6th Grade

Hello 6th graders,

I'm looking for ways to help you feel more comfortable with Carmen, Carmela and Pictures at an Exhibition. In a poll of yesterday's class, many of you indicated that you would find a recording of your part helpful and useful. I have put Carmen, Carmela into a sound file, and I will do the same for Pictures at an Exhibition today.

Please bring in a blank CD so that I can make you a copy. Write your name on the CD with permanent marker. If you do not have a CD, can't get one, but would otherwise like a recording, email me at ellisl@guilderlandschools.org.

I would like to get CDs to everyone before Thanksgiving break so you can listen to them in cars, on MP3 players, etc.

I hope that this will help.

Jeopardy Terms: 300 Level

Presto
marcato
arpeggio
concerto
accelerando
improvisation
movement
stringendo
rallentando
allargando
reel
jig
accompaniment
etude
key
minuet
march
accidental
meno mosso
meno
molto
piu
poco
poco a poco
chromatic scale
con sordino
8va
8vb
tonic

Jeopardy Terms: 250 Level

chord
flat
mp
mf
Largo
Andante
Moderato
beat
dim.
fp
sfz
canon
harmony
quartet
quintet
octet
a tempo
tremolo
fermata
waltz
coda
ritardando
time signature
key signature
senza
divisi
con
minor
major

Jeopardy Terms: 200 Level

ff
pp
cresc.
decresc.
Adagio
staccato
legato
clef
melody
bar line
double bar
duet
trio
fine
double stop
octave
col legno
D.S. al coda
D. C. al fine
prelude
a cappella

Jeopardy Terms: 100 Level

p
f
< (accent)
ritard
Allegro
pizzicato
arco
dynamics
tempo
intonation
rhythm
sharp
scale
measure
:|
staff
quarter note
half note
eighth note
fermata
caesura

Monday, November 16, 2009

7th grade

Today, all 7th graders who take lessons with me received a master schedule for the 2nd marking period. The biggest problem I observed last marking period was in regard to lesson attendance. Although the lesson card procedure will remain exactly the same, I hope to improve lesson attendance by providing this schedule of every lesson, dress rehearsal, and concert for the remainder of 2009. Everyone is listed on this schedule, and I recommend that you write the dates and times of your lessons into your A-Pad. I understand that some lessons were scheduled during lunch periods, and I will be flexible about changing those times. All students enter the 2nd marking period with a clean slate; there is no need to make up lessons from the last marking period.

New practice logs will be distributed for 7th graders on Wednesday. If you are absent because of the choir trip or for any other reason, be sure to pick up a practice log 1st thing Thursday morning.

Rhythm testing finished today in class. I have viewed all of the tests and graded them. I am missing tests from:

Curtis Ericson
Natasha Permaul
Emily Toffenetti
Kevin Zeng

All of these students were present today, so I'm not sure why they did not choose to take the tests. I will provide one more opportunity to take this first rhythm test, but soon we will be moving ahead to scale testing.

Scale tests will also begin on Wednesday. Students should be able to play (and describe, using a key signature) the following scales:

F Major, C Major, G Major, D Major

Play the scale in the way that is most comfortable for you. You may choose to play one or two octaves.

Today, we did work on Saturday at the Symphony, in the 3rd and final section. First violins are getting more comfortable with the tied rhythms around measure 50, and the more that they work with metronomes, the better it will be. Inner voices (violin 2 and viola) can still work on the chromatic passages, being careful both to tune the D# to E naturals (and back) and not slow down longer notations.

Variations on a Ground gets better every time we play it. We will work to create different characters in sections of the piece, and anyone interested in solos should plan on playing in orchestra during the next few rehearsals.

Harvest Song has reached a comfortable stage for us, which isn't necessarily good. We are set in certain tempos instead of using our ears to hear our fellow musicians. Practice giving your own breath cues so that you can feel a tempo before you begin playing it.

6th

We are almost finished with rhythm testing in 6th (A/C). On Wednesday I will be ready to test the student council members (who were absent due to a meeting) and those bassists who did not yet test. I've watched most of the 6th grade rhythm tests, and I'm happy to see that many of you not only prepared, but are really internalizing the tempo from the metronome. We've already had many perfect scores!

Also exciting was that we got all the way through Carmen, Carmela. It was rough at times, but it showed me that you have the stamina and focus to get through such a long and difficult piece. Basses should use metronomes to count their parts, making sure to play a dotted half note and a quarter note instead of two half notes. Don't forget to practice changing your bow grip from "bowing" to "pizzicato" grip!

Chamber Strings - 5th Rehearsal

Chamber Strings

What a great rehearsal we had with Winter this afternoon! I have said it before, but just because a piece of music looks easy doesn't mean it is... I continue to be impressed with the focus of this group. As cellos and violas enter the 32nd-note passages, I remind you to take double down bows, play aggressively, and very close to the frog. Violins, don't let that new passage scare you: try using 4th fingers for D#s on the A string, crescendoing through the last 2 beats of the measure. First violins, please also remember the sound plateaus we talked about. Experiment with different parts of the bow to achieve these dynamics.

Some practice parts still need to be picked up. You can find them in the "Chamber Strings" folder outside of the orchestra room. Although it is fun to play at a fast tempo, please try to limit your speed and build technique.




In attendance were:

Joe Sipzner

Gloria Zhao

Katie Gonick

Ali Gohlke-Schermer

Arianna Barnum

Bill Dong

Marko Crnkovic

Erin Templeton

Rachel Swyer
Catherine Rafferty
Emma Pearson

Andrea Long

Naila Brown

Cody Ingraham

We're sorry we missed: William Wang, Karthik Ramesh, Katie Yang, and Sydney Marotta

Concert Dress Code

Our concerts are right around the corner! Now is a good time to start looking for those beautiful clothes you will wear as we present our Winter Concert.

This is what I would like you to wear for our performance:

Girls:
Solid-Colored, Long-Sleeve Shirt
Black Bottoms (Dress Pants/Long Skirt, stockings/socks, shoes)

Boys:
Solid-Colored, Long Sleeve Shirt -- Preferably a collared, button-down.
Black Dress Pants, Black Socks, Black Shoes


Please do not wear shirts with pictures, prints, or letters. Cellists, please opt for pants over a skirt so that you can play your instrument most comfortably and appropriately.

No jeans or sneakers!


If you don't have a solid colored shirt, you may wear a white or a black shirt.

Lessons for the 2nd Marking Period

As a reminder, all Private Lesson Logs were due last Monday, November 9th. Please submit these logs if you have not already done so. I will keep your grade as "incomplete" until they have been submitted.

I would like all students to receive full credit for their lesson attendance in this second marking period. Poor attendance was the primary reason that some students received grades that were not as high as they would've liked. To help students be more successful in this area, I have created a schedule for lessons up until the close of the marking period in December.

Find your last name and find your group number. You will use this group number to read the lesson schedule. I recommend that you write this schedule into your A-Pad. I might also print out this schedule and highlight the dates and times that I see my group number listed.

You will also find the concert dates and the dates/times of the mandatory dress rehearsals. The dress rehearsals will be held in the Cafetorium. It is very important that you are present, on time, and prepared for these dress rehearsals. Your teachers will be notified of your absence from class, but be sure to check with them to get any assignments or work.

Group 1 Zervos, Barnum, Henry, Blackwood
Group 2 Chen, Dai, Templeton, Yu, Mulligan (Carrie Rose)
Group 3 McAuliffe, Farry, Permaul, Swyer
Group 4 Morawski, Marinopoulos, Mulligan (Jo Ann)
Group 5 Zeng, Cummings, Huq, Salazar, Russo
Group 6 Abebe, Pabba, Nyangaga, Rastegar, Clemente
Group 7 Xu, Mulligan (Mary Jean), Warren, Toscano, Zhao
Group 8 Zhu, Gohlke-Schermer, Sipzner, Tenenini
Group 9 Garcia, Kannan, Randorf, Kester, Van Oort, Lamb
Group 10 Burby, Rau-Sirois, Chevalier, Trichilo, Ramesh, Pearson
Group 11 Miller, Petitti, Marotta, Yang
Group 12 Leicht, Ericson, Toffenetti
Group 13 Hoffmann, Rosenberg, Brown
Group 14 Hernandez, Schermerhorn,
Group 15 Pinto, Guntert, Balzer, Rowe, Hill
Group 16 Song, Kim
Group 17 Krofft, Anand, Wolanski
Group 18 Reiner, Krieg, Rafferty, Tucker
Group 19 Patka, Burmistrova, Parker, Salazar, Selsley
Group 20 Ko, Xiong, Long, Campbell, Ingraham
Group 21 Chong, Byerly, Kang, Hill, Kedik

11/16 (A/C)
8:50 6
9:30 4
10:10 1, 3
10:50 2
2:00 5

11/17 (B/D)
8:50 10
9:30 7
11:30 8
1:20 9

11/18 (A/C)
10:10 12, 14
11:30 13

11/19 (B/D)
8:50 19
9:30 18
10:50 17
1:20 16
2:00 15

11/20 (A/C)
9:30 21
2:00 20

11/23 (B/D)
8:50 2
9:30 6
10:50 4
11:30 3, 5
1:20 6th Grade Dress Rehearsal
2:00 1

11/24 (A/C)
8:50 7
9:30 8
10:10 9
10:50 10

11/30 (B/D)
8:50 1, 3
11:30 4
1:20 6
2:00 2

12/1 (A/C)
9:30 10
10:10 7
10:50 8
2:00 9

12/2 (B/D)
8:50 8th Grade Dress Rehearsal
1:20 12, 13
2:00 14
7:30 8th Grade Concert

12/3 (A/C)
8:50 16
9:30 15
10:10 18, 19
10:50 17

12/4 (B/D)
8:50 20
1:20 21

12/7 (A/C) 8:50 7th Grade Dress Rehearsal

12/8 (B/D)
8:50 6th Grade Dress Rehearsal
10:50 9
11:30 7
1:20 8
2:00 10

12/9 (A/C)
8:50 13, 14
10:10 12

12/10 (B/D)
8:50 18
9:30 19
11:30 15
1:20 7th Grade Dress Rehearsal
2:00 16
7:30 7th Grade Concert

12/11 (A/C)
10:10 20
10:50 21

12/14 (B/D)
8:50 4, 6
9:30 2
10:50 1, 5
1:20 6th Grade Dress Rehearsal
2:00 3

12/15 (A/C)
8:50 9
10:10 10
2:00 7, 8
7:30 6th Grade Concert

12/16 (B/D)
8:50 12
10:50 13
11:30 14

12/17 (A/C)
8:50 15
9:30 17
10:10 16
10:50 18, 19

12/18 (B/D)
8:50 21
11:30 20

12/21 (A/C)
10:10 7th Grade Make Ups - Sign Up Ahead of Time
10:50 8th Grade Make Ups - Sign Up Ahead of Time
2:00 6th Grade Make Ups - Sign Up Ahead of Time

Chamber Strings - 4th Rehearsal

In attendance were:

Joe Sipzner

Gloria Zhao

Katie Gonick

William Wang

Bill Dong

Marko Crnkovic

Emma Pearson

Catherine Rafferty

Karthik Ramesh

Andrea Long

Katie Yang

This afternoon in Chamber Strings we revisited the Allegretto from Beethoven's Op. 16. The 6/8 time signature is still relatively new to us, so we reviewed the way to approach triple time (looking at "big"/macro beats -- in this case, dotted quarter notes -- and speaking the microbeats -- "du da di"). Students are encouraged to practice whatever part (A or B in vln 1, vla, cello, and C or D in vln 2) they feel capable of playing with the understanding that they can switch to a different part at any time. I love how well we can listen when we know how to open our ears! We had great leaders using their rhythmic breath to cue the entire ensemble.

Continue to look at Winter this week, practicing those double down bows carefully, and add Allegretto to your daily routine.

Monday, November 9, 2009

As a reminder, the Evacuation Drill is scheduled to occur tomorrow afternoon during 13th mod. Sixth grade students who do not have lessons tomorrow should leave their instruments at home as we will not be playing them in class (6th graders with lessons are only those who have Ms. Norman as a teacher). We will have class during the "Hold in Place," so please arrive on time.

7th Grade

Rhythm testing began in the 7th grade today, and it will continue for the remainder of the week. Tests are administered during orchestra rehearsals, so there should be no concern about missing classes. Please keep in mind that these new types of tests are not in place of regular weekly lessons -- last week's testing was the exception.

Rhythm test procedure:

1. Check the list so that you know approximately who is before you. There should always be one person standing by the door ready to test.

2. Don't bring anything with you (unless you'd like to use your own copy of the rhythm sheet for help with syllables). Leave instruments, music, and writing utensils at your stand.

3. Sign out. You're only going across the hall, but since you're out of the classroom I need a record.

4. Once in Ms. Dame's room, sit in the chair. Do not move chairs, stands, or the tripod. The computer will be on, set to the metronome site.

5. Internalize the macrobeat. You may wish to tap macrobeats in your feet/heels to coordinate with the metronome's macrobeat.

6. Chant and clap your rhythm only once. Don't stop, don't repeat. Make sure to show rests when necessary, speak loudly and clearly, and clap when appropriate.

7. Return directly to the orchestra room -- no bathroom/drink breaks! Sign in and return to class.

I have current grades available for 7th and 8th grade students. The lesson that you attend this week is the last lesson of the marking period and will be an additional 15pts to your cumulative grade (out of 400pts). Practice logs were collected in the 7th grade, also worth 15pts. If you forgot your practice log (or have a log from last week that was not turned in), I will accept it up until Thursday morning.

For students studying privately, this is a reminder that your private lesson logs were due Friday. I will accept late work (including private lesson logs) until Thursday morning.

If you missed your lesson today, be sure to check with me (or someone in your lesson group) if you need a copy of the music we looked at. Next week starts a brand new marking period and a clean slate, so you'll want to be ready to put your best foot forward.

The 7th grade violins are divided in two large sections, each devoted to learning a different group of NYSSMA solos. The assignments were as follows:

Achievement March Groups: We played from the beginning to measure 9, and then from measure 25 to the end. We will work to memorize measures 25 to the end for the next lesson, remembering to still play the beginning to measure 9.

Etude Groups: We found places in Etude where there are clear G major scale patterns. There are a few different places: can you find/remember them? We will learn the first line for next week, making sure to start with a clear tone and correct posture. Don't let your first fingers become idle as you play the open strings!

6th Grade

Counting tests will begin for sixth graders on Thursday during orchestra. All students should have a copy of the test material as well as a "How to Prepare for Clapping and Counting Tests" sheet. At the start of today's rehearsal we used rhythm flashcards to remind us the proper way to clap and chant/count. These flashcards will later be used in Music Jeopardy, and students are encouraged to review clapping and counting procedures at home during practice time.

Practice logs will soon be due for 6th graders. This log is the last grade of the first marking period. I will be accepting late work until Thursday morning, so hand in any of those scale sheets, practice logs, etc that you might still have!

We have now played through all of Modest March and Kleine Kanon! It is a good idea to remind yourself of the "road map" for these pieces at home, remembering the difference between D.C. al Coda and D.S. al Coda.

Sixth grade: when you're practicing, are you sitting in a 3? A 2? Don't practice sitting in a 1!

Chamber Strings - 3rd Rehearsal

We began again with Winter, this time hooking 8th notes (4 to a bow) so that they sound more like the first flakes of snow that fall in a winter storm. Still underspeed, we worked toward a continuity of sound and a conformity of bowstroke in passages with faster notation. Violins will play double down bows for the first two notes in the 32nd-note passages, and these double down bows must be taken at the frog to achieve the right style. Think winter storms!

After a brief look back at the Allegretto from Beethoven Op. 16, we moved on to some sight reading. Die Forelle is a famous piece written for many different ensembles, but it's playful rhythm can often be tricky. As an introduction to the piece, we played the melody in unison (all in our own clefs and octaves) and took turns using our breath and body language to start the piece. Breathing is essential to an ensemble who hopes to play together, and it becomes more difficult when "pickup" notes are involved. All of our breathing leaders did a great job!

Also discussed in this rehearsal was tuning etiquette for a string orchestra. This is the procedure we decided on:

1. Principal cellist would check his/her intonation with a tuner.
2. Concertmaster, when entering onto stage or beginning rehearsal, would request the principal cellist to play an A.
3. Once the principal cellist plays his A, the concermaster checks his own instrument before "giving" the A to the rest of the orchestra.
4. Using broad bowstrokes in the mp to mf range, the orchestra would check the tuning of their strings.

We practiced this, and will continue to tune this way in the future.



Be sure to check the folder outside of the orchestra room (labeled "Chamber Strings") for practice parts to the Allegretto and Die Forelle.

In attendance:
Joe Sipzner
Gloria Zhao
Ali Gohlke-Schermer
Katie Gonick
Arianna Barnum
Bill Dong
William Wang
Erin Templeton
Marko Crnkovic
Rachel Swyer
Emma Pearson
Catherine Rafferty
Karthik Ramesh
Andrea Long
Naila Brown
Cody Ingraham

We're sorry we missed:
Michelle Burmistrova
Katie Yang
Sydney Marotta

6th Grade Fall Repertoire - Carmen, Carmela

For weeks now, I have been promising the 6th grade a post on Spanish and Mexican music to reward them for all their hard work on Carmen, Carmela.

"Carmen, Carmela" (sometimes simply called "Carmen") is an early folk tune that is popular throughout Mexico. The rhythm originated from the Cuban habanera dance and became popular in Spain during the nineteenth century, inspiring numerous European composers to employ this syncopation in their works. The most well-known use of the habanera is heard in Bizet's opera "Carmen."

Many composers have used this habanera rhythm in their works, and many composers have used Bizet's opera as the basis for other works. One of my favorite adaptations is the Carmen Fantasy, arranged by Pablo de Sarasate. Here it is played in two parts by Gil Shaham:

Part 1
Part 2

The Carmen Fantasy is a very difficult piece and must be taken very seriously when learning. Some adaptations of Bizet's opera "Carmen" aren't always so serious...like this one. If you watch the Muppets or any old Looney Tunes, you probably know more opera than you think you do. Perhaps I'll do a post on opera later in the year.

Just like our Carmen, Carmela, some very famous pieces had simple beginnings as folk tunes. In this video, Itzhak Perlman plays a transcription for violin and piano. Kreisler, a wonderfully creative violinist from a previous generation of string playing, often took simple pieces and transformed them into "salon" or recital pieces. This song is called Danse Espagnole from "La Vida Breve" (translated: Spanish Dance from "The Short Life") by Manuel de Falla.

Here's a historic recording of Kreisler playing his own transcription of La Gitana. As much as I like listening to Kreisler, I also like watching a musician playing...so here's a more modern recording.

I personally have never been bullfighting, but I imagine it might be a scary experience. Joaquin Turina wrote a piece called Oracion Torero (translated: The Bullfighter's Prayer). What do you think this bullfighter is thining about?

A longtime favorite piece of mine is Estrellita (translated: Little Star), played here by Joshua Bell. Jascha Heifetz transcribed this piece by Manuel Ponce, and his transcription is deceivingly difficult. Jascha Heifetz was an amazing violinst -- and he knew it. Do you remember the order of sharps in a key signature? F# - C# - G# - D# - A# - E# - B#. Heifetz arranged Estrellita in the key of F# Major (6 sharps!) so that you can't use any open strings even if you wanted to!

When you think about it, France and Spain are not too far away from each other, but while the French have their own distinctive style of music, some French composers were attracted to Spanish melodies and rhythms. Here's the Havanaise by Camille Saint-Saens (you might recognize him as the composer of works such as Danse Macabre and Carnival of the Animals from Fantasia). This Havanaise is based on the same habanera rhythm that inspired Carmen, Carmela.

Some vocabulary related to Carmen, Carmela:

habanera - A Cuban dance and song, named after the capital, Havana. The music is in a moderate to slow duple metre. The habanera (not habañera) became popular in the early 19th century and was much used by French and Spanish composers; an outstanding example appears in Bizet's Carmen

syncopation - A shift of accent in a passage or composition that occurs when a normally weak beat is stressed

tango - a ballroom dance of Latin-American origin in ²⁄₄ time with a basic pattern of step-step-step-step-close and characterized by long pauses and stylized body positions

Monday, November 2, 2009

7th Grade

New practice logs: due 11/9!

A list was passed around today during orchestra for students to record the email addresses of their parents. Although I would like to continue to communicate via this blog, I am finding it necessary to email parents directly to inform them about changes in lesson schedules and upcoming events. If you did not record your parents' email address, please give it to me sometime in the near future so that I can help you be more successful in orchestra.

We ran through Saturday at the Symphony today and got all the way through to the end. The Finlandia section (see the post on 7th Grade Fall Repertoire if you can't remember Finlandia) is still very rough, but we're slowly understanding the rhythm and learning how to sustain our bows through those long whole notes. Remember that although the notes in this section differ from instrument to instrument, the rhythm remains the same.

At the beginning of Saturday at the Symphony is a section from a famous Rondeau, often felt in a 2-beat pattern instead of the 4-beat pattern that is written in this arrangement. It is my goal to conduct this section in that 2-beat pattern (creating more emphasis on beats 1 and 3), but to do so means that violins need to practice this section with their metronomes, in increments of speed. It should have a playful, dancelike feel.

Rhythm testing will commence next week once the first round of performance tests is completed. To prepare for these rhythm tests, every student in grades 6-8 will receive a mini-tutorial on how to clap and count. For many of you this is nothing new, but for some it is. Use the front of the sheet to check your use of syllables and for practicing suggestions. On the back, each grade has a short rhythm assignment. This line is what you will be tested on next week, and I encourage you to make any necessary notes on the page. When I grade the Rhythm tests, I will be looking for the following:

1. Coordination with the metronome. Could you set the metronome? Do you clap and count to its macrobeat?
2. Counting/Chanting. I want to hear those syllables!
3. Clapping. Clap when you have notes, show rests when you have rests. Coordinate your clapping with your chanting and your metronome.

Lastly, we began learning a fiddle tune called Stinky's Blues. We learned the skeleton (or "bones") of the tune, and we will add more complicated parts in both lessons and orchestra. I love playing fiddle music, and part of the fun is that you can take fiddle tunes with you - no sheet music required! It is up to each student how much of this tune they want to learn. If you can show me that you've memorized the bones, I'll help you add to it. It is my hope that we can add a bass line and create opportunities for improvisation.

Youtube is a wonderful thing, and I was able to find a recording of the exact version of Stinky's Blues that I want to teach you. Unlike most of the other recordings I post of famous and notable performers, these youtube videos are mostly of kids like you. Enjoy!

Stinky's Jam Session 1 Session 2
10-year-old playing Stinky's Blues

6th Grade

Carmen, Carmela has provided us with many opportunities to learn new techniques, terms, and concepts, but the hard part is almost over. In the weeks to come, we will focus on putting all of the pieces of this song together so that we can play it all the way through. Today, we played from the viola soli* section all the way to the end of the pieces. Although the last note looks terrifying with all its notes and squiggely lines, we are picking one note at a time and focusing on plucking that one note together as an ensemble.

At home, use your metronome (ignoring those pesky fermatas) to help you play through the entire piece without stopping. Can you play the entire piece as if you were learning it as a solo for NYSSMA? Perform it for your family!

Sixth graders also received a clapping & counting/chanting sheet to help prepare for their own round of rhythm tests. Feel free to ask me or Ms. Dame for help in preparing.

Certainly my favorite part of rehearsal today was "Cabbage." Using our knowledge of the D Major Scale, we began learning a famous - yet simple - fiddle tune called Bile 'em Cabbage Down. To practice at home, first play a D Major Scale (remember: 2 sharps - F# and C#). Sing "do-mi" and play it on your instrument (D-F#). Bile 'em Cabbage Down begins on mi (F#):

mi mi mi mi fa fa
mi mi mi mi re re
mi mi mi mi fa fa fa fa
mi mi re re do do

Having trouble? Sing it first! Like most fiddle songs, Bile 'em Cabbage Down began as a piece with lyrics. They're silly...

Bile 'em cabbage down, down,

Bake 'em biskets brown, brown.

Only tune I ever did learn was

Bile 'em cabbage down.

Verse:

June bug he has wings of gold,

The firefly wings of flame.

The bedbug's got no wings at all,

But gets there just the same.

Love it is a killing fit,

When beauty hits a blossom,

And if you want your finger bit,

Just poke it at a possum.

Raccoon and the possum

Rackin' cross the prairie,

Raccoon asks the possum,

Did she want to marry?

Possum is a cunnin' thing,

He travels in the dark,

And never thinks to curl his tail,

Till he hears old Rover bark.



*Soli = a soloistic portion of the music where the entire section gets to play together