Monday, January 31, 2011

Mini Newsletter (emailed 1.31.11)

***Save the Date***
Sectionals resume starting Feb. 2
The calendar is working once again on the website...
www.titanorchestras.com - click on Calendar
Feb 4 - Portland Cello Project at downtown library
Feb 4 (typo in email!!) - Willamette Fruit pickup 5pm (Commons)
Feb 8 - Titan Violins play anthem at bball game
Feb 13 - Chocolate Sunday

Contained within this mini newsletter:

1) Coffee
2) Cellos..
3) $ For Shirts - $10
4) All City

(a full newsletter will come out later this week - here's some important info for all... welcome to semester 2 of the 2010-2011 school year)

1) Coffee
The extended coffee fundraiser comes to a close tomorrow (Tuesday). Please bring your orders (hopefully students sold 2-3 bags each!!!) and checks to the grey box. Keep a record of who you need to deliver the coffee to...


2) Cellos
The Portland Cello Project will be the single coolest cello show you'll see. For a preview, check out:

http://www.baeblemusic.com/concertvideo/First-Unitarian-Church/Portland-Cello-Project.html

All Cellos in the Titan Orchestra program are expected to come to the concert at the downtown public library Loucks Auditorium at 7pm. Tickets will be $5 if we can get advanced tickets - $7 at the door (info about tickets in class or the next newsletter). All students are welcome to attend... this is going to be a neat concert!

Titan Bassi Cellists - YOU DO NOT NEED TO COME TO SINFONIETTA SECTIONALS ON WEDNESDAYS AFTER ALL (it posses too much of an issue with instruments). Your sectional time will be on Thursdays from 2:40 - 3:30. More info in class on Wednesday. Titan Bassi Bass players can choose to come on Wednesdays or Thursdays, or both for some extra 'time on task'.


3) Shirts

Many of you ordered the neon shirts that say "Titan Orchestras" on the front and "Share your gift of music..." on the back. T-shirt price will be $10 and is due by the time you pick up your shirt - shirts will be here Friday or Monday. Please see Ms. S to get your name crossed off once you've put your $10 into an envelope into the grey box. On the envelope, write "tshirt". (Titan Violins - you do NOT need to pay for your shirt... yours are paid for as you are performing on Feb. 8 with them).


4) All City

Congrats to all the West string students accepted to All City - the concert will be on February 26 (more info to come):


Hayley H (assistant concertmaster)
Jacqueline T
Anny L (principal 2nd violin)
CJ (assistant principal 2nd violin)
Lauren Z
Sinensis S
Jamie Y
Lauren C (principal viola)
Sarah La
Bronte LT
Holly K (principal bass)
Thanks for reading all the way down to the end of the mini newsletter...
~Ms S.

It's always a great day to be in Titan Orchestra.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Newsletter #15 (emailed 1/21)

***Save the Date***
Sectionals resume starting Feb. 2 - (Sinf + TS) violins Mondays, cello/bass Tuesday, violas Friday
Jan 25 - Live review due!!!
Feb 4 - Portland Cello Project at downtown library
Feb 8 - Titan Violins play anthem at bball game
Feb 13 - Chocolate Sunday

Contained within:

1) Live review is due Tuesday 1/25... 3 options!
2) Coffee fundraiser is extended for ALL until 2/2
3) Calendar alternate link
4) All Cellos required to attend concert 2/4
5) Change in sectional time for Titan Strings (period 6)
6) Email going out to Sinfonietta

1) Live review is due Tuesday 1/25... 3 options!
All students need to complete 1 live concert review - this review is due on Tuesday January 25. You have 3 more opportunities to see a live concert:

#1 This Sunday at 3pm at Illahe Golf Club there is a Soiree performed by members of the Salem Chamber Orchestra - student ticket price is $17 - this will be a beautiful concert! For more info: www.salemchamberorchestra.org

#2 Tuesday 1/25 there is a fun concert being performed by the OR Symphony Pops - 3 Broadway Divas. This concert is after the review deadline, but if you attend, you may turn your review in on Thursday 1/27. Student tickets can be purchased at the door - 8pm concert at Smith Hall on the Willamette University campus.

#3 On Monday 1/24 after school at 2:30pm I will be showing a DVD about Hilary Hahn - this features her playing the Korngold Violin concerto (one of my all time favorite violin concertos!). The video is 60 minutes long - done by 3:30. Come take notes on this DVD video and it will count as a live review. Chamber Orchestra students - this can count as your second 'other' review if you'd like. For more info: www.orsymphony.org/salem

2) Coffee fundraiser is extended for ALL until 2/2
We have extended the coffee fundraiser until February 2nd!!!! We need to sell 120 more bags of coffee... so, we ask that all students interested pick up an order form and try to sell 2 or 3 bags of coffee! 3 flavors - dark, medium, decaf.

3) Calendar alternate link
At this very moment in time, the calendar link isn't working properly on our website - it's being fixed. But, if you ever need to look directly at the calendar, click here:

http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=pm95agoipvpi3r02dmvoa15o7s%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles

4) All Cellos required to attend concert 2/4
All Cellos in the orchestra program will be required to attend this concert on Friday February 4 - it's an amazing all-cello group called the Portland Cello Project. All others are welcome to attend as well - think of it as an opportunity to write your review for 2nd semester early!!! Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door - if you need a scholarship, let Ms. S know. This is sure to be an exciting concert.

5) Change in sectional time for Titan Strings (period 6)
Starting 2nd semester, the Titan Violins will be joining the Sinfonietta violins in sectional on Mondays from 2:40 - 3:30. The Titan Cellos and Basses will join the Sinfonietta Cellos and Basses in sectional on Wednesdays 2:40 - 3:30. These sectionals are considered part of the participation grade for the class. We will need 4 cellists and some violinists to bring their own instrument to school on these days - we'll work that schedule out in class. Otherwise students will have to share during sectional time, or we will have to split the cello sectional into 2 groups.

6) Email going out to Sinfonietta
There is an email going out after this newsletter to Sinfonietta students and parents... just announcements I would have made in class on Thursday (I was out with a sick kiddo... sounds like after the fire alarm you all had good coaching sessions!)

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

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Newsletter #14 (emailed 1/13/11)

***Save the Date***
Sinfonietta has no instrument sectionals this month - just after school chamber music groups
Titan Violins has sectionals on Thursdays
Jan 13 - Mandatory Trip meeting/potluck for Chicago 6:30pm
Jan 15 - Chamber Orchestra performs at OMEA convention
Jan 20 - All City auditions
Feb 4 - Portland Cello Project at downtown library

Contained within:

1) 2 concert review options this weekend
2) Pie and coffee fundraiser money due today
3) Chicago meeting tonight - Thursday 1/13
4) Stay in touch with Lisa on Facebook
5) Ms S and Titan Violins to play at bball games

1) 2 concert review options this weekend
If you have yet to see a live concert this semester, you have 2 options this weekend - Friday evening in Salem, Sunday in Eugene:

On Friday evening, at 8pm on 1/14 at Willamette University's Smith Hall, the internationally touring classical pianist Emanual Ax will be performing with the Oregon Symphony. The will play the beautiful Brahms piano concerto #2. Student tickets should be available at the door - more info can be found at http://www.orsymphony.org/salem/

On Sunday afternoon, at 3pm on 1/16 at the Hult Performing Center in Eugene, the Oregon All State Orchestra will be performing Brahms, Grieg, and Lizst. Arrive early - tickets are $15 and you need to get in line by 2:30 or so to get a good seat. We have 7 students playing in the concert!

For review information, go to our website - www.titanorchestras.com - click on the student members page, click on Review Information in the left-hand column. You can either write up the survey or an essay.

There is one more OR Symphony in Salem concert - January 24... this one's going to be a blast... it's the Pops symphony playing with 3 Broadway Divas.

2) Pie and coffee fundraiser money due today
Money for the coffee and pie/frozen fruit fundraiser is due today! Please put the 11x14 tally sheet and checks in the school-provided envelopes and into the grey box in the orchestra room. Hope you were able to sell a bunch!

3)
Chicago meeting tonight - Thursday 1/13
If you are going to Chicago, or, parents, if you have an offspring going, you are required to attend tonight's meeting. Bring your potluck item to the orchestra room by 6:30. At the meeting we will go over itinerary, repertoire, rehearsals, packing info and all the legal issues. Students be prepared to fill out your roommate preference card. See you tonight!

4) Stay in touch with Lisa on Facebook
If you would like to stay in touch with Lisa Harder's progress, you can 'like' her Facebook page - Updates on Lisa Harder. There is also a blog for her - http://lisaharder.blogspot.com/. Fight on Lisa!!! Thanks to all who donated for her iTunes cards and pony present.

5) Ms S and Titan Violins to play at bball games
On Jan. 18, Ms S will play the national anthem at the basketball game at West, and on February 8, Titan Violins will play the anthem! Cheer on your Titan bball team - see you at the game!

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

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Newsletter #13 (emailed 1/6/11)

***Save the Date***
No Sectionals the month of January - all students have after school rehearsals with Chamber groups
Jan 11 - Chamber Orchestra extra added rehearsal 6-8:30pm
Jan 13 - Mandatory Trip meeting/potluck for Chicago 6:30pm
Jan 15 - Chamber Orchestra performs at OMEA convention
Jan 20 - All City auditions
Feb 4 - Portland Cello Project at downtown library

Contained within:

1) Sinfonietta assignment due Monday
2) Concert on Sunday at Willamette - for review
3) Chamber Music Concert Feb. 1 cancelled
4) One week Coffee and Frozen Fruit fund-raiser
5) Chamber Orchestra performs on Jan. 15 in Eugene
6) Live Performance Review reminder

1) Sinfonietta assignment due Monday
In class Thursday (today) Sinfonietta students worked on note identification - all students are required to turn in one sheet of music with notes identified, due Monday 1/10. If you lose the sheet of music I gave you or you were missing from class, simply print or copy one piece of music, identify the note names above or below the notes, and turn it in on Monday. Any questions? Feel free to email me (Ms. S)

2) Concert on Sunday at Willamette - for review
On Sunday, our very own senior violist Lauren C. will be playing for the finals of the Salem Chamber Orchestra's Fritz Concerto Competition. The concert starts at 3pm - students are welcome to review this concert for "live concert review". In order for the review to be accepted, students must stay for at least 45 minutes of the concert and must see at least one of the string players perform. The concert is free of charge - 3pm at Hudson Hall, Willamette University, Sunday January 9.

Good Luck Lauren!

Here's links to more info on the concert and the performers:

http://salemchamberorchestra.org/?page_id=17

3) Chamber Music Concert Feb. 1 cancelled
Chamber Orchestra students were to perform at the Loucks Auditorium on February 1, but due to extenuating circumstances, that concert has been canceled. You will notice the change on the Titan Orchestra calendar.

4) One week Coffee and Frozen Fruit fund-raiser
Huge thanks to parents Karen Tatman, Nancy Brostrom, and Melissa Canfield for getting our Coffee and Frozen Fruit fund-raiser off an running. All students have the opportunity to sell for one week - the packets have all the information, and you should be receiving emails with details. Please consider purchasing these items and offering them to friends and colleagues. The frozen fruit prices are the same or less than at Roth's and the coffee not only tastes great, freezes well, but also has Titan Orchestra artwork on the label!!!

5) Chamber Orchestra performs on Jan. 15 in Eugene
Chamber Orchestra will be performing at the Soreng Theatre in Eugene (at the Hult Center for Performing Arts) at 1pm on Saturday Jan. 15. We will be playing right before the PSU symphony orchestra.

For Chamber students - the bus will leave West at 10:15am and will return at 7:30pm. More info next week about what food and/or money to bring.

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. And, there is the Concerto Competition finals this Sunday (see #1 above). 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.