able to practice the whole thing. Violas and cellos, make sure to practice measures 33 through 35 because they are a very important counter melody.
- First Finger Suite — We worked on getting used to how this one sounds and making sure everyone is coming in at the right time. It’s a lot easier now that everyone is sitting in their proper section!
- The Christmas Train — We didn’t get much time to work on this, so we will make sure to practice it a lot next week.
Advanced Orchestra
This week, I announced the results of our playing check-ins and we had a map of where everyone is sitting. Overall, I was very proud of how you all did with the playing check-in! If you aren’t happy with where you are sitting, make sure to practice for the next one. We will start recording for the next playing check-in at our next rehearsal on Monday, October 23rd. This month’s playing check ins will be in Velocity, in the following sections:
- 1st Violins: measures 45-53
- 2nd Violins and Violas: measures 37-45
- Cellos: measures 17-25
Students who don’t record a video will be sat behind those who do, so make sure to record a video this time! Here is what we worked on on Monday:
- Velocity — I wanted to make sure we worked on this a lot this week, and we did! We worked on a lot of the details between measure 37 and measure 53.
- Fantasy on Greensleeves — This already sounds so great! We decided to do the bowing as written, rather than the changes I had made a couple of weeks ago. Sorry for switching it up on you! I also did a quick overview of the vibrato technique — try it out and see if you can get a little wiggle in there!
- Appalachian Hymn — 2nds you did such a great job from 49-57! I don’t think I will have to stick violas on that part after all. We are working on intonation and big dynamic contrasts.
- Beyond the Thunder — We didn’t get to this one this week, so we will hit it next week!
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Review from 10/2
Hi everyone!
I’m sorry this review is so late — this week really got away from me! Look below for this week’s review:
Beginning Orchestra
Last week we learned the beginning of Twinkle, Twinkle, which you can see here:
This week, we learned the 2nd line, which goes like this:
Practice at home and we will review next week!
Intermediate Orchestra
This week, we finished our playing check-ins, so if you didn’t get to do it in class, please email me a video ASAP. Here is what we rehearsed during class:
- Christmas Train — We rehearsed from the beginning until measure 23. 2nds and violas, you have a different part at 15, so make sure to look at it!
- Rain Dribs — We learned from the beginning to 29. You should be able to practice the whole thing now, since that’s just 4 extra measures!
- Rustic Dance — We rehearsed from the beginning until 21, and then we briefly learned 21-29. Measures 21-29 will be our next playing check-in, so make sure to practice those measures!
- Maiden’s Rescue — We didn’t get a chance to do Maiden’s Rescue this week, so we will next week!
Advanced Orchestra
- Appalachian Hymn — We know the whole thing now! 2nd violins, make sure to practice from 49 to 57, because you get the melody there. I don’t want to have to put violas on that part, but I will!
- Beyond the Thunder — We spent quite a bit of time on this piece. We worked in detail from the beginning until 54, and then quickly ran through to the end. You should be able to practice the whole thing now.
- Fantasy on Greensleeves — We once again just ran through it since we didn’t have much time. We will dive in on this and Velocity next week!
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Review from 9/25
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.
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