Lesson Schedule March/April - Revised

Lesson Groups

Monday 1 Alicia Chen, Vivian Dai, Carrie Rose Mulligan, Walter Nyangaga, Erin Templeton, Michelle Yu
Monday 2 Arianna Barnum, Shaddai Henry, Sazeed Huq, Gerardo Salazar, Kevin Zeng
Monday 3 Kristina Marinopoulos, Nihaal Pabba, Gianluca Russo, Rachel Swyer, Alana Zervos
Monday 4 Markos Abebe, Maddy Farry, Christina Morawski, Jo Ann Mulligan
Monday 5 Elijah Clemente, Allyson McAuliffe, Natasha Permaul, Amir Rastegar

Tuesday 1 Mary Jean Mulligan, Amy Toscano, Andrew Xu, Pranav Kannan
Tuesday 2 Ali Gohlke-Schermer, Joe Sipzner, Naomi Tenenini
Tuesday 3 Josh Lamb, Katie Randorf, Mathilde Warren
Tuesday 4 Elise Burby, Laura Chevalier, Karthik Ramesh, Michael Trichilo

Wednesday 1 Heather Krofft, Rebekah Wolanski
Wednesday 2 Curtis Ericson, Hannah Hernandez, Rose Leicht, Emily Toffenetti
Wednesday 3 Naila Brown, Jennifer Hoffmann, Jacob Rosenberg, Sophia Schermerhorn

Thursday 1 So Yeon Kim, Sera Song
Thursday 2 Delaney Guntert, Claire Hill, Eliana Rowe
Thursday 3 Sydney Marotta, Joseph Petitti, Katie Yang
Thursday 4 Cory Parker, Sophie Patka, Alfredo Salazar, Alex Selsley, Cynthia Leonard
Thursday 5 Matthew Krieg, Catie Rafferty, Allison Reiner, Rebecca Tucker, Michelle Burmistrova

Friday 1 Sarah Byerly, Sydney Campbell, Julia Chong, Andrea Long
Friday 2 Cody Ingraham, Abigail Kedik, Asaph Ko

3/22 AC

8:50 Alex Selsley

9:30 Gianluca Russo

10:10 Rachel Swyer

11:20 Chamber Strings: Concert @ GHS

No Activity Period

3/23 BD

8:50 1&3

9:30 4

10:50 2

11:30 NYSSMA:

1:20 Catie Rafferty

Activity Period: 6th Grade

3/24 AC

10:10 Arianna Barnum

10:50 1

11:30 2

2:00 3

3/25 BD

8:50 2

9:30 Cynthia Leonard

10:50 Michelle Yu

11:30 Erin Templeton

1:20 Katie Gonick

2:00 1

Activity Period: 7th Grade

Monday 3/29 AC

9:30 5

10:10 1 & 4

10:50 3

11:30 2

2:00 Catie Rafferty

Activity Period: Chamber Strings (All Members)

Wednesday 3/31 AC *No 7th Grade Cello Lessons

10:10 Mulligan Trio

10:50 Matthew Krieg

11:30 1

12:40 Joe Sipzner

Thursday 4/1 BD

9:30 Alex Selsley

10:50 2 & 3

11:30 1

1:20 4 & 5

2:00 Gianluca Russo

No Activity Period

Monday 4/12 AC

11:30 NYSSMA

2:00 7th & 8th Orchestra Dress Rehearsal

Activity Period: Chamber Strings

Tuesday 4/13 BD

10:50 Rachel Swyer

1:20 Catie Rafferty

2:00 Arianna Barnum

Activity Period: 7th Grade

Wednesday 4/14 AC

9:30 7th & 8th Orchestra Dress Rehearsal

10:10 Michelle Yu

11:30 NYSSMA

2:00 6th Grade String Quartet

Thursday 4/15 BD

8:50 2 & 3

9:30 4 & 5

10:50 Erin Templeton

11:30 1

1:20 Katie Gonick

Activity Period: 6th Grade

7:30pm 7^th & 8th Grade Orchestra Concert @ FMS

Friday 4/16 AC

8:50 Matthew Krieg

10:50 Joe Sipzner

11:30 Gianluca Russo

2:00 Catie Rafferty

No Make-up Lessons during Activity Period

NYSSMA Solo Festival @ RCS

4/17 NYSSMA Solo Festival @ RCS

Monday 4/19 BD

9:30 2

10:50 NYSSMA

11:30 5

1:20 4 & 1

2:00 3

Activity Period: Chamber Strings

Tuesday 4/20 AC

8:50 3

10:10 4

11:30 1

2:00 2

Activity Period: 7th Grade

7:30pm 6^th Grade Concert @ FMS

Wednesday 4/21 BD

8:50 3

11:30 2

1:20 1

Thursday 4/22 AC

8:50 5

9:30 1

10:10 2

10:50 3

11:30 4

No Make-ups during Activity Period

NYSSMA Majors @ Shaker

Friday 4/23 BD

8:50 2

1:20 1
No Make-up Lessons during Activity Period

NYSSMA Majors @ Shaker

Monday 4/26 AC

8:50

9:30 1

10:10 2

10:50 3

11:30 4

2:00 5

Activity Period: Chamber Strings

Tuesday 4/27 BD

9:30 2

1:20 1

2:00 3

Activity Period: 6th Grade

Wednesday 4/28 AC

8:50 1

10:10 2

10:50 3

7th & 8th Grade Concert Seating

Violin 1
Sipzner
Nyangaga

Gohlke-Schermer
Chen

Mulligan, Mary Jean
Dai

Warren
Templeton

Xu
Russo

Kannan
Mulligan, Jo Ann

Marinopoulos
Abebe

Morawski
Clemente

Salazar
Henry

Violin 2
Tenenini
McAuliffe

Mulligan, Carrie Rose
Lamb

Toscano
Pabba

Zervos
Farry

Yu
Swyer

Rastegar
Permaul

Randorf
Barnum

Huq
Zeng

Viola
Pearson
Wolanski

Chevalier
Ramesh

Trichilo
Burby

Krofft

Cello
Long
Hoffmann

Brown
Byerly

Chong
Hernandez

Ingraham
Schermerhorn

Kedik
Rosenberg

Campbell
Leicht

Ko
Ericson

Bass
Manobianco
Fortune

Gunther

7th & 8th Grade NYSSMA Sectionals

For our NYSSMA Sectionals, 7th and 8th grade orchestra members have been split into 3 groups. On your assigned day and time, come to the orchestra room prepared to play in groups of 2-4. You must have your binder and music these days!

If you forget your music or instrument on this day, you should remain in your regularly scheduled class, accept a late penalty, and plan on playing our concert repertoire for me at a different time.

Find your name listed below, and pick up a pass in the orchestra room on your assigned day. If you have a test or project during your assigned time, come to me 3 days prior to your assigned time so that I can adjust your assignment. Students who ask to switch on the day of their sectional may not be given an opportunity to make up what they have missed.

Monday, April 19th - 1:20pm

Joe Sipzner, Walter Nyangaga, Gerardo Salazar, Shaddai Henry, Christina Morawski, Elijah Clemente

Naomi Tenenini, Alyson McAuliffe, Arianna Barnum, Katie Randorf, Michelle Yu, Rachel Swyer

Emma Person, Rebekah Wolanski

Andrea Long, Jennifer Hoffmann, Cody Ingraham, Sophia Schermerhorn, Asaph Ko, Curtis Ericson

Thomas Fortune

Tuesday, April 20th - 9:30am

Ali Gohlke-Schermer, Alicia Chen, Mathilde Warren, Erin Templeton, Pranav Kannan, Jo Ann Mulligan

Carrie Rose Mulligan, Josh Lamb, Sazeed Huq, Kevin Zeng, Amir Rastegar, Natasha Permaul

Laura Chevalier, Karthik Ramesh

Naila Brown, Sarah Byerly, Abigail Kedik, Jacob Rosenberg

Julia Manobianco

Wednesday, April 21st - 8:50am

Mary Jean Mulligan, Vivian Dai, Andrew Xu, Gianluca Russo, Kristina Marinopoulos, Markos Abebe

Alana Zervos, Maddy Farry, Amy Toscano, Nihaal Pabba

Michael Trichilo, Elise Burby, Heather Krofft

Julia Chong, Hannah Hernandez, Sydney Campbell, Rose Leicht

Emily Gunther

7th & 8th Grade Dress Rehearsal Schedule

Monday, April 12th - 2:00pm

Wednesday, April 14th - 9:30am

Thursday, April 15th - 7:3opm 7th & 8th Orchestra Concert

All dress rehearsals will be on stage in the Cafetorium. Please arrive on time, unpack quickly, and proceed directly to the stage. There will be no 7th or 8th grade lessons that week.

6th Grade String Quartet Rehearsal Schedule

Wednesday, March 31^st 8:50-9:30am

Wednesday, April 14^th 2:00-2:40pm

Wednesday, April 21^st 10:50-11:30am

Wednesday, April 28^th 9:30-10:10am

Chamber Strings

Congratulations on two wonderful concerts! I am so pleased with that focus you maintained through all the performance delays, and I heard many positive remarks about our portions of this week's concerts!

Regular rehearsals for our spring concert will begin on Monday, March 29th. Please take a moment or two to look at Dance of Iscariot, O Mio Babbino Caro, and Be Boppin' Bourree before that rehearsal. Come prepared with any questions, ideas, concerns, or suggestions for the upcoming program!

NYSSMA Medals

Lori R. Hershenhart, District Administrator for Music, GCSD

Farnsworth Middle School, 6072 State Farm Road, Guilderland, NY 12084

(518) 456-6010 ext. 3007 Fax (518) 456-3747

hershenhartl@guilderlandschools.org

March 22, 2010

Dear Music Parents,

For students who attend the NYSSMA Solo and Ensemble evaluation festivals, there are optional medals available for parent purchase. NYSSMA medals are available for $6 per medal. NYSSMA participation certificates will be distributed to all students who attend.

The bronze NYSSMA medals are individually boxed with ribbons differentiating the level of performance. These medals are available for solo or ensemble performances.

If you wish to purchase a medal for your child, please fill in the form below and return it to your child’s teacher with a check made payable to Farnsworth Middle School by June 4, 2010.

Thank you,

Lori Hershenhart

******************************************************************************************

Order Form

NYSSMA Medals ($6 each)

Checks payable to Farnsworth Middle School

Amount

NYSSMA Solo Medal (Red, White & Blue – Levels 1-4) _______

NYSSMA Solo Medal (Gold – Levels 5-6) _______

NYSSMA Ensemble Medal (Red, White & Blue – Levels 1-6) _______

Total_______

Student Name __________________________

School _______________________________

Teacher ______________________________

Lesson Group updates

Monday 1 Alicia Chen, Vivian Dai, Carrie Rose Mulligan, Walter Nyangaga, Erin Templeton, Michelle Yu
Members of this lesson group have played C, G, D, A, and F Major scales individually. By the end of the year, this lesson group will also play E, B, Ab, Eb, and Bb Major scales. We have studied Achievement March (memorized) and Marionettes. We are currently working on Minuet 1 and the duet part. At this point, we have memorized up to the first repeat in Minuet 1 and are working on the memorization of the second half of the piece.


Monday 2 Arianna Barnum, Shaddai Henry, Sazeed Huq, Gerardo Salazar, Kevin Zeng
Members of this lesson group are working on Minuet 1 and have played G, D, and A Major scales. We also spend time working on orchestra repertoire, rhythm, and posture. By the end of the year, this lesson group will also play C and F Major scales. Shaddai Henry and Kevin Zeng should arrange a time to make up the significant number of lessons missed.

Monday 3 Kristina Marinopoulos, Nihaal Pabba, Gianluca Russo, Rachel Swyer, Alana Zervos
We have been working on both Achievement March and Minuet 1 in this lesson group. Most students have played C, G, D, A, and F Major scales. We will also learn E, Bb, and Eb Major scales by the end of the year. Our focus has been on performance, both with solo and orchestra repertoire. We perform for each other and prepare for NYSSMA.

Monday 4 Markos Abebe, Maddy Farry, Christina Morawski, Jo Ann Mulligan
Members of this lesson group have played C, G, D, and A Major scales and will learn E, F, and Bb Major scales. Though we have worked on sections of Achievement March and Etude, we have recently spent time on orchestra music. Our primary focus is on finger placement & intonation and bowstroke.

Monday 5 Elijah Clemente, Allyson McAuliffe, Natasha Permaul, Amir Rastegar
This lesson group has played G, D, and A scales. We are working on Etude and orchestra music. Posture and position are our primary concerns.

Tuesday 1 Mary Jean Mulligan, Amy Toscano, Andrew Xu, Pranav Kannan
Members of this lesson group are working on sections of Bourree as well as orchestra music. This lesson group has played C, G, D, A, and F Major scales. Some members have gone on to play Bb and Eb Major scales as well. We are working on note accuracy as well as volume produced by correct bowstroke.

Tuesday 2 Ali Gohlke-Schermer, Joe Sipzner, Naomi Tenenini
This lesson group has played C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, and Eb Major scales. We will finish out the Major Scale sheet and begin learning more melodic minor scales by the end of the year. We have learned and discussed many techniques necessary in performing Bourree properly, including how to break chords, the bowstroke and rhythm appropriate for those chords, the location in the bow that we should play specific dotted articulations in, and how to find and treat phrases. We have memorized sections of Bourree to perform for each other. Now, we are learning excerpts from Seitz Concerto No. 5, mvt I.

Tuesday 3 Josh Lamb, Katie Randorf, Mathilde Warren
Members of this lesson group are working on sections of Bourree as well as orchestra music. This lesson group has played C, G, D, A, and F Major scales. Some members have gone on to play Bb and Eb Major scales as well. We are working on note accuracy as well as volume produced by correct bowstroke. Katie Randorf and Josh Lamb should plan to attend all make-up lessons offered due to excessive absence.

Tuesday 4 Elise Burby, Laura Chevalier, Karthik Ramesh, Michael Trichilo
This lesson group has played C, G, D, A, and F Major scales. We will finish the Major Scale sheet. Members of this lesson group have learned the Pleyel: Sonatina No. 2 and performed sections of this piece from memory for each other. Now, we are working on Bach: Gavotte from Orchestral Suite No. 3. We have also begun learning note reading in treble clef and can play small sections of Dream Waltz from the Solo Time for Strings Violin Book 1.

Wednesday 1 Heather Krofft, Rebekah Wolanski
In this lesson group, we have played C, G, D, and A Major Scales. Last semester, we looked at Songs of Many Lands and Scottish Folk Songs. Now, we are learning Gossec: Gavotte. Both ladies have performed the beginning to the first repeat, and both should plan on moving up a size or two in violas for next year.

Wednesday 2 Curtis Ericson, Hannah Hernandez, Rose Leicht, Emily Toffenetti
Although some members of this lesson group need to catch up on their individual scale performances, we have played C, G, D, A, and F major scales. We are working our way through Cellos Ole, other orchestra music, and our fiddle tune (Off She Goes). Now, we are learning more tunes by ear, beginning with Long, Long Ago & variation. Careful attention should be paid to cello position (facing forward, and not tilted) and seated posture. Practice should focus on rhythm and careful, slow shifting. Emily Toffenetti should plan on attending all make-up sessions to make up for excessive absence from lessons.

Wednesday 3 Naila Brown, Jennifer Hoffmann, Jacob Rosenberg, Sophia Schermerhorn
Members of this lesson group have played C, G, D, A, and F Major scales. We are working on adding the glissandos to Cellos Ole as well as other orchestra music. We are learning the fiddle tune, Long, Long Ago & Variations, and sight reading duets. Jacob and Sophia should plan on attending make-up lessons and come prepared with excerpts from Cellos Ole.

Thursday 1 So Yeon Kim, Sera Song
Sera and So Yeon are working their way through the beginning of Suzuki Violin Book 1. They have learned and peformed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star & variations, Lightly Row, Song of the Wind, and Allegro. Last week, we began work on Go Tell Aunt Rhody. So Yeon should come to 6th grade make up lessons and continue to practice her pieces in front of a mirror to remember posture.

Thursday 2 Delaney Guntert, Claire Hill, Eliana Rowe
As a class, we have played C, G, D, and A Major scales. In these lessons, we work on orchestra music, finger placement/intonation and short pieces. Recently, we have learned Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the first variation. We also began Lightly Row. We will continue to work through Suzuki Cello Book 1. Members of this lesson group should practice landing on the tapes (and tuning their 4th fingers to the open string below), learning the names of the notes on the string, and chanting rhythms.

Thursday 3 Sydney Marotta, Joseph Petitti, Katie Yang
Members of this lesson group are preparing to go to the NYSSMA solo festival in April, so we alternate learning orchestra music with sight reading and solo preparation. We read duets and work to improve bow techniques. Sydney should plan on staying for a make-up lesson where we can choose a solo to begin work on.

Thursday 4 Cory Parker, Sophie Patka, Alfredo Salazar, Alex Selsley, Cynthia Leonard
The emphasis in this lesson group is on repertoire, posture, and position. We have played C, G, D, and A Major Scales and performed French Folk Song, Lightly Row, and Song of the Wind for each other. We are currently working to learn Go, Tell Aunt Rhody. All pieces are performed from memory for the class. We also continue to study the 6/8 rhythms found in Gaston's Gigue as well as the C string notes in The Chapel on Nettle Knob. We will be starting work on The Happy Farmer.

Thursday 5 Matthew Krieg, Catie Rafferty, Allison Reiner, Rebecca Tucker, Michelle Burmistrova
As with the other 6th grade viola lesson group, our emphasis is on repertoire, position, and intonation. Scales we have played include C, G, D, A, and E Major. We have performed French Folk Song, Lightly Row, and Song of the Wind for each other and are currently learning Go, Tell Aunt Rhody and excerpts from Gossec: Gavotte. A few members of this lesson group are attending NYSSMA for level 1 and level 2. We also continue to study the 6/8 rhythms found in Gaston's Gigue as well as the C string notes in The Chapel on Nettle Knob.

Friday 1 Sarah Byerly, Sydney Campbell, Julia Chong, Andrea Long
Friday 2 Cody Ingraham, Abigail Kedik, Asaph Ko

Both of these lesson groups are working on Cellos Ole and assorted duets. We have also been working on our fiddle tune (Off She Goes), orchestra music (mostly March of the Meistersingers), and short pieces. Sydney, Julia, and Sarah should plan on attending make-up lessons.

Young People's Concert

A reminder to Chamber Strings:

The Young People's Concert at Guilderland High School is tomorrow. Please remember to bring your instruments and to wear performing attire. You should report to the orchestra room at 11:20am. If your lunch period falls between 11:20am and 1:30pm, you should plan to pack your lunch to eat on our trip.

Additionally, we will take a yearbook photo before school. Come to the orchestra room as soon as you arrive.

See you tomorrow!

Chamber Strings

Today we invited new members to Chamber Strings...but because of the MASK production at the end of this week, various tests and projects, and other conflicts, we had a small group to read through new music. In attendance were:

Joe Sipzner

Arianna Barnum

William Wang

Marko Crnkovic

Catie Rafferty

Emma Pearson

Karthik Ramesh

Andrea Long

Naila Brown

Cody Ingraham

Asaph Ko

Our concert has been tentatively rescheduled for March 24th, but I'll have more information on that coming soon.

Today, we read through two of our new pieces: Dance of Iscariot by Kurt N. Mosier and O Mio Babbino Caro by Puccini and arranged by James "Red" McLeod. In general, the group's sight reading has greatly improved, and I can't wait to hear the level of musicality that we can achieve by the end of this year!

If you'd like to hear a recording of Puccini's original work, I recommend this youtube video of Renee Fleming. Ms Fleming attended the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam before continuing study at The Julliard School in New York City.