Newsletter 9/21/07

Orchestra News - 9/20/07

Topics covered:
1) Blog!!
2) PARENT MEETING MONDAY, 9/24
3) Tuners and metronomes and stands, oh my!
4) All-State applications are due in a few weeks
5) Entertainment book sales
6) Websites
7) Music Day thanks

1) We have a blog now! Please bookmark:
www.titanorchestras.blogspot.com
This blog will have updated information for parents and students.
Additionally, a copy of each week's newsletter will be posted.

2) CALLING ALL PARENTS!! Please come this Monday night at 7 to the
auditorium for the All-Orchestra Parent Meeting. We should hopefully be
done within an hour.

3) One of the requirements Ms. Silberman outlined in the handbook
(which you all should have read by now, hopefully) is that each student
should have a tuner and a metronome. There is an online metronome -
www.metronomeonline.com - and there is good shareware out there that
will allow you to download a good metronome to your computer. But, the
student will need good enough speakers on the computer and/or a heavy
practice mute ($3 at Weathers) to soften the sound output of the
instrument. Tuners are a little more expensive, but are so very helpful.
If buying a tuner proves to be a difficulty or a financial hardship -
please contact Ms. Silberman.

Also, each student should have a music stand to play off of at home - THIS WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE HANDBOOK. Any questions? Please voice them at the parent meeting and/or contact Ms. Silberman

4) The All-state Orchestra application and audition tape is due Oct. 8
- Ms. Silberman will give copies of the materials to any interested
students.

5) Entertainment books will be available very soon. Money raised goes to
individual accounts.

6) In the handbook, Ms. Silberman added a back page with many
interesting websites - contemporary players, good online merchants, and
more. Please take some time to navigate to some of these websites.

7) From Marianne Stipe, Music Day coordinator:

A huge THANK YOU to all of you that helped make Music Day a success. We
could not have raised approximately $20,000 (we don’t have a final figure yet as
checks are still coming in) without the help of our many drivers and other
volunteers. I am extremely grateful to all of you that gave up your Saturday
and to those who gave countless hours beforehand and afterwards. Our students
are very fortunate to have such supportive parents. Our Music program
benefits from all of us who are involved and I know we are appreciated by both the
students and their teachers.

Thanks for reading to the end. See you on Monday, Sept. 24!!