Hawthorn Middle South Orchestra

Ms. Samantha May, Director

About Ms. May

2nd year at Hawthorn Middle South

6th year of teaching

Violinist in the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra

I enjoy cooking and reading

Check out theHMS Orchestra

website!

AnnouncementsPerformance calendarHandbook Small group lesson schedules

Contact Me formPrivate lesson informationFormsMusic links

www.hawthornmsorchestra.weebly.com

GoalsHave fun!

Build community

Build musical, technical, and expressive skills for next year

Perform a variety of musical styles

Units: Scales, Music Theory, Bowing styles, Rhythms, Baroque music

MaterialsInstrument

Orchestra music

Method books (class set)

Pencil

Optional: Shoulder rest (violins/violas), binder

6th Grade Concerts

One more concert than in fifth grade

January 26 - Winter Concert, 7 p.m.

March 15 - 6th and Chamber Concert, 7 p.m.

May 11 - Spring Concert & Open House, 7 p.m.

Chamber OrchestraExtracurricular orchestra for 6-8th grade students looking for the challenge of playing more difficult music

Meets from 7:00-7:30 a.m. (6:55 individual warm-up)

Every Wednesday and Friday in the Music Suite

3 Concerts: Winter Concert, 6th/Chamber Concert, Spring concert

Optional Events

Solo & Ensemble - February 20, 2016

GradingRehearsal Participation - 10 points per week (2 each day)

Weekly Small group lesson attendance/effort - 5 points each

Tests, playing or written - 10 points

Concerts - 40 points

Instruments must be taken home on weekends

Rubrics available in the handbook

Scales UnitGoal: Students will be able to play scales a variety of 1 octave scales in multiple finger patterns.

Essential Understandings:

Scale and arpeggio patterns are found throughout music.

Scales have a specific whole-and half-step pattern.

Instrument position affects playing whole and half-step patterns in tune.

Essential Questions:

What do sharps, flats and naturals do?

How do key signatures work?

How do I use my bow correctly with different bowing patterns?

How does instrument position affect playing in tune in different keys?

Music Theory UnitGoal: To understand that musicians read numerical and language indicators to determine how music should be expressed.

Essential Understandings:

Time signatures and key signatures indicate how music feels and sounds.

Music has roadmap and descriptive indications that should be followed.

Time signatures determine the basic rhythmic feel of music.

Instrument part vocabulary should be used properly.

Essential Questions:

What do the top and bottom numbers of time signatures mean?

How are D.S. al Coda, D.C. al Fine, and repeat signs followed?

How do I use my bow correctly with different bowing patterns?

How does instrument position affect playing in tune in different keys?

What is an anacrusis?

Bowing Styles UnitEssential Questions:

How do professionals use the bow?

How should the bow be distributed in different rhythms?

What is proper pizzicato technique?

What do Lower Half, Upper Half, Middle, and Whole Bow mean? How should we use these different parts in performance?

Goal: Students will be able to play a variety of bowings.

Essential Understandings:

Unique bowing styles are used in different periods of music history.

Bowings are clearly marked in music and should be marked in pencil if they are unclear.

Short notes use less bow, long notes use more bow.

Rhythm UnitEssential Questions:

How to time signatures work?

How do I count a dotted quarter-eighth note rhythm? How do I count 16th notes?

What is the difference between 2/2, 3/2, 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8 time signatures?

Goal: Students will be able to understand and perform rhythms and understand the importance of rhythm in ensemble playing.

Essential Understandings:

Subdividing keeps the orchestra together.

A dot after a note adds half the value of the note.

Musicians have to to think the tempo of the pulse before they begin.

Private LessonsA great way for students to get one-on-one instruction from an expert on their instrument. The importance of private lessons cannot be overemphasized.

Students who take private lessons are more motivated

Check the orchestra website for more information

Looking forward to a great year!

“Music expresses that which cannot be said an on which it is impossible to be silent.” -Victor Hugo

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” -Plato

“Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Andersen