Letters to parents and students were distributed as part of a packet. This packet should be inserted into each student's 3-ring binder and brought to class daily. The letter outlines the expectations for preparation for the upcoming concert period.
In-class listening will become a staple in our spring semester. Today, we listened to the last movement from Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony (IV. Frolicsome Finale). Britten composed this work between his 7th and 8th grade years in school, and while the title implies a work for children, the Simple Symphony is complex in composition and difficult in execution. The other movements of this work are: I. Boisterious Bourree, II. Playful Pizzicato, and III. Sentimental Sarabande.
We began rehearsal with the first 4 measures of Scale Exercise #36 in D Major. These scale exercises are designed to improve intonation through slow and careful chord progressions.
Toy Symphony, by Leopold Mozart (Wolfgang Amadeus's father) was our sight reading piece of the day. As with many classical period compositions, Toy Symphony is deceivingly difficult thanks to the bowing and articulation that is demanded at a quick tempo.
Though we fell short in time, we read most of Star of County Down, a medley of Irish tunes. This is a long work with extended sections in 6/8. I like this arrangement, but it may be too long as a programmed work.
A number of students left their packets behind. Andrew Xu, Pranav Kannan, Victor Rau-Sirois, Sydney Campbell, and Sarah Byerly can pick up their packets in the music room any time before next class. I have packets for Laura Chevalier and Emma Pearson, and I also have scale sheets for the cellists. All of these can be found in the orange 8th grade homework folder located next to the lesson cards.
Make sure you bring your packets to class each day for full preparation credit!
