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.