Beginning

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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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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!

We will not have rehearsal aga ...