Newsletter #12 12/30/10

(see original email for live links)

***Save the Date*** (click here for our calendar)
No Sectionals the month of January - all students have after school rehearsals with Chamber groups
Jan 15 - Chamber Orchestra performs at OMEA convention
Jan 13 - Mandatory Trip meeting for Chicago students and parents
Jan 20 - All City auditions
Feb 1 - Advanced Chamber Music Concert - Loucks (CO)
Feb 4 - Portland Cello Project at downtown library

Contained within:

1) December Performance Assignment reminder
2) History and music for Auld Lang Syne
3) A busy month for Chamber Orchestra members
4) Explanation of Chamber Music unit for January
5) No Sectionals for the month of January
6) Live Performance Review reminder

1) December Performance Assignment reminder
All students have received paperwork and/or been reminded about the December Performance Assignment - PDR (Plan-Do-Review). Students need to perform 'in public' some time during the month of December (or first few days of January). "In public" just means that it's for other people - family and/or friends is fine. One suggestion is to play Auld Lang Syne on New Years Day - see the info below. All students should have Suzuki books and Green and/or Beige books that have music that can be performed. On January 3 or 4 students will write down how their 'performance' went in the composition books at school - once reviewed, points will be given for the assignment. There is no 'make up' points available for this assignment after January 4.


2) History and music for Auld Lang Syne
At the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, everyone sings a familiar melody - Auld Lang Syne. If you don't think you know, it you probably do. The words are different and I've never fully understood the meaning of them. You could fulfill your December Performance Assignment by playing this for your New Years Eve crowd or on New Years Day... Here's the Wikipedia info on the tune:

Auld Lang Syne Wikipedia

Here's a link to see the music in treble clef (F major):

Auld Lang Syne

And, another resource

Sheet Music and listening link

Or, just google search for Auld Lang Syne Sheet Music and then click on images for results - tons of versions available online.


3) A busy month for Chamber Orchestra members
The month of January is going to be a busy one for Chamber Orchestra members. Here's a list of what we're working on:

Chamber Music Project - students are required to meet weekly with their chamber music group. Concert is February 1 (and during Finals).

OMEA performance - on Saturday Jan 15 students will be performing a 20 minute performance at the Oregon Music Educators Assoc. conference in Eugene. We're playing Giannini, Britten, and maybe Tango.


All State - 7 of our members are playing with the All State orchestra at the OMEA convention the weekend of January 14. They will leave the All State rehearsal to come perform with us when we play as Chamber Orchestra at OMEA on Saturday Jan 15.

All City auditions - all but one of the Chamber students are doing a live audition for All City. I'm hopeful that many will make it into the All City orchestra. We will work on this material some during class, and some after school.

Please be focused during rehearsals and practicing efficiently at home. Keep up your vitamins and minerals too - it's a bad month to get sick.

4) Explanation of Chamber Music unit for January
In the month of January, all students will participate in a Chamber Music unit. The first few days will be dedicated to selecting and sight reading music. The 2nd and 3rd weeks of January students will rehearse on their own and be coached by guest musicians. There are no sectionals the month of January - students will need to practice weekly with their chamber music partners after or before school. This rehearsal can happen at school, but, can also be at student homes. Once the rehearsal is registered with me weekly, students will receive full participation points for the week.

Finals at West happen January 26, 27, and 28. For our final, students will perform their chamber music group in front of the class - this in-class performance will be video taped and put up on our YouTube site. Each student will also assess the performance of their peers. There will also be a short written final in each class - content of this test will be discussed and reviewed over the weeks before the final.

Students in Chamber Orchestra will perform their chamber music at a performance on February 1 at the downtown public library, Loucks Auditorium. There might be a group or two from Sinfonietta and/or Titan Strings invited to perform on this chamber music concert too.

5) No Sectionals for the month of January
The month of January there are no sectionals for Sinfonietta or Titan Violins. All students will be required to find time to work with their chamber music partners once per week. If students need assistance with this after school rehearsal, I am available to work with them.

6) Live Performance Review reminder
Reminder that all students must attend one live concert - collegiate or professional - each semester. This assignment is due January 25. Students who saw concerts in September, October, November or December just need to complete a review for credit. Review information (survey or essay) is up on the website - www.titanorchestras.com - click on Student members and then on Review Information.

If you haven't seen a concert yet, there are a few concerts these next few weeks - check the Art Smart Salem website for January:

http://artsmartsalem.org/january.html

There is a Camerata Music performance and 2 Oregon Symphony performances that students can see - through Art Smart, there are student discounts available for most performances. Students who run the risk of not completing this assignment (because they cannot attend a live concert in the next 4 weeks) can come talk to Ms. S for alternative arrangements. I feel very strongly that musicians not only learn to be good audience members, but that students are supportive of local, live music! Students receive inspiration and motivation from seeing professionals play.

Thanks for reading all the way down to the end of the newsletter...
~Ms S.