Upcoming Events
-Wednesday, February 5th: IGSMA Recital Night 7pm-8pm at Twin Groves (More info to come)
-Saturday, February 8th: IGSMA Solo/Ensemble Contest, 8am-4pm at Daniel Wright JHS (Schedule to come in January)
-Wednesday, February 12: 4th and 5th Grade Winter Orchestra Concert, 7pm at WOODLAWN
*Students must arrive by 6:00pm for tuning and warm-up
Orchestra Assignments:
Was your child absent on an orchestra day? Did your child forget to write down the assignment? No worries! Check on the Prairie Orchestra Assignment link here or find the link in Mrs. Anderson's email signature!
4th Grade 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...)
5th Grade 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.
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 Lindley Caldwell at [email protected]
Thank you!
Lesson Schedules:
4th Grade Prairie Orchestra Lesson Schedule
5th Grade Prairie Orchestra Lesson Schedule
Topic of the Week:
Our Instruments and the Cold Weather!
Because our instruments are made from wood and are very delicate, the cold weather can greatly affect our instruments! Please see important facts and information below about how to keep our instruments safe this winter!
Our instruments do best when they are stored in a temperate room, preferably one that has a humidifier.
Please do NOT leave the instrument in the car/garage overnight or right underneath a window.
Students MUST bring their instruments home before Winter Break. This is for the well-being of the instrument since the building temperature drastically changes when school is not in session.
Some results of our instruments being exposed to cold for a long period time are: Strings popping, "open seams" (the wood will completely become unglued on the sides", cracks in the wood, extreme out of tuneness.
Usually in the winter time, constant tuning has to occur since our instruments are exposed to different temperatures throughout the day (at a house, brought outside to go to school, left in the orchestra room etc.)
If there are any issues that come up with an instrument, please bring the instrument to the vendor (especially over Winter Break) or have your child bring it to me to fix.