Orchestra Performs at the Christmas Sing Thursday and Friday All students must bring your instruments and music 8 a.m.

Beginning and Advanced orchestra will be playing at the Christmas sing!

Please bring your instruments and music Thursday and Friday.

All students must be at the school at 8:00 a.m. for tuning and set-up

Please wear what your grade has chosen for their performance.  Together we will look just right.

Beginning Orchestra will play
Jingle Bells
Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Advanced Orchestra will play
Up on the Housetop
Perpetual Motion Christmas

Christmas Concert

Christmas Concert 

Tuesday December 17th 6:00 pm

In the Orchard Gym

All students must arrive at 5:00 pm for tuning and set-up

Advanced Orchestra is playing
Perpetual Motion Christmas
Up on the House Top
We three Kings of Orient Are

Beginning Orchestra is playing
Jingle Bells
Good King Wenseslas
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
D major Scale

Best Sunday Dress is Required for all performers.  

Everyone is invited to this free concert.  Come and enjoy the Christmas music.  

Concert December 17th Tuesday

We are having our annual Christmas Concert for Orchestra

Tuesday December 17th 6:00 p.m.  

Orchard Elementary School

The concert will be held in the Gym.

All students must be in best Sunday Dress.  Christmas colors are encouraged but Not required.  

Beginning Orchestra is playing 

D major Scale

Good King Wenseslas

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Jingle Bells

Have your student play these songs for you.   We have only 1 rehearsal left before the concert.
It is very important to make sure your student gets plenty of extra practice time in.  We will sound wonderful only if there is practicing at home.

Practice plan

Play each of the concert songs 5 times each

Schedule and practice 5 days this week.  

It is astounding how fast they learn when they make and keep a regular practice schedule.  They are very smart and absorb new information very well.  It is not enough to just understand what needs to be learned but they have to teach the muscles to do it.  Just like learning to walk they are learning a physical skill.  Please help them by providing opportunities to practice and perform at home. 

Please email me if you have any questions.  

sjgundersen@gmail.com

Advanced Orchestra November 14th

Great Work in our Last Rehearsal

The secret to a flawless performance is taking time at home to go through the music.

Practice Points

Go through each song 3 times every day.  

This will ensure that you are solid on each and every note.  When everyone can play their part we can move the music to the next level.  This means we can add expression and clean articulation.  When we can do this it has a great effect on the audience.  It makes them enjoy the music so much more.  

Beginning Orchestra 11/13

Great Work Today

We had a great rehearsal today.  I can tell more of you are taking time to practice at home.  

Practice Assignment this Week

1-D Major Scale-play 3 times every day

A-Pay Attention to your position.  

Make sure you are holding your bow just right and your left hand is perfect.

B-Make sure you are saying the names of the notes first before you play them.  

This will make a big difference as you learn new music

2-Jolly Old St Nicholas-play 3 times every day

**If there is a a part that is hard take time to figure it out and play it several time until it is easy

3-Good King Wenseslas-Play through 3 times

If there are parts you don't know take the time to figure out the notes. 

 All the notes are the same as the D Scale that we learned

Practice makes it possible to learn.  

Without regular practice it is not possible to learn how to play a musical instrument.  

You are great keep working hard.

Make time for practice.  

Beginning Orchestra 11/6

After these first few weeks in Orchestra most of you are very comfortable with the D scale.  

If you are still having a hard time with the D scale

 PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP  

I know you can get it.  

There is a magic weapon.  A secret passed down through the ages of all people trying to learn a new skill.  That super secret Magic Weapon is 

PRACTICE.

It only takes 10-15 minutes a day a 5 days a week and you will be a superstar on your instrument.

Finding Time to Practice

1-Talk to your parents and schedule a regular time to practice.  With out their help it becomes very hard to stick to your goal of learning to play your instrument.

2-Write this time down in a very obvious place like the fridge or the family schedule board.  As you plan your day make sure you don't let anything push practicing out.  

Even if it means you stay up 10 minutes late to get some time in.  Over time this will be the difference between success and frustration.

3-When you take the time to practice be patient with your progress.  Take small pieces of the music at a time.  1-2 measures    If you only master 1 line in a week that skill will make learning the rest of the music easier.  

Please take time to work through the assignments posted here on the blog.  If we all work hard to do this our concert will be amazing.  You will have such a feeling of accomplishment and have a new understanding of how smart you are.  

Practice Point

D Major Scale-Say the names of the notes as you play

1-Play single note on each note

2-Play Pepperoni Pizza on each note

3-Play two notes on each string

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Two measures at a time.  

Take time to pluck through the song first then add the bow when you can play it without a mistake.  

No Advanced Orchestra held on Nov. 7th

I am sorry to announce there is 

No Advanced Orchestra this week.  

I will be out of town.  

We will have

 CHRISTMAS MUSIC NEXT WEEK.  HURRAY!  

Thanks for your great performance on Halloween.  I was so proud of you.  

Beginning Orchestra

Great Job Today!

Practice Points

1. D Scale-Play 5 times everyday

2. Jolly Old St. Nicolas- Play the first four measures We worked on them in class.   Play these 5 times

Here is a Chart of the Finger numbers that

 match the note names for the D major scale and Jolly Old St. Nicholas and Good King Wensceslas

Violin and Viola                                          Cello

D  E  F#  G  A  B  C#  D                            D  E  F#  G  A  B  C#  D  

0   1   2     3   0   1   2    3                             0  1   2     3   0   1   2    3

Parents

If you want to help your student call out one of these notes out of order and have them play for you.  It is a good exercise in teaching them what note matches what finger on their instrument.  

3. If you feel confident with Jolly Old St. Nicholas keep playing through the rest of the song.  Be VERY careful to have the right posture.  You will get the very best sound that way.

Advanced Orchestra Performs on Halloween

Remember all you little Monsters 

(or what ever you have chosen to be for Halloween)

Advanced Orchestra performs 10/31 at 9:30 AM

We will be playing Harry Potter and Hey, Ho, Nobody's Home.

Come in your costume at 8:00 a.m. 

so we can tune our instruments and run through our numbers with both tracks of advanced orchestra.  

Those of you who have agreed to make doors with cardboard will need to have then at the school 

tomorrow morning at 8:00 am

If you have any questions please email me.  I will check my mail often today 

sjgundersen@gmail.com

Beginning Orchestra 10/16

Work on the D Scale

Remember
1-Say the name of the note before you play it.
2-Keep your finger stuck to the fingerboard on the tape.
3-Walk your fingers up slowly giving yourself time to keep your position perfect.

D Scale Challenge-If you can play the D scale by yourself next week I will bring you a prize.

Play the D Scale 3-5 times everyday.  If you do this you will be so good at the scale you are sure to be ready for the prize.

Thanks and Remember

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Beginning Orchestra 10/9

Great rehearsal this week.

Work through the book exercises 15-20

Clap through the exercise as you say the names of the notes.
Please take time to focus on watching the music as you play.  It will make all the difference when it comes time to read the notes.

String Walk shout Out
D String
D -Open String
E- 1st finger
F#- 2nd finger for violins and violas 3rd finger for cello
G-3rd finger for violin and violas and 4th finger for cello

Remember to say the name of the notes before you play them.  Stop the bow and put the next finger on the next tape.
Play this 4 times everyday.  It is a very effective exercise.  

Beginning Orchestra 9/25

Practice Assignment

In String Basics Book 1
Exercise #10,11,12,13,14 and 15

Please take the time to read each note carefully.  It is easy to memorize the music.  That is not what we are working on right now.

PLEASE LOOK AT EACH NOTE ON THE MUSIC WHILE YOU PLAY IT.

You will enjoy orchestra much more as you make this your rule.  The music is easy now so take the time to read carefully.  As the music becomes more difficult you will find yourself lost, thinking that orchestra is too hard.  You can do it.  The easiest way is to force yourself to read the notes carefully.

We need Parent Volunteers for Beginning Orchestra.  It is a HUGE class.  Please let me know if you are able to come help.  I need 1-2 parents with me each week.  

Shara Gundersen

sjgundersen@gmail.com

Advanced Orchestra 9/19

Thanks for the work you put in last week  We had a great rehearsal because of your practicing.  

This Week Practice Assignment

1-F major Scale-Work slowly again until it is easy.

Play two counts per note, then 1 count per note, then 2 eight notes per note.

2-Harry Potter-Optional playing test mm 57-58 watch out for the Bb and the Eb  If you play this for the class with the right notes you get a treat.  

3-Hey Ho Nobody's Home-Work on the slurs in mm 10 and mm 13.  Make sure you are playing two notes to a bow.  When this is mastered play through the whole thing.  See if you can learn it so well you can sing and play at the same time.  

Thanks for all your hard work in Orchestra.  We are set up for a great year.  You are AWESOME!

Beginning Orchestra 9/18

Beginning Orchestra

This week we got tapes put on our instruments

Practice Assignment

1- First Finger Walk-Open string then stop the bow then put your first finger down on the tape closest to the scroll-Do this 10 times each string

String Basics Book
 Exercise 1,2,3,4,5-Play each of these three times

Attention Parents-It is important that your student have a shoulder rest if they play the violin or viola or a rock stop if they play the cello
It also important that they have the Book String Basics Book 1 for their instrument.  We will work from the book every week for the rest of the year.
Please make sure your student also has a pencil.
Thanks for the opportunity to teach your students they are so smart and wonderful.  

Advanced Orchestra Assignment 9/12

Great Rehearsal this Week

Practice Points

Harry Potter 

Everyone

mm 15-19 We went through these in class for quite some time.  Please take time this week to master them.  

Listen for the Bb in mm17 and the low 2 Bb in measure 19

 

 mm 31-35  This is very similar to the first section we worked on except you don't go to the low Bb on the G string.  

mm 57-59 

Violins- low 2 on the D string and low 4 on the A 

Violas and Cellos-low 2 on D and G and low 1 on the D 

Violins Only

 mm 25-26 also a low 2 going to a Bb low one on the A string.

Go through Hey Ho Nobody's home

If you find this song too easy check to make sure you are playing ALL the SLURS and getting the dotted rhythms just right.  

If that is mastered look at your position while you play is it perfect.  

Check your Bow hand-are you leaning forward with a bent thumb.  

Your left wrist-Is it straight

Irish Dance

mm 33-40 learn the Down Down Up Up bowing-Play it slow.  This is a new skill for most of you.  Be patient with yourself.  Play it slow enough that you get the bowing right without having to tighten your bow hand as you concentrate.
Please take the time to learn the sections here.  When we practice at home we can create music in class.  

Beginning Orchestra 9/11 Rehearsal

Weekly Assignment

1-Pirate Ship bow grip with a pat on the back-10 times
2-Pluck with your 3rd finger (ring finger left hand) 10 times each string
3-Move the bow from the frog to the tip then pat your back with the bow-10 times each string
4-Down-Up-Down----rest---Up-Down-Up---rest 10 times on each string
5-Rhythm practice  On each string play

Pepperoni Pizza-10 times up and down- lowest string to highest string

Pine-apple Pine-apple-10 times up and down- lowest string to highest string

Peanut butter Peanut butter-10 times up and down-lowest string to highest string

Do this 5 days this week so you have mastered your bow grip.  

Next Week we will learn where to put our fingers

You will need

Book

Pencil

Shoulder Rest

Please practice you will be very glad you did even if it seems hard.  Great work today!

Advanced Orchestra First Week

Advanced Orchestra

We had a good first rehearsal.  The students received a folder with 4 new songs that vary in difficulty.
Students now have a dedicated pencil for orchestra and will be expected to have one at each rehearsal.

Practice outline

1-F major scale- Work SLOWLY on the F major scale.  It is Much BETTER TO PLAY IT SLOW and hear clearly the Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do sound that we talked about in class.  This scale has a lot of the same notes that we use in Harry Potter so it will make that song much easier to learn when you understand the F major scale.

2-Have the first three lines of Harry Potter solid and in tune.  Listen to your sound and ask yourself if that sounds in tune and confident.
-Make sure you start with an up bow and watch for slurs and circle bows.  Make a good habit now of following bowings it will be a strength to you in all your playing.

3-Hey Ho Nobody's Home- Make sure you have the first melody with the words very clean.  If you can try to sing the words when you are playing.  This song is a round so when you have the beginning perfect you have learned the whole song.  

Please take the time to do this 5 days before you come to the next rehearsal.  We will have such a strong group if we all decide to take the time to practice.  Thanks for a great rehearsal.  

Beginning Orchestra First Week Practice Plan

Our First Orchestra practice we will learn

1. How to hold our bows-I will tape in each of their books a paper that talks about the "Pirate Ship Bow Grip"  This walks the students through the correct way to hold their bow for maximum sound.

Use this paper to draw the dots on your students fingers and have them tell you the story as they demonstrate a perfect bow grip. 

 Repeat this 5 times everyday

 

2. Hold your instrument-Have your student take their violin and viola up to their left shoulder.  Take time  study the picture in their book  and copy it exactly. 

 Do this 5 times

 

3. Name the open strings-Students will learn to name each of the strings on their instrument have them demonstrate this to you.  

 

4. Open string playing-Students will learn 3 rhythms in class.  

Pepperoni Pizza

Peanut Butter Peanut Butter

Pineapple Pineapple

Play each of these rhythms 5 times on each string

 

Please feel free to take little breaks as you need them while your muscles are getting stronger.  

Each time you start and each time you finish check your position to make sure your bow grip is perfect with a bent thumb and a "lazy first mate"  and make sure your instrument position is just like the picture in the front of your String Basics book. 

Bonus-If you hand in your practice record with it signed by your parent(s) you get an extra treat. 

Class starts next week

Beginning Orchestra

Please come with a you String Basic Book, your shoulder rest or rock stop and your instrument and a pencil.

Wednesday 

First Track-2:15-3:15

Second Track 3:30-4:30

Advanced Orchestra

Please come with a pencil and your instrument ready to start learning music for the Halloween concert.

Thursday

First Track 2:15-3:15

Second Track 3:30-4:30

Please leave a comment of the blog if you have any questions or feel free to email me

sjgundersen@gmail.com

Parent Night Tonight

Come to the Orchard Orchestra Parent night 

6:00 p.m. in the Media Center

We will talk about success strategies and tips.  I have invited Summerhays Music to come and be available to answer any questions about instrument rentals.  They are also ready to exchange any size instrument if your student has grown over the summer.

I know you will find this meeting informative.  Please bring your student and we can help you with anything you need to start or continue in the orchestra program.  

Orchestra Parent Night

Thursday August 29th 6:00p.m.

At Orchard Elementary School Media Center

We will talk about our Orchestra Program and some of the things to do to ensure your students success. 

It is important to come especially of you are new to orchestra here at Orchard.  

We will start rehearsals the first week in September 

          Wednesday September 4th for Beginning 

          Thursday September 5th for Advanced

History Corner
Johann Sebastian Bach -"Yo-han Sebas-tee-on Bahk"
Born 1685- Died 1750
German composer with a BIG musical family.  

One of his Famous Pieces is Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring often heard at Christmas time.

Neat Fact about Bach-
     He liked to write for students learning to play their instruments.

     He was once thrown into prison by his boss (the Duke in Wiemer) for accepting a better paying job.  

New Rehearsal Times

There has been a change from last years rehearsal schedule.

Each track will rehearse after school.  

Beginning Orchestra Wednesdays

Track 1 2:20-3:20 pm

Track 2 3:30-4:30 pm

Advanced Orchestra Thursdays

Track 1 2:20-3:20 pm

Track 2 3:30-4:30 pm

We will begin rehearsals
Wednesday September 4th for Beginning Orchestra
and
Thursday September 5th for Advanced Orchestra
It Look Forward to Seeing You There!

Back To School Night is 

Monday August 19th at Orchard Elementary SchoolLook for the Orchestra table.  I will be there excited to see all of you.  

Welcome to Orchard Notes

Here you will find

Concert Information

Rehearsal Times

String Exercises