Revised Lesson Schedule

****Students attending NYSSMA in April: Find your name on the schedule for individual NYSSMA lessons****

Lesson Groups
Group 1 So Yeon Kim, Sera Song
Group 2 Delaney Guntert, Claire Hill, Eliana Rowe
Group 3 Sydney Marotta, Joseph Petitti, Katie Yang
Group 4 Michelle Burmistrova, Cory Parker, Sophie Patka, Alfredo Salazar, Alex Selsley
Group 5 Matthew Krieg, Catie Rafferty, Allison Reiner, Rebecca Tucker
Group 6 Asha Anand, Heather Krofft, Rebekah Wolanski
Group 7 Curtis Ericson, Hannah Hernandez, Rose Leicht, Emily Toffenetti
Group 8 Naila Brown, Jennifer Hoffmann, Jacob Rosenberg, Sophia Schermerhorn
Group 9 Alicia Chen, Vivian Dai, Carrie Rose Mulligan, Walter Nyangaga, Erin Templeton, Michelle Yu
Group 10 Arianna Barnum, Shaddai Henry, Sazeed Huq
Group 11 Gerardo Salazar, Kevin Zeng
Group 12 Kristina Marinopoulos, Nihaal Pabba, Gianluca Russo, Rachel Swyer, Alana Zervos
Group 13 Markos Abebe, Maddy Farry, Christina Morawski, Jo Ann Mulligan
Group 14 Elijah Clemente, Allyson McAuliffe, Natasha Permaul, Amir Rastegar
Group 15 Mary Jean Mulligan, Mathilde Warren, Amy Toscano, Andrew Xu
Group 16 Ali Gohlke-Schermer, Joe Sipzner, Naomi Tenenini
Group 17 Pranav Kannan, Josh Lamb, Katie Randorf
Group 18 Elise Burby, Laura Chevalier, Karthik Ramesh, Michael Trichilo
Group 19 Sarah Byerly, Sydney Campbell, Julia Chong, Andrea Long
Group 20 Cody Ingraham, Abigail Kedik, Asaph Ko

2/22 BD
8:50 10
9:30 9
10:50 14
11:30 13
1:20 12
2:00 11

2/23 AC
8:50 17
9:30 18
11:30 16
2:00 15

2/24 - Snowday
10:50 7
1:20 8


2/25 BD
9:30 2
10:50 3
11:30 5
1:20 1
2:00 4

2/26 AC
10:50 19
11:30 20

3/1 BD
8:50 9
9:30 10
10:50 12
11:30 13
2:00 14

3/2 AC
8:50 15
9:30 16
10:10 11
11:30 17
2:00 18

3/3 BD
8:50 7
9:30 NYSSMA: Arianna Barnum
10:50 NYSSMA: Catie Rafferty
11:30 NYSSMA: Katie Gonick
1:20 8
2:00 NYSSMA: Alex Selsley

3/4 AC
8:50 1
9:30 2
10:10 5
10:50 3
11:30 4
2:00 6

3/5 BD
9:30 NYSSMA: Erin Templeton
11:30 19
2:00 20

3/8 AC
8:50 14
9:30 13
10:10 10
10:50 12
11:30 11
2:00 9

3/9 BD
8:50 17
9:30 18
11:30 16
2:00 15

3/10 AC
8:50 8
10:10 NYSSMA: Gianluca Russo
10:50 7

3/11 BD
8:50 NYSSMA: Emma Pearson
9:30 NYSSMA: Carrie Rose Mulligan
10:50 NYSSMA: Michelle Burmistrova
11:30 NYSSMA: Rachel Swyer
1:20 NYSSMA: Michelle Yu
2:00 NYSSMA: Matthew Krieg

3/12 AC
8:30 19
11:30 NYSSMA: Gianluca Russo
2:00 20

3/15 BD
8:50 13
9:30 9
10:50 11
11:30 12
1:20 10
2:00 14

3/16 AC
9:30 17
10:10 16
11:30 15
2:00 18

3/17 BD
8:50 8
11:30 7

3/18 AC
8:50 5
9:30 6
10:10 3
10:50 1
11:30 2
2:00 4

3/19 BD
11:30 20
2:00 19

A reminder to all 7th and 8th Graders:
Our combined concert will be on Thursday, April 15th -- so tell your family to file their tax returns and then come hear some great music!

Scale Worksheet #1

Scale worksheets were passed out during the last class. Scale Worksheet #1 tests knowledge of 4 familiar scales: C, G, D, and A major.

For each scale, students should do the following:

• Write the names of the notes in the scale. These letters (and accidentals, in many cases) can be found on the Major Scale Sheet that we use in class and lessons.
• Notate the key signature on the staff the way you would see it in music (with sharps, #, or flats, b,)
• Create a fingering chart using the bubbles. Remember that each bubble represents a half step. You may use your worksheets 1-4 from class, any Essential Elements or Strictly Strings fingering charts, or other resources you desire.
  

7th grade Scale Worksheet #1 is due 2/25

8th grade Scale Worksheet #1 is due 2/24

Practice Log Reminders

A reminder about Practice Logs:

6th Grade logs are due on March 2nd and 3rd. We wrote goals by saying "i will..." Our goals look like this:

Goal #1

Play m _(4 measures only)_ in Winds on Big Hill _(3 or more)_ times with quarter note = 60-70

Goal #2

Chant rhythms in m__(4 measures only)__ in Gaston _(3 or more)_ times in a row.

Goal #3

Perform _(an exercise or small section)_ from my (school/private) lessons for my __(family member)__.

Goal #4

Work on __(intonation, bowing, notes, etc)_____.

7th Grade practice logs are due Thursday, March 4th.

8th Grade practice logs are due Tuesday, March 2nd.

Remember, get a parent signature daily!

Want to join?

Chamber Strings is accepting new members this Spring -- would you like to join?

This select ensemble is open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

We meet during Activity Period on Mondays.

See me if you're interested!

Chamber Strings - 11th Rehearsal

I am sorry that we do not know when our concert will be rescheduled, but I will let you know as soon as a date has been chosen!

Today's rehearsal went very well considering our week-long haitus. We played our repertoire in reverse-concert order, beginning with Winter. I was very impressed at the level of control and focus that the cellos had in their opening measures of this piece. They were able to maintain a slow tempo as a section. The slower the better! Violins still have a faster tempo in their minds, but I can't stress enough the value of practice in increments of slow speeds! Many of you are now playing in the appropriate parts of your bow with the bowing that is marked, though I'm shocked to still see people trying to play double-down bow 32nd notes in the middle to upper-half of their bows! Fix!

Let's decide that we're only playing the Allegretto as marked (one repeat...playing the entire song 2x). There is a fermata on the last note, and so it should be held until either Joe or Andrea shows a cutoff. Again, I'm very happy with what I'm hearing from everyone. You are showing concern for other sections and making more musical decisions.

Probably my favorite part of rehearsal was Die Forelle! Second violins, violas, and cellos can still play quieter so as to stay below (in dynamic) the first violin melody, only bringing out the specific measures we discussed in your sectional. I know that singing this piece was hilarious -- as was singing AND playing at the same time -- but it was also very beneficial in that you could create "music" without the stress of fingerings, bowings, and complicated rhythms. Practice like this! I know it's silly, but it's okay to be silly if it helps in the long run. I'd love to be able to do this again -- especially for a song that was written for the voice!

Generally, intonation can be better. While intonation is partly my fault (because I can't physically tune you this week), you can do a lot to help. As string players, we have to constantly be aware of our tonal surroundings: what intervals are we forming? What part of the chord are we playing? How can we remember the shape that our hands should be in?

If possible, practice with someone who is in a different section this week.

In attendance were:

Joe Sipzner

Arianna Barnum

Ali Gohlke-Schermer

Katie Gonick

William Wang

Bill Dong

Marko Crnkovic

Erin Templeton

Rachel Swyer

Emma Pearson

Catie Rafferty

Karthik Ramesh

Andrea Long

Naila Brown

Cody Ingraham

Katie Yang

Full attendance! Yay!

Lessons for February & March

****Students attending NYSSMA in April: Find your name on the schedule for individual NYSSMA lessons****

Lesson Groups
Group 1 So Yeon Kim, Daniel Logiudice, Sera Song
Group 2 Sophie Balzer, Delaney Guntert, Claire Hill, Eliana Rowe
Group 3 Sydney Marotta, Leo Miller, Joseph Petitti, Katie Yang
Group 4 Michelle Burmistrova, Cory Parker, Sophie Patka, Alfredo Salazar, Alex Selsley
Group 5 Matthew Krieg, Catie Rafferty, Allison Reiner, Rebecca Tucker
Group 6 Asha Anand, Heather Krofft, Rebekah Wolanski
Group 7 Curtis Ericson, Hannah Hernandez, Rose Leicht, Emily Toffenetti
Group 8 Naila Brown, Jennifer Hoffmann, Jacob Rosenberg, Sophia Schermerhorn
Group 9 Alicia Chen, Vivian Dai, Carrie Rose Mulligan, Walter Nyangaga, Erin Templeton, Michelle Yu
Group 10 Arianna Barnum, Shaddai Henry, Sazeed Huq
Group 11 Andy Cummings, Gerardo Salazar, Kevin Zeng
Group 12 Kristina Marinopoulos, Nihaal Pabba, Gianluca Russo, Rachel Swyer, Alana Zervos
Group 13 Markos Abebe, Maddy Farry, Christina Morawski, Jo Ann Mulligan
Group 14 Elijah Clemente, Allyson McAuliffe, Natasha Permaul, Amir Rastegar
Group 15 Mary Jean Mulligan, Mathilde Warren, Amy Toscano, Andrew Xu
Group 16 Ali Gohlke-Schermer, Joe Sipzner, Naomi Tenenini
Group 17 Pranav Kannan, Josh Lamb, Katie Randorf
Group 18 Elise Burby, Laura Chevalier, Karthik Ramesh, Victor Rau-Sirois, Michael Trichilo
Group 19 Sarah Byerly, Sydney Campbell, Julia Chong, Andrea Long
Group 20 Cody Ingraham, Abigail Kedik, Asaph Ko

2/22 BD
8:50 10
9:30 9
10:50 14
11:30 13
1:20 12
2:00 11

2/23 AC
8:50 17
9:30 18
11:30 16
2:00 15

2/24 BD
10:50 7
1:20 8


2/25 AC
9:30 2
10:10 1
10:50 3
11:30 5
2:00 4

2/26 BD
10:50 19
11:30 20

3/1 AC
8:50 9
9:30 10
10:10 11
10:50 12
11:30 13
2:00 14

3/2 BD
8:50 15
9:30 16
11:30 17
1:20 18

3/3 AC
8:50 7
9:30 NYSSMA: Arianna Barnum
10:10 8
10:50 NYSSMA: Catie Rafferty
11:30 NYSSMA: Katie Gonick
2:00 NYSSMA: Alex Selsley

3/4 BD
8:50 1
9:30 2
10:50 3
11:30 4
1:20 5
2:00 6

3/5 AC
9:30 NYSSMA: Erin Templeton
10:10 NYSSMA: Gianluca Russo
10:50 NYSSMA: Joe Sipzner
11:30 19
2:00 20

3/8 BD
8:50 14
9:30 13
10:50 12
11:30 11
1:20 10
2:00 9

3/9 AC
8:50 17
9:30 18
11:30 16
2:00 15

3/10 BD
8:50 8
10:50 7

3/11 AC
8:50 NYSSMA: Emma Pearson
9:30 NYSSMA: Carrie Rose Mulligan
10:10 NYSSMA: Michelle Yu
10:50 NYSSMA: Michelle Burmistrova
11:30 NYSSMA: Rachel Swyer
2:00 NYSSMA: Matthew Krieg

3/12 BD
8:30 19
1:20 20

3/15 AC
8:50 13
9:30 9
10:10 10
10:50 11
11:30 12
2:00 14

3/16 BD
9:30 17
11:30 15
1:20 16
2:00 18

3/17 AC
8:50 8
11:30 7

3/18 BD
8:50 5
9:30 6
10:50 1
11:30 2
1:20 3
2:00 4

3/19 AC
11:30 20
2:00 19

Fiddling: 5 Questions of Bowing

This past weekend, I attended the 23rd Annual Dance Flurry in Saratoga Springs, NY. This event brings together folk artists from New York and surrounding states to perform and give workshops in dance, fiddle, guitar, singing, banjo, mandolin, and a variety of other folk genres.

As I've discussed in class, the bowing of fiddle tunes can often provide insight into the character of the tune and its background. However, "fiddle bowings" can be complicated and different from the bowings that classically-trained musicians are accustomed to. One presenter offered a solution to the daunting task of figuring out fiddle bowings. She offered 5 questions of bowing to ask when presented with a new tune:

1. What bow does it start on?
2. What bow does it end on?
3. How many slurs are there?
4. How many notes on a slur?
5. Where does the slur start?

By asking these questions, we can listen more carefully and with greater purpose. With the answers organized in our minds, we can learn the tunes more quickly and accurately.