4th/5th Grade Orchestra: Week of 12/3/18

Upcoming Events

-Wednesday, January 16th: 4th/5th Grade Orchestra Winter Concert (7pm@ TG, Students must arrive by 6pm)

4th Grade

What we did this week:

-Practice the bow hold with the bow!

-Made our first sounds with the bow!

Assignment:

-Concert songs, bow hold

-Concert Songs include:

     -Up the D Scale (p. 11 #32)

     -Down the D Scale (p. 11 #31)

     -Song for Christine (p. 12 #33)

     - Dreidel (p. 13 #36)

     - A Strand of D'N'A (p. 17 #52)

     -Olympic Challenge (p. 17 #53)

Practicing Expectations:

Students should be writing down their assignment at each lesson. Our goal is to practice every day that we eat! We should be aiming to take our instruments out every day and practicing. There is NO time limit at this point. Students should be practicing each day for however long they are able to. Students should record their minutes for each day and get their practice record signed. If a student has practiced every day and has it signed, they receive a sticker! (This will be very important later this year...)

Membership Toolkit:

The Boosters Membership ToolKit  is how the Boosters will communicate important information to the parents of students participating in the band or orchestra programs.  The ToolKit gives you online access to forms for ordering your students required concert polo shirt, forms to volunteer for various activities or serve on the Booster Board, and forms to register for events (i.e. the “End of the Year” party).  All purchases can be paid online with your credit or debit card!  Please stay “in the know” and create an account in the Boosters Membership ToolKit today!  To create an account and get started head to https://bandandorchestraboosters.membershiptoolkit.com and follow the prompts.  If you already have a Membership ToolKit account with the PTO at your school, you can use the same e-mail and password to set up this account.  

Questions about Membership ToolKit or how to order a concert polo shirt?  Please contact Marlene Mahn at [email protected]
Thank you!

Lesson Schedules:

4th Grade Prairie Orchestra Lesson Schedule

5th Grade

What we did this week:

-Continued to practice slurs and our new song "Song for Maria"

-Continued to practice our new piece "Russian Music Box"

Assignment:

-p. 30, Russian Music Box

Practicing Expectations:

Our goal is to practice 15-20 minutes each day for 6 days. Students should record their minutes in the practice record and get it signed each week.

-Students should practice each song  in small parts at least 5x-10 every day.

-Below are the steps on how to practice our songs in the book:
1. Name the notes in rhythm, making sure to tap your foot to a steady beat beforehand.
2. Name the notes AND finger the notes, making sure to  tap your foot to a steady beat.
3. Play the song pizzicato (plucking) making sure to keep a straight wrist.                                        4."Shadow bow" while fingering the note names to help practice our bowings

5. Play the song with the bow, making sure to bow from your elbow.                              

Lesson Schedules:

5th Grade Prairie Orchestra Lesson Schedule

Topic of the Week:

All About the Bow!
Since the 4th Graders are starting to work with their bows, and the 5th Graders continue to develop their bow skills, it is important to review the below information with the students at home while their practicing.

Care for our bows: The bow is the tool that is used to create a sound on the instrument. The bow is very fragile, just like our instruments! The bow hair is made from horse hair, and it is very important that the students do NOT touch the hair on purpose, since the oils on our skin will turn the bow hair black and will ruin the bow.

When the bow is not being used and it is in the case, it is important that bow hair is LOOSE. Students know to turn their "adjusting screw" at the bottom of the bow to the LEFT to loosen the hair. When students take out their bows, the hair will need to be TIGHTENED. Students should turn the adjusting screw to the right enough so that a pencil can fit through between the bow hair and the stick part of the bow. Now we are ready to use ROSIN!
 
Rosin and our bows: Rosin is made from tree sap and creates a texture on the bow hair so that the friction between the hair and the string create a sound. Students can only rosin their bow when the bow hair is TIGHT. Students should go up and down a total of 10-12 times. Students should rosin EVERY OTHER DAY THEY PLAY. Too much rosin can ruin the bow, so be careful!
 
Holding our bows!: It is important that students practice the proper bow hold so that as they learn more techniques with the bow, they will be successful!
Violins and Violas: The two most important things about the bow hold are a CURVED PINKY and BENT THUMB! It is also important the the middle finger and thumb are lined up. Please see image below.

Cello: The most important thing about the bow hold is a BENT THUMB. It is also important that the middle finger and thumb are lined up as well as making sure to turn the wrist so that it does not collapse to one side. Please see image below.

Bass: Please see the image below for the bow hold.