GBYOA - SINFONIETTA & SINFONIA

Bye bye GBYO

2010-09-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it has certainly been fun while it has lasted!
I am now going to be running a childrens' orchestra at Peabody Preparatory & you can find all of the pertinent info here:

New youth orchestra opportunity at Peabody Preparatory for elementary string students
PEGS - Preparatory Elementary group for strings

This semester I am excited to be launching a new program at Peabody Preparatory for the younger string student who wishes to experience an orchestra, perhaps for the first time, but with minimal commitment. The catalog description is at the bottom of the email, along with appropriate links for registration, but I would like to share a broader sense of the ensemble's goals with you. I am contacting you now because our first session will begin in October.

PEGS is designed to allow your student to participate in an orchestra for a single 8-week session. There is no whole year or full semester commitment, however, the student can take this class repeatedly as every 8-week session is a new experience with a change in personnel and music. There is also no audition.

I am excited that this will give students from the broad musical community the opportunity to come together to make music. Any student, studying with any teacher, can participate in this group. In my previous work with ensembles of this level, GBYO Sinfonia & Sinfonietta, I have seen the dramatic effect that peer encouragement can have & I feel that this will benefit all students who do not currently have the opportunity to play in an ensemble.

We will do 7 weeks of rehearsals on 1-3 pieces and a performance will occur at the 8th session. I will ask students to bring their music to their teachers so that we can achieve a high level of playing together in the short session.

This is designed to be an enjoyable but educational class, which will give the participating students the opportunity to work on their note reading and rhythm skills in a practical setting.

Please pass this information along to anyone who may be interested in this new offering. Feel free to contact me directly by email louise@louisehg.info or cellphone 410-493-9371 & give my information to anyone who might be interested.

Many thanks,
Louise Hildreth-Grasso
Peabody Preparatory-Violin & Viola faculty, Conductor-PEGS

PEGS - Preparatory Elementary group for strings (Grades 2-6)
Louise Hildreth-Grasso, Conductor
Open to string students who play violin, viola, cello, and bass at the Suzuki Book 2 through early Book 4 level.
This elementary level string ensemble is designed to provide an introduction to playing in a fun group environment.
There is no audition.The class will focus on rhythm and note reading skills.
Students will learn about the good habits of an orchestra musician and experience the thrill of playing in a large ensemble. PEGS will rehearse music written and arranged for string orchestra and will perform 1-3 pieces at the end of the session concert.
Seating placement is determined by the conductor and students' seating will rotate each semester.
Everyone is welcome to enroll in PEGS, regardless of whether the student receives individual instruction at the Preparatory.
Participation is by semester with the class designed to be taken for a minimum of one semester, but can be taken repeatedly as the material will be new for each semester.
Each semester will consist of seven rehearsals and a performance. Regular attendance is essential. Students must bring their own music stand.

PP.200.022 01 SAT 12:30-1:45 L215 Hildreth-Grasso Fall $205/Spring $205
Fall Rehearsals: 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13 Performance: Saturday, November 20, 2010, L215
Spring Rehearsals: 2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9 Performance: Saturday, April 16, 2011, L215

To register please visit:
http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/prep/register

or call
Registration 410-234-4634; 410-234-4635

or email
prep_registrar@peabody.jhu.edu

Check us out on Facebook:

PEGS-Peabody

Spring semester - February 28th, 2010

2010-03-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

Here is the info regarding our upcoming Sinfonia performance:

Sunday 21st March, 2010
Scottish Rite Temple, Charles St. Baltimore
Concert 4pm
Call time for Sinfonia members has not been decided but you can assume that it will be at least a couple of hours before the concert so that we can rehearse & do a run through on stage.
Sinfonietta members are expected to attend this concert, although they are NOT performing. There will be no rehearsal for Sinfonietta on March 21st.

Everyone needs to commit to working on anything in their music that is highlighted or circled.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

Notereading class 3.10-3.30pm:
-Jack, Amelia & Rita are making significant progress. I am very pleased with their willingness to do extra work to improve their musical skills.

Air & Caprice:
-upper strings need to continue to work on m30-40 for rhythm & notes.
-everyone must take m74-77 to their teacher & practice with the metronome & clap & count.

Suite for Strings-Aria
-cellos need to take D to their teachers.
-vlns must work with their tuners on D.

Fancy Fiddles:
-work @ the dynamics m65-end.
-practice this with your metronome with 1/4 note=80

Technique:
-please learn/review the difference between ties & slurs. Take your exercise sheet to your teacher who can check that you are doing them correctly.

Music History:
-listen to a new piece by Mozart & come to the next rehearsal able to talk about it.

Music Theory:
-I would like you to memorize the meanings of the A words on your musical terms sheet.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

2 REHEARSALS LEFT BEFORE THE CONCERT!

I am disappointed that nobody had attempted the research on Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus. This will take a few minutes of your time & you should always know the background of every piece that you learn, in your lessons & in orchestra. Please make sure that you take care of this before our next rehearsal.

Ave Verum:
-vln 1 must work on m17-21, section E & prepare m45-46 for a test next week.
-vln 2 must study section E with a tuner & take this to your teacher.
-everyone must focus on pitch by using a tuner.

Skywalker Scenes:
-I was very excited to have our percussionists join us in our rehearsal. The piece is extra exciting with the new sounds added.
-the whole piece needs work with the metronome.

Music history:
-please read the biography of Mozart that was handed out. Highlight 5 items & memorize them.
-research the piece by Mozart that we are playing-Ave Verum Corpus. Find out when it was written & why it was composed.

Music theory:
-please clap & count the rhythms containing sixteenth notes #67-70.
-on your sheet of musical terms please review the meanings of the words A-F.

Have a great week,
Louise :)

Spring semester - February 21st, 2010

2010-02-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

WOW, we finally had a rehearsal!! That was LOTS of snow, but now it is back to work...

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

Notereading class 3-3.30pm:
-We had a merry bunch of folks-Jack, Amelia, Rita & Pria.

Air & Caprice:
-everyone needs to work on m30-40; m55-59; m74-77.
-vln 2 & vla please take m4 to your teacher.

Suite for Strings-Aria
-cellos need to take D to their teachers.
-vlns must work with their tuners on D.

Fancy Fiddles:
-please keep practicing this.

Technique:
-please learn/review the difference between ties & slurs. Take your exercise sheet to your teacher who can check that you are doing them correctly.

Music History:
-please read the biography of Mozart & highlight 5 facts that you will then memorize.

Music Theory:
-I handed out a sheet of musical terms & I would like you to memorize the meanings of largo, lento & maestoso.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

3 REHEARSALS LEFT BEFORE THE CONCERT!

After a vote among the orchestra members it was decided, with an overwhelming majority, that we should postpone Lovers' Waltz until the May concert. So for the concert on March 21st we will perform Ave Verum & Skywalker Scenes. Please continue to work on Lovers' Waltz as we will work on it in the coming weeks.

Ave Verum:
-discuss with your teacher how to get a richer sound.
-vln 1 must focus on the bowing & counting of m14-20.

Skywalker Scenes:
-the slow middle section needs whole bows & beautiful tone.
-please work on the faster sections with the metronome.

Music history:
-please read the biography of Mozart that was handed out. Highlight 5 items & memorize them.
-research the piece by Mozart that we are playing-Ave Verum Corpus. Find out when it was written & what larger work this part is from.

Music theory:
-please clap & count the rhythms containing sixteenth notes #67-70.
-on your sheet of musical terms I would like you to memorize the meanings of the words A-F.

Let's stay focused on pulling this music together.
Have a great week,
Louise :)

Spring semester - January 31st, 2010

2010-02-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

Notereading class 3-3.30pm:
-This is a "come when you want to" class & you do not have to attend weekly.
-We had Rita, Jack, Amelia & Carlos in attendance.

Air & Caprice:
-2nd violin & viola-work on the notes of m 4.
-1st violin-please look out for the C naturals (low 2 on A).
-everyone must practice clapping & counting m 55-59.

Suite for Strings:
-we began the Aria.
-It consists of 2 important ideas: a quarter note idea that switches back & forth between upper & lower strings; a dotted quarter note rhythmic idea.
-1st violin-watch the C natural (low 2 on A).
-everyone should take this to their teacher for help on the slurs.
-hwk: from beginning to B.

Fancy Fiddles:
-everyone must work on m 21-28, especially the rhythm.

Music History:
-please find out about the composer Beethoven. I would like you to look up when & where he was born & died.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

6 REHEARSALS LEFT BEFORE THE CONCERT!

Everyone must focus on the highlighted sections of their music. These are the parts that we KNOW are problems.

Ave Verum:
-please focus your practice on C to the end.

Lovers' Waltz:
-we managed to get through a substantial amount of this piece today, which tells me that you are practicing this. Thank you.
-the rhythm is giving us the biggest problem in this piece so it would be smart to clap & count every day.
-1st violin have the bulk of the melodies in this piece & that is what everyone is listening to. You have a big responsibility to really work on your parts. Please work on the rhythm/bowing in m 10 & m 14. I will quiz you again next week on m 41-46.

Skywalker Scenes:
-I am very impressed at how fast you are able to play this already!
-1st violin-please fix the bowings of m 33-64.
-viola-please review the C# (high 3).
-everyone must practice m 33-64 with the metronome.

Music theory:
-it seems that most people have learnt the order of flats... WELL DONE! Be prepared for a quiz on the order of sharps/flats at any time...
-the rhythm sheet #43 was decently prepared. Please continue to work on this as it will help you with the rhythms in Lovers' Waltz.

Please keep up the hard work. I am impressed with the effort that you are putting into this music.
Have a great week,
Louise :)

Spring semester - January 24th, 2010

2010-01-25T16:40:00.000-08:00

Dear students & parents,

It is very important to take your orchestra music to your private teacher. To use your lesson time in the most effective manner you should have the difficult sections marked so that your teacher can target the problems.
Remember that I want you to be working on all of the pieces now, so that when we come to rehearse them you already have some familiarity with the material.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

Notereading class 3-3.30pm:
-This is a "come when you want to" class & you do not have to attend weekly.
-It was a great turnout with Niajea, Jack, Carlos & Rita in attendance.

I handed out Suite for Strings by Edmund Siennicki. This Suite has 3 movements & we may do some or all of it depending upon how quickly it comes together.

Air & Caprice:
-there was already improvement on the counting of the rests.
-Vln 2-please take m4 to your teacher to correct the notes, rhythm & bowings.
-everyone should practice counting & clapping m55-59 with the metronome.
-please review m75-end for the rest & the very slow bow in the upper strings.

Fancy Fiddles:
-one of the main issues in this piece are the rests, especially when they occur on beat 1. Clapping & counting is the key to mastering this.
-everyone must work on m21-28 using all of our practice tools.
-Vln 2 & Vla should prepare for a quiz on m37-44 at next week's rehearsal.

Suite:
-please begin the Aria. If everyone uses our practice skills on this - clapping & counting, say note names, say fingerings, bow in the air - then next week's playing of this piece will go smoothly.

Music Theory:
-you need to practice the rhythm sheet #15. Clap & count aloud.

I was impressed with the examples that you had thought of for the elements in the acronym for PRACTICE. Keep thinking about how each element works in your own practice.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

7 REHEARSALS LEFT BEFORE THE CONCERT!

Lovers' Waltz:
-there is some improvement in the rhythm counting & playing. Until it is so ingrained that you can count it in your sleep, you need to KEEP practicing clapping & counting the rhythms.
-Vln 1-you have the greatest difficulty regarding the rhythm. Please do not make us spend valuable rehearsal time on rhythm work that you can do at home.
-Vln 1-prepare m41-48 for a quiz next week. Do ALL of the practice elements on this section.

Ave Verum:
-Great work! This is coming together very well. The pitch of the chromatic sections is key so please practice at home with your tuner & check that every note is in tune.
-Vln 1-please take m45 to your teacher to get help on doing a shift to 3rd position, as this will make the trill sound better.

Skywalker Scenes:
-Just as we did in the rehearsal, you need to get your metronome & start at a slow speed that you can play this perfectly at & then increase the tempo on the metronome so that you can play this faster.

Music theory:
Good job on the memorizing of the order of sharps. This week please memorize the order of flats.
For the rhythm sheet #43, please write in the counting & then practice it alot. This will help the Lovers' Waltz.

Well done! It is clear that you are all working hard & I am pleased.
Have a great week,
Louise :)

Spring semester - January 17th, 2010

2010-01-18T15:07:00.000-08:00

Dear students& parents,

So we are at the start of a new semester & it is note learning time. The easiest way to thoroughly learn your part is to do the following:

Take a small section of a piece & do the following:
-clap/count rhythm (with & without metronome)
-practice bowings in air
-say note names
-say fingerings
-play each note very slowly with the tuner
Remember that you are going to do all of these things on one small section at a time. When you have progressed on that small section, then you move to the next small section.
It is also important to focus on the highlighted parts of your music because that is where your section has a problem. It won't be fixed until everyone practices it.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

Notereading class 3-3.30pm:
-This is a "come when you want to" class & you do not have to attend weekly.
-You can practice these skills online @ the links on this page.

So far we are dealing with two relatively easy pieces. That means that if you all practice your music we can move onto some harder pieces.
Both of your pieces require the following:
-clap & count all of the piece
-take your music to your teacher
-focus on the highlighted sections
You also need to review the sheet which has an acronym for PRACTICE. There will be a quiz.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

8 REHEARSALS BEFORE THE CONCERT!

Lovers' Waltz:
-This is by far our hardest piece for the March concert. It is full of rhythmic complexity which means that your practice should consist of LOTS of clapping & counting, & yes I do mean clap with your hands hitting each other & count aloud. You must take this to your teacher for help with your highlighted sections & the rhythm.

Ave Verum:
-I am very pleased with how quickly you are picking this up. The biggest overall issue is the intonation of the chromatic sections (where there are lots of accidentals) & the only way to work on it at home is to practice small sections slowly with a tuner.

Skywalker Scenes:
-You are doing a good job on this already, so now we begin to start increasing the tempo using the metronome. I suggest that you start by figuring out what speed you are doing it at now-play some, feel the pulse & then find that speed on your metronome.

Music theory:
By our next rehearsal you will all have memorized the order of sharps!

We are off to a fabulous start everybody! Keep it up!
That's all folks,
Louise :)

Fall semester - December 6th, 2009

2009-12-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

Dear students,

I have to say that I am very impressed with the way you performed on Sunday @ our dress rehearsal. It is clear to me that everyone has done their best to prepare the music. The most important part of your orchestra experience has already occurred-the rehearsals & the progress. The concert is the icing on the cake, when you get to share your musical experiences with many people who will appreciate greatly that you are performing for them.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta
I am delighted to say that I do not really have any concerns about your music for the concert. When we did the play through of each piece they felt comfortable & manageable. Please practice all of your music with your metronome especially, but it wouldn't hurt to do some work with the tuner, & review all of your highlighted or circled areas where your section has had problems previously.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia
Ok, so we have a little work to do... I gave you very challenging music to learn & you have really risen to the occasion. In the rehearsal the Handel Little Fugue was probably the weakest & fell apart quite a bit. This is usually pretty solid so it just goes to show that you can always find more work to do in music!! Be sure to work on this with your metronome as that is the biggest group issue. Amazingly, we had hardly any issues with either Skaters' Waltz or White Christmas!! Keep reviewing all of your music, practicing with the tuner & metronome daily, & focusing on the problems that have been highlighted or circled.

I am excited to do the concert on Sunday. You have all impressed me with your effort & determination. Be sure to bring as many people as possible for the family concert so that they can all hear your wonderful work.

With great appreciation,
Louise :)

Rehearsal details of Sunday 6th December, 2009

2009-11-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday 6th December, 2009

The rehearsals are NOT at Timonium on Dec 6th.

The rehearsals will be held at the Scottish Rite Auditorium, 3800 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, prior to the YO/CO concert. All students are required to attend the concert even though they will not be performing.
It is vital that we have a rehearsal on this day. I know that the times will cause some complications for many students but this will be our final opportunity to play together before the concert. Please do everything that you can to make it to these rehearsals.

Sinfonia rehearsal: 1:00-2:15pm
Sinfonietta rehearsal: 2:30-3:30pm

As always you are expected to arrive 15 minutes prior to the rehearsal. Parking is a more lengthy process @ this location so allow extra time.
We will do a quick snack break so please do bring snacks (Scott Lee-Sinfonietta/Joanna Amberger-Sinfonia).

SCHEDULE CHANGE - November 15th, 2009

2009-11-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

SECTIONALS
I am very excited to announce that the Sinfonia & Sinfonietta will be having their first ever sectionals!!
-sectionals are where each section of the orchestra is coached individually by a teacher, to help with the problem spots in the music for that single section of the orchestra. It is a very effective way of improving everyone’s playing of the orchestra music.
-attendence at sectionals is very important. We pay additional teachers to come & work with each section.

Here is the schedule for 11/15/9 (next week):

Sinfonietta
3.30-4.30pm sectionals
4.45-5.15pm orchestra rehearsal

Sinfonia
5-6.15pm sectionals
6.30-7.15pm orchestra rehearsal

Snacks will be provided by the scheduled people as normal.
Sectionals will take place in the smaller rooms. There will be signs telling you which room you need to go to.
The orchestra rehearsal will take place in the usual room.
Please bring everything that you usually bring to the rehearsal.
This is a special opportunity to get extra help with your music for our concert. Please do everything that you can do to attend!! This is very important.

*** THERE WILL BE NO NOTEREADING CLASS THIS WEEK ***

Fall semester - November 8th, 2009

2009-11-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

*It is vitally important that everyone looks up at the conductor when they are playing in the orchestra. This takes practice. When you are at home, please practice looking up @ something on beat 1 of every measure so that you train yourselves to do it without difficulty. The First violins need to work on playing loud & strong.*

Notereading class:
-Our class was rocking this week with Carlos, Damonte, Pria, Rita, Eric & Tomas present. It is wonderful to see individuals develop their skills so quickly.
-This is a "come when you want to" class & you do not have to attend weekly.
-You can practice these skills online @ the links on this page.

Chanukah:
-this caused alot of problems in the orchestra, most of which were the result of rhythmic difficulties. There is a simple solution - practice clapping & counting aloud!!
-the cello & double bass must sound wonderful in m12-in tune & great tone.

Regal Procession:
-the main issue was the rhythm! So guess what??? You need to clap & count aloud, preferably using a metronome.
-violin 1 need to work with the metronome m28-32.
-viola & cello need to really focus on m25-32.

We Three Kings:
-please take this to your teachers & go over the bowings!

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

White Christmas:
-this piece has me a little scared... I think that it is possible to look @ the music & think that it is easy & doesn't need to be practiced, when in reality it is very challenging to play in tune because of the highly chromatic writing style.
-everyone needs to take this to their teacher & ask for help, even if you think that you are nailing this piece.
-everyone needs to work on this with their tuner.
At this point, without extremely committed practice, this piece could be a complete disaster. Or, this could be a beautiful addition to our program. Which do you choose?

Skaters' Waltz:
-parts of this piece have come a very long way & improved to the point that they sound like the piece. It is very impressive that you have grasped the concept of playing in 1. It is important to practice this with the metronome clicking on beat 1 & then either playing the pattern of a rest & 2 quarter notes repeatedly, or doing the melody with just beat 1.
-I want everyone to work on every measure of this piece with the metronome (in 1 or 3) this week.
-everyone must practice m43-59 as this is one of the weakest sections of the piece.

Handel Little Fugue:
-this is coming together nicely.
-practice counting & clapping with the metronome.
-practice the ending enough so that you can look up at me for the rit.

Thanks for all of your work, Louise :)

Fall semester - November 1st, 2009

2009-11-02T21:29:00.000-08:00

I was extremely proud of everyone who came to the rehearsals on Sunday. You were required to focus, be patient, listen, & make music under the most unbelievably chaotic circumstances. I sincerely appreciated the effort that everyone made to attend the rehearsal & concert.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

*Our biggest playing issue with the lower strings is counting the rhythms, especially the rests. For the violins they need to concentrate on the finger placement.*

Regal Procession:
-this piece has a lot of tricky rhythms for the violas, cellos & bass, especially with the rests. Practicing counting aloud & clapping with a metronome on would be a big help.
-we need to do a big diminuendo in m39-40 & then we can do a massive crescendo in the last 5 measures of the piece.
-the violins need to count especially when they have rests. A good example of this is m35-36.
-everyone should look @ the scale measures; violins m15 & lower strings m16.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

Handel Little Fugue:
-in spite of the circumstances, I think that we made excellent progress on this piece in this rehearsal.
-we managed to work through section 2-4 with great success & those sections seem comfortable for everyone.
-it is vital that everyone really focus on section 5-end. Problems exist related to counting rests; violin 1 has low E1 (F natural); everyone must watch carefully in the 2nd to last measure.

Skaters' Waltz:
-I think that everyone is doing a very good job @ increasing the speed so that the beat is in 1.
-the introduction is nicely played.

White Christmas:
-@ m21 the violins must create a beautiful sound on their pizzicato.
-the bass has a significant solo @ m25-28 & m39.
-the 2nd violins are getting caught on the G sharp (high D3) @ m32.

Instrument skills:
-everyone must ask their teacher to work with them on spiccato, even if you think you can already do it!

Thanks everyone! I am looking forward to a "normal" rehearsal this week!! Louise :)

Metronomes & Tuners

2009-10-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

So I've been asked about choosing a metronome & tuner.... You can spend up to hundreds of dollars on these items. For an elementary student though, something simple is more appropriate.
Here are a few suggestions in the lower price range that are perfect for your child as they are combination tuners & metronomes:

https://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=STM30
Shar Metro Tuner
Item # STM30
Sale: $11.99

https://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=ST204
Shar Digital Metro-Tuner
Item # ST204
Sale: $18.99

https://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=STM500
Shar 3-in-1 Clip Metro-Tuner
Item # STM500
Sale: $16.99

This example is much more expensive because it offers a greater degree of accuracy & provides more options. It would be suitable for an advanced student. It has many things that are completely unnecessary for your children.

https://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=imt301
Intelli Digital Metro Tuner w/Thermo Hygrometer
Item # IMT301
$46.99

If you don't wish to buy this online then you can get very similar things @ local music stores such as Music & Arts; Mencheys; Perrins etc

If you do order online then be sure to add in a couple of these so that your children keep their instruments in top condition:

https://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=1233U&Cat=
Shar Micropourous Super Cloth Untreated
Item # 1233U
$3.99

https://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=1133U
Shar Untreated Cleaning Cloth
Item # 1133U
Sale: $2.10

I hope this helps,
Best wishes, Louise :)

Fall semester - September 27th, 2009

2009-09-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

We had a great rehearsal this week....! Keep it up!

Reminders:
-I must receive completed gray forms from everyone. At the present time I do not have them from:
Sinfonietta:
Pria Graham
Tomas Paral
Eric Artson
Niajea Randolph
Daja Bailey
Ethan Lee
Eleanor Lee
Carlos Gray
Sinfonia:
Sophia Amberger
Christian Bradshaw
Steven Eisner
Please just bring them to the next rehearsal that you attend. If you believe that you name is on this list in error then please let me know & I will do a thorough search.
-If you haven't yet completed & returned your yellow student info packet YOU ARE WAY LATE! Please take care of this....

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

*Our biggest playing issue is having everyone play in tune. Intonation is very important for sounding good as an ensemble.*

Notereading class:
-I was delighted to have 3 new faces @ the class-Pria, Mayalen & Rita.
-This is a "come when you want to" class & you do not have to attend weekly.
-You can practice these skills online @ the links on this page.

Herb Round:
-I was pleased to see that this easy piece had greatly improved in one week.
-It is important to keep practicing the rhythms & this week I would like everyone to focus on playing through the piece so that we can begin work on playing this as a round.

Regal Procession:
-I was delighted to see that so many students had listened to this piece.
-Everyone marked down in their music the problems that they were having. These problem spots need to be practiced on their own. The trick to mastering these problems is practicing them VERY SLOWLY.

We Three Kings:
-We began to play through this to get an idea of the parts.
-The bowings are the most difficult aspect of this piece. Everyone must concentrate on whether the slurs are smooth or stopped.

Research project:
-I would like everyone to find about Jascha Heifetz. He was a violinist. You should know his basic biography & significant facts about his life. Then I will be able to tell you a story about him that relates to our discussion on playing perfectly...

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

Handel Little Fugue:
-counting in this piece, especially on the longer note values & rests, is going to be the biggest challenge. Please put the metronome on & clap & count your part.
-focus on practicing from the beginning through 4 this week.

Skaters' Waltz:
-the biggest problem in this piece is m43-59 for Violin 1. The combination of spiccato, bowing directions & rhythm presents a significant challenge so you MUST take it to your teacher.
-our goal speed is quater note=190 so start working with the metronome & increasing the tempo.

White Christmas:
-the biggest challenge with this is the intonation of the notes, so everyone must work with their tuner.
-work @ playing this @ quarter note=80

Instrument skills:
-everyone must ask their teacher to work with them on spiccato, even if you think you can already do it!

Music theory:
-memorize what a fermata is..
-why do we draw eyeglasses on our music?
-what is the meaning of grandioso?

Research project:
-I would like everyone to find out about a great player of your instrument-one of the "most famous ever".... so if you were a violist you could choose William Primrose (dead), Rivka Golani (living-my teacher), Kim Kashkashian (went to Peabody) etc... Please choose someone who interests you. The only restriction is that they must be famous enough that I have heard of them...

Thanks everyone, Louise :)

Fall semester - September 20th, 2009

2009-09-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Excellent 1st full rehearsal! We're going to have a great year...

Reminders:
-please complete & return the gray form to me
-please complete & return the yellow packet to the manager, Julia, or me
-leaving the rehearsal room during snack time is NOT permitted except to use the rest room

New Info:
-as we are in the lounge now, we have been told that snacks can take place there. This will not continue if crumbs are left...
-October 11th is a very important day. We will NOT have any rehearsals, & therefore there will be no need for snacks, but EVERYONE is expected to attend some part of the Artistic Director interview/audition. I strongly suggest that you attend the Family Q & A & it would be good to see some of the orchestra audition time. If you think about it, given the average time span for a Artistic director, current students of my groups could be playing in the YO for the chosen candidate. In addition, the Artistic director has the capacity to enhance or diminish the experience of the GBYO for everyone-including the newest member of the Sinfonietta. They are our advocate to the Board, which is a very important thing for us.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonietta

Notereading class:
-both Damontae & Carlos attended & have made significant strides over the summer! I am very pleased with their work.

Herb Round:
-this piece is going to be used to work on basic ensemble skills. We can work on this in unison which allows us to focus on looking @ the conductor as we play. We can also focus on the basic rhythms which occur.

Regal Procession:
-I was disappointed that so few students had listened to the recording that they were given last week. Many of the students study the Suzuki method & so have already seen the value of listening to a piece that they are going to play. It provides a huge jump in ease of studying the piece. Ask "Do I want my life to be easier or harder?"...
-I was pleased with how quickly the group came together at this first rehearsal. It seems that the biggest issue is going to be rhythm. Start counting & clapping NOW.

Rehearsal/Homework - Sinfonia

Handel Little Fugue:
-we began this piece by having each section of the orchestra play the Fugue theme

Skaters' Waltz:
-this piece gives me the greatest concern in terms of pulling it together... surprisingly it is already starting to sound like the piece. EVERYONE needs to take this piece to their teacher & ask for some guidance concerning the bowing style of spiccato-it is key to playing this piece. Violins 1 & 2 must work on m44-55.

White Christmas:
-the difficulties of this piece are chromaticism & rhythm. Everyone must figure out their notes.

Thanks everyone, Louise :)

SNACKS - Fall 2009

2009-09-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Sinfonia

9/20 - Sarah and Emma Denlinger

9/27

10/4 - Corey Sekulow

10/11 - Steven Eisner

10/18 - Jonathan Jeyachandren

10/25 - Audrey Fioretto

11/1 - Abeni Schoch

11/8 - Matthew Mu

11/15 - Latarsha Tolson

11/22 - Bogumila Balcerek

12/6 - Joanna Amberger

Sinfonietta

9/20 - Carmen Paral

9/27 - Celeste Gallo

10/4 - Simona Clampin

10/11 - Antonio Jacobs

10/18 - Nisha Rao

10/25 - Tamisha Bell

11/1 - Necole Pearson

11/8 - Angie Gray

11/15 - Elsie Brown

11/22 - Mary Llewellyn

12/6 - Scott Lee

End of Spring semester - May 28th, 2009

2009-05-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

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 :)

Spring semester - April 26th, 2009

2009-04-26T20:10:00.001-07:00

I am delighted with how many students are attending the notereading sessions prior to the Sinfonietta rehearsals & it is really making a difference. Students are showing major improvement & it is evident in the rehearsals. While I donate my time to run the notereading sessions & write the blog, I sometimes think that these things have the power to make the greatest difference for most of the students.

Sinfonietta:

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

-Satie Gymnopodie-this piece still requires a great amount of work to make it performance ready. Based on the poll taken of the students, most desire to perform this piece in our concert. There are alot of counting errors & pitch problems-it is "pitchy" as Randy from American Idol would say. This piece will NOT work if there are lots of intonation errors as the chords will not make any musical sense. Students must practice clapping & counting the rhythms as well as working with a tuner to check that each note is the correct pitch. It would be very helpful if students could take this piece to their teachers this week.
-German Dance-I am pleased that this piece is holding together. The bass solo must be much louder & in tempo; everyone must play the 2 quarter note + quarter rest pattern gently; 1st violins must make sure that they are doing the correct bowings on the 1/8th notes.
-Kesh Jig-this is a big week for the violas & bass! I must see huge improvement in your playing of the tune line or you will not get to do this part in the concert. I would really like to focus on you as usually you are playing the accompaniment & this would give you a chance to shine playing the tune, but if you cannot do it well then I will unfortunately have to cut this part out.

Sinfonia:

-Fairly Fugal-I have to say that I am quite stunned with the improvement in the 2nd violins from last week. Due to the difficulty of this piece I am going to bring in some reinforcements from the Concert Strings to help out but it was very clear that everyone had worked incredibly hard on their parts. The piece is now holding together & we were able to work on increasing the tempo. It is essential that everyone continues to clap & count with the metronome & practice playing small sections starting slowly & gradually increasing the tempo. I would like you to aim for 1/4 note=70 for this week.
-Vivaldi-it was interesting to return to this today after a break from rehearsing it... It seems that students only practice what is rehearsed on Sundays, despite the fact that every week I have specifically requested that this be looked at. This piece is deceptively simple. While the notes are easy to play, getting everyone to play with the same bow stroke & style & getting perfect intonation from everyone requires practice with the metronome & tuner. This must receive detailed practice even if you think that you can already play it.
-Ash Grove-the cellos must play their part gently & the 1st violins need to work on the break to fix the rhythm & bowings.

This was a great week of work. Please keep it up.
Thanks, Louise :)

Reminders re upcoming dates

2009-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

Of course none of you need a reminder about the following as you all read the announcements & follow the calendar....
But just in case....

Sunday 12th April - NO REHEARSAL

Sunday 19th April - special workshop with hip-hop influenced violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain
Sinfonietta rehearsal 2.45-3.45pm
ALL STUDENTS 4-5pm workshop
Sinfonia rehearsal 5.15-6.30ishpm - I may keep people longer depending on how successful the rehearsal is...

Spring semester - April 5th, 2009

2009-04-07T20:00:00.001-07:00

Please remember that at this point in our schedule leading up to the concert, we must be practicing ALL of the music EVERY week.

Sinfonietta:

NOTE READING HELP AVAILABLE EVERY SUNDAY:
3.10pm LOUNGE (CS ROOM)
BRING BINDER
-I am SO pleased with the students who have been attending the note reading sessions. I am seeing a lot of progress!!

-Kesh Jig-this is coming together nicely & will sound good in the concert. I would like the violas/bass to work hard on the tune part. Please focus on the following sections: vln 1 work on the break line, especially on the 2nd half; vln 2/vla learn the notes of the tune line on the 2nd half.
-Satie Gymnopodie-this is a challenging piece for this group but I know that we can play this well if we do focused practice. Here are the spots needing special attention: vln 2 work on m13-16; vln 1 & vln 2 concentrate on the bowings of m13-15; vla & vcl focus on the notes & bowings m14-16.
-German Dance-keep working on this.

Sinfonia:

-Fairly Fugal-we worked on a few sections in the way that I would like everyone to practice at home. We clapped & counted, played & counted, played it slowly & gradually increased the tempo. I feel hopeful about this piece-it is certainly sounding much better this week.
-Ash Grove-everyone is playing this well. We listened to a recording that Sophia brought in & the tempo is pretty fast. Vln 1 students need to concentrate on the break line & the 16th notes.
-Vivaldi Concerto-keep practicing this so that all of the details are learnt when we rehearse it again.
-research Erik Satie & fill in composer sheet.

This was a good rehearsal!!
Louise :)