Deadlines and starting the New Year off...

Hi all,

I hope you all had a wonderful winter break and New Year celebration. May this new year bring you much accomplishment musically!!!

Here's some due dates and deadlines:

December Performance Assignment - Due Monday Jan. 4. All students were to have performed during the month of December for friends, family members or the community - on Monday Jan. 4 all students will complete a PDR - Plan-Do-Review - to let me know what they planned to do and how it went. If any students did not complete this assignment during the month of December, they may complete it on Monday or Tuesday evening, finish the PDR and return it by Wednesday Jan. 6 for half credit on their PDR.

Live Review - all students must have seen 1 live concert featuring stringed instruments. This review is due January 15. The review specifications (guidelines and sample reviews) are on the website: www.titanorchestras.com - Student page. The review must be typed and handed in or email to me (silberman_daryl@salkeiz.k12.or.us) and returned to me by Jan. 15 in order to receive full credit. Reviews will be accepted after this date but not for full credit. If students have not seen a live concert, please contact Ms Silberman for alternate options (there are some online concerts that will qualify at this late date - but only with the proviso that students see a live concert in person next semester).

CD Review - students in Chamber Orchestra must complete a second review - a CD review of their choosing. This review is due Jan. 15 too.

Chamber Music Unit - All students will be participating in a chamber music unit these next 4 weeks. The 'final' will be a video taped performance during your final period for your daytime class. All students in Chamber Orchestra and possibly some select groups from String Orchestra and Sinfonietta will perform on a Chamber Music concert February 2nd at the Loucks Auditorium (downtown library, 7pm).

No Sectionals in January - but chamber groups meet after school! No sectionals for students in the month of January, but all the chamber music groups must meet once a week after school. Students will arrange this meeting time - if it can be at school when I can be there to coach, that would be great, but some groups will need to meet at students' houses, before school, or during lunch in order to comply with this requirement. Student-led rehearsal time is a skill that we're working on successfully accomplishing this unit.

Symphony - Symphony starts back up again... with our new co-director Mr. Zimbleman. Here's the schedule:

Tuesdays 4 - 6pm
Fridays 2:40 - 4:30pm

There may be some extended rehearsals (no more than 1 hour extension, promise) later this month as we work sectionals into our regular rehearsal time, to make up for time we had off in December... stay tuned for announcements.

Happy New Year to one and all... I'm looking forward to the strongest musical year ever at West!
~Ms S