End of Spring semester - May 28th, 2009

It has been quite a year!!

To start with I would like to congratulate all of you on such a wonderful concert @ Park School. It is quite an achievement for so many students of such a young age to pull together the level of music that you worked on. I was thrilled with the end result, of course, but I was also delighted by the process that we went through together of practicing & rehearsing & gradually seeing the pieces come together.

Well done to those of you that made it to the concert @ the Meyerhoff. Having the opportunity to see where you will be if you continue playing your instruments is pretty exciting. I sat @ the very front so that I was close to the performers & although I may be slightly biased (?) I can happily report that my students have the best sitting position!! I saw many incorrectly placed feet! I was very impressed with the level of music-making that I heard. Some truly great music...

So looking to the future...
* to those of you who are auditioning/have auditioned for the CS, I wish you the very best as you continue your music-making.
* to those of you returning to me in the fall - YIPPEE!! I am already planning the music that we will be learning... anyone for a fugue again??
* I will send out an email by the end of August telling you which group you are placed in - please don't ask before then...

Last, but not least, thanks to all of the families for your support, snacks (esp chocolate..) & bringing your children to their weekly rehearsals. None of this would be possible without your help.

I hope that you all have wonderful summers, but don't forget to practice your instruments & note-reading. (Couldn't resist telling you to practice)...

In Gratitude,
Louise :)

Spring semester - May 3rd, 2009

Please check out the links on the left side of the page, where you can practice flashcards & fingerings online.

Upcoming schedule - May 2009

Just a reminder about the next few weeks:

Sunday May 10 – Rehearsals as usual

Sunday May 17 – Sinfonia/Sinfonietta Concert @ the Park School, 4:30 p.m.;
Please plan to be there for 3pm as I would like to warm-up with both groups onstage.

Sunday May 24 – YO/CS Concert at The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall;
all Sinfonia/Sinfonietta students are expected to attend


Sinfonietta:

NOTE READING HELP AVAILABLE EVERY SUNDAY:
3.10pm LOUNGE (CS ROOM)
BRING BINDER

-Satie Gymnopodie-I am still rather concerned about this piece. PLEASE TAKE THIS TO YOUR TEACHERS THIS WEEK.

• everyone needs to practice clapping & counting, as well as playing & counting.
• if you play the melody line you must work @ playing the notes, rhythms & bowings in a confident manner.
• please practice this with your tuner so that our intonation as a group is good.
• we need DYNAMICS-please practice the louds & softs. They should be very dramatic.
• find a recording of this piece to listen to so that you have a good sense of how it fits together-see link below:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Vw459QbAw&feature=related
  

-German Dance-this piece is holding together nicely.

• please clap & count/play & count with metronome.
• bass needs to play the solo faster, although I know that this is an extremely difficult part.
• violin 1 must write in the bowings.
• violin 1 must work on the bowings of m5-8 & m13-end.
  

-Kesh Jig-it is vital that everyone memorizes the structure of this piece; where you play tune, back-up, bass, break.

• work @ 1/8th note = 80
• practice playing through the whole piece with the correct form.
• violin 1 must practice the break ALOT.
  

Sinfonia:

-Fairly Fugal-this piece is now holding together well & I am very pleased with the obvious effort that has been made to get your parts together. Well Done!

• work at 1/8th note = 138
• work on the small sections, one at a time & do a few of them each day.
• keep clapping/counting; playing/counting.
• violin 1-please work on the notes in m60-61.
• violin 2-work on m44 C natural & the rhythms in m48-55.
  

-Vivaldi-this has improved from last week.

• work at 1/4 note = 152
  
• violins & violas need to accent the first of each group of 1/8th notes.
  
• cellos should work on the sound of the 1/4 note stroke, as there should be a slight gap between each note - this is not supposed to be legato.
  
• violins & viola must work with the metronome on m21+22, m35-41 m64-66.
• violin 2 & viola must work with the tuner on m50-60.
  

-Ash Grove-it is vital that everyone memorizes the structure of this piece; where you play tune, back-up, bass, break.

• everyone must work at playing the tune & break @ a forte volume.

Keep up the great work - there is light at the end of the tunnel....
Thanks, Louise :)