Announcements
There have been changes to the lesson schedule. Check to make sure you know what day your lesson will be on (updates are posted outside of the orchestra room).
We are still on the lookout for a half-size violin in a black plastic case. I'll have a serial number available soon so that you can check your instrument.
Full Choir will rehearse tomorrow. The following 7th graders will be excused from orchestra to attend the rehearsal:
Alicia Chen, Elijah Clemente, Vivian Dai, Curtis Ericson, Thomas Fortune, Emily Gunther, Shaddai Henry, Hannah Hernandez, Rosemary Leicht, Christina Morawski, Carrie Rose Mulligan, Jo Ann Mulligan, Natasha Permaul, Amir Rastegar, Sophia Schermerhorn, Rachel Swyer, Erin Templeton, Emily Toffenetti, Rebekah Wolanski, and Michelle Yu.
Chamber Strings auditions will continue next week. Sign up for a time outside of the orchestra room!
In my lessons this week, we have been working on a few different techniques:
Bow Control: First, we play a scale at a moderate tempo with each note getting a separate bow. Second, we play the same scale - at the same tempo - this time slurring two notes per bow. Then we add 3 notes, then 4. For now, 4 notes is plenty.
Elements of Music with New Music: We are all learning new music, and it can be a bit overwhelming. Take a small part of the music that you'd like to learn (or something that was assigned to practice). When you play it, rate your performance on a scale of 1 to 5.
Rate your rhythm.
Rate your pitch/note accuracy.
Rate your dynamic observation.
Rate your articulation (slurs, separate bows, bowings, dots, etc).
Rate your phrasing, tone, and/or musicality.
Now, pick ONE of these elements that you want to make better. Play it again, and rate each one again. Did the element that you picked get better? Did it stay the same? Did any of the other elements (the ones you weren't focused on) get better? Worse? Stay the same?
6th Graders: Spend some time just holding your bow. Hold your bow while you're watching tv or driving to the dentist or doing something else that doesn't require the use of your hands but is not appropriate for practicing with your instrument. Does your bow grip look like the grip in your Essential Elements pictures? Violinists/Violists: can you do "pinky pushups"?
Practice Assignments
6th Grade
Carmen, Carmela; measures 12-28
Pictures at an Exhibition: measures 14-26
Miniature Symphony: III. Minute Minuet: measure 1-14
7th Grade
Violins
Ground m25-41
Concert m97-99
Viola/Cello
Ground m41-49
Bass
Ground m1-17
All
Harvest m17-33
8th Grade
Violins/Violas
Mambo m17-25
Dramatic beg-m9
Cellos
Cellos Ole 7-15
Mambo 25-37
There was a question in the 6th grade orchestra today about a bow grip someone had seen on TV. What this cellist had seen was a bassist using a German bow grip. Most bassists use what is called a French bow, which has the same type of frog as a violin, viola, and cello bow. German bows have frogs that are different, with a wider space. Both bows produce the same type of sound, and the decision to use one or the other is a matter of preference.
