TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN ORCHESTRA. A Complete Guide to Information and Calendar Dates for Scullen Orchestra Students and Parents

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1 Scullen Orchestra Handbook A Complete Guide to Information and Calendar Dates for Scullen Orchestra Students and Parents Dear Parents and Students, Welcome to the Orchestra Department at Scullen Middle School! The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with an awareness and understanding of the policies and organizational structure of the Scullen Middle School Orchestras. Please read the handbook in its entirety, discuss it with your family and keep it for future reference. Music in District 204 is a vibrant part of the encore curriculum. Our program is designed to help meet the musical, emotional, social and cultural needs of students. We also feel it is important for all parents to know that every child can learn music. We often hear parents reflecting on how they never played an instrument as a child and cannot help at home. We are grateful for a music educator who taught us about music and how to play an instrument. As music educators, we are trained to teach your child how not only to play an instrument, but also to listen to and analyze music and more. There are National Standards in Music that we strive to teach every student. With parental encouragement at home and support in the form of helping your child find a quiet place to practice daily, asking your child to play for you and by attending concerts, your child will flourish. Please stay positive and always be willing to contact us for suggestions on ways to keep your child motivated and moving ahead. We are looking forward to teaching our amazing students this year! Mrs. Patterson will be teaching the large group 6 th grade orchestra classes, small group technique classes for 7 th and 8 th grade, and Swingin Strings (fiddle group). Mr. White will be teaching the large group 7 th and 8 th grade orchestra classes, small group technique classes for 6 th grade, and Chamber Strings (honors orchestra). We know that we have so many wonderful students and are excited to get to work! Please always feel free to or call us any time with questions or thoughts you may have. We are looking forward to a great year with our amazing students! Musically yours, Mrs. Laura Patterson (Laura_Patterson@ipsd.org) Mr. Matthew White (Mathew_White@ipsd.org) TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN ORCHESTRA Orchestra should be an enjoyable class for students. Being able to make music together daily is relaxing, exhilarating and creative. In middle school, orchestra is a graded class. In order to be successful in this class and feel proud of your quarterly grade, the following tips are helpful: 1. Order your supplies now and stay on top of technique class! Our supply list is on the next page. Having all supplies by Thursday, August 31 st is our first graded assignment. Please order now to allow enough time for delivery. Technique is 40% of the overall orchestra grade. Students who come prepared to each lesson earn maximum points and are happy to see their effort impact their grade. Home practice is the best way to be prepared! Check grades online to see if everything is correct. Bring any discrepancies to your teacher s attention. Mistakes are possible but can be corrected. Ask your technique teacher when you can make-up work as soon possible. 2. Always practice your best at home! Please help your child find a consistent time and place to practice each day. This can be hard for students at first, but with your help students can be very successful. Creative incentives can be very helpful and motivating! Students earn points toward their grade each week for practicing throughout the week and for having a parent/guardian signature. Remember to get your sheet signed before technique class in order to earn full credit! Students should practice with the same good posture at home in an effort to develop skills that transfer to our classroom. 3. Take private lessons with a recommended teacher. We cannot overemphasize the benefits of private lessons (working one-on-one with a specialist). Recommended teachers are available by ing Matthew_White@ipsd.org or Laura_Patterson@ipsd.org for a current list. Most lessons are conveniently located at NVHS and/or WVHS after school. Lessons are great for advanced students who aspire to audition for accelerated classes down the road in high school or ILMEA honors orchestra. Lessons are also great for students who want help with orchestra and technique class music or are looking to learn more skills and music. 4. Keep track of the calendar (all dates are noted at the end of this packet). Students need to be at all concerts and are 20% of each quarterly grade. If a conflict is unavoidable, follow our guidelines so we may give an alternate assignment in a timely manner. 5. Stay in touch. Visit and subscribe to the daily announcements. Please visit the eschool online grading system and check to see that your contact is correct. We have many messages bounce back to us because of typos in the eschool system. If you notice any errors, please contact Terri_King@ipsd.org and let her know what changes need to be made so you can receive s from Scullen teachers. If you do not hear back from us, please try again in case a message went to our spam folder by accident. Thank you! Be sure to check our online orchestra website on a regular, frequent basis:

2 Scullen Orchestra - Required Supplies Place your order ASAP! Having all of the required orchestra supplies at the start of the school year is our first graded assignment. While you may go to any music store to purchase books and supplies, our preferred vendor is Quinlan & Fabish. They will deliver all materials to students at Scullen. With busy schedules, we hope this makes purchasing supplies easier for you. Delivery time is about one week, so please contact Q&F at (630) or to place your order soon. The website is available 24/7 for placing orders easily at any time that is convenient for you! If you child already has some of these items from last year, there is no need to have duplicates, but please confirm they still have the items. Thanks!! Required Orchestra Supplies for 7 th & 8 th Grade Students: Available at any store that sells office/school supplies: 1 three-ring hard-covered binder with pockets on the inside and student s name written on the front cover 1 pencil bag that clips inside of the binder (a thin, inexpensive one is best so it is not too bulky) A few sheets of reinforcements (circular stickers used to repair any hole-punched music that may rip; students earn extra credit during 4 th quarter if they have successfully kept all of their music throughout the year!) 3-5 sharpened or mechanical pencils Available at any music store, but Q&F ( will deliver these to your child at Scullen: Folding music stand (to keep at home for practice; if their current stand is lost or broken, now is the time to replace it) Tourte-brand Mute (Cost is $2-$5 and will last throughout all of middle and high school) Rosin (comes with rentals; if broken or lost, ask your music store for a free replacement; if you own your instrument, consider buying Hill dark rosin or Jade rosin for violin/viola/cello or Pops rosin for bass students ask your teacher for help using these higher quality rosins). Kun or Everest Shoulder Rest for all 7 th /8 th violin and viola students. Violin students should get 4/4 sized. All 14 or smaller viola students should get a 4/4 violin rest. 15 or larger viola students should purchase a viola rest (ask for the type that does not collapse). The Everest brand shoulder rest is also excellent and comes in a variety of fun colors. We do recommend the collapsible version of the Everest rest. Rock Stop for all cello and bass students (comes with all rentals; if lost, ask your music store for a free replacement). This is required for all concerts, auditions, and is recommended for home practice. Metronome/Tuner with a clip. The preferred brand we are recommending is called Korg TM-50 Combo Tuner Metronome + Contact Microphone. This brand costs $29.95, and it should last throughout middle and high school because it is very high quality. If you choose to buy a different brand, be sure it comes with a pick-up clip that plugs into the tuner and clips onto the bridge. They can also be sold separately. Other brands that we do not recommend include: Snark, Strobex, or any other clip on style tuner. Tuners will be used daily in class and for home practice, from 7 th -12 th grade and beyond! The batteries for the Korg are standard and easy to replace. Please be ready with extra batteries at home. Required Orchestra Supplies for 6th Grade Students: (Please note that this is different than 7th/8th supplies) Available at any store that sells office/school supplies: 1 three-ring hard-covered binder with pockets on the inside and student s name written on the front cover. Any color is fine. 1 pencil bag that clips inside of the binder (a thin, inexpensive one is best so it is not too bulky) A few sheets of reinforcements (circular stickers used to repair any hole-punched music that may rip; students earn extra credit during 4 th quarter if they have successfully kept all of their music throughout the year!) 3-5 sharpened or mechanical pencils Available at any music store, but Q&F ( will deliver these to your child at Scullen: Folding music stand (to keep at home for practice; if their current stand is lost or broken, now is the time to replace it) Rosin (comes with rentals; if broken or lost, ask your music store for a free replacement; if you own your instrument, consider buying Hill dark rosin or Jade rosin for violin/viola/cello or Pops rosin for bass students ask your teacher for help using these higher quality rosins). Shoulder Rest Sponge for all violins and violas (comes with all rentals, please inquire if it is not included) Rock Stop for all cello and bass students (comes with all rentals; if lost, ask your music store for a free replacement). This is required for all concerts, auditions, and is recommended for home practice.

3 Grade Level Required Books (available at 6th Grade (needed daily in class and for weekly technique): Essential Elements 2000 Book 1 and Orchestra Expressions Book 1 (yellow book) 7th Grade (needed daily in class and for weekly technique): Orchestra Expressions Book 1 (yellow book) Orchestra Expressions Book 2 (red book) 8th Grade (needed daily in class and for weekly technique): Orchestra Expressions Book 2 (red book) It is critical that students have all of the items noted above by Thursday, August 31st. It is our first graded assignment! If there are any difficulties getting the supplies in a timely manner, please contact: Mr. White (Matthew_White@ipsd.org) or Mrs. Patterson (Laura_Patterson@ipsd.org) Grading A grade is earned each quarter because orchestra is a part of the school curriculum. The grading process encompasses rehearsal/class participation, concerts, home practice, written and playing tests, and daily effort. Attendance at all performances is a crucial part of the curriculum, and consequently a large part of students grades. 40% - Technique Class (lesson preparedness, practice minutes, parent signature, and performance of weekly assignments) 40% - Orchestra Class (Daily participation, written assignments, having all materials in class daily and being an active participant) 20% - Concert attendance, etiquette and performance Performances All orchestra students perform at least four times per year. These events are the culmination of daily rehearsals and give students the opportunity to share what they have learned throughout the quarter. Students receive 20% of their overall quarterly grade for concert attendance, etiquette and performance. Concerts are usually a highlight of the year for most students. Absences will be excused if approved by the teacher at least two weeks prior to the performance. Any student who misses a performance will have the opportunity to complete an alternate assignment. An excused absence may receive up to full credit and an unexcused absence may receive up to half credit. Please mark your calendars carefully to avoid any conflicts with performances. Additional dates may be added, especially for the extracurricular ensembles. We will inform you of any changes as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Home Practice Home practice helps make it possible to play a musical instrument to the best of one s ability. We count on all orchestra students to practice regularly at home. The benefits of home practice include building self-confidence and pride in one s performance as well as reinforcement of concepts learned in class. A practice calendar will be used to help each student develop a regular practice routine and keep track of home practice. It is an important form of communication between student, parent and teacher. To receive full credit, practice calendars must be signed by a parent/guardian and turned in at technique class each week. If a student is unable to attend technique, the packet must be turned in to their technique teacher s bin within two days of the missed class in order to receive full credit. Practice records up to one week late will be given partial credit. 7 th and 8 th grade students are expected to practice 20 minutes a day, 5-6 days per week. 6 th grade beginning students will practice minutes daily. Please help your child find a consistent time to practice each day as well as a quiet location to practice. Often, middle school students have a hard time managing their schedules. Adults can be critical to a child s success by helping enforce a home practice routine. Technique Class In addition to daily orchestra class, the District 204 music curriculum provides technique classes for instrumental music students. Students are excused from orchestra class approximately once every two weeks for their technique lesson. Students are not pulled out of other encore or core classes for technique. The benefit of technique class is that it allows for smaller group instruction that addresses students specific needs for each instrument. It also allows for individual assessment, which makes it an important and necessary part of the grading process. Co-Curricular Activities The Scullen Middle School Chamber Strings, Swingin Strings, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band and Honors Chorus are designed for students already in the music department who wish to broaden their musical development and participation. Membership for these ensembles is based upon student desire, musical ability and instrumentation needs. Chamber Strings meets from 6:45 a.m. - 7:40 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. Swingin Strings meets before school one day a week (Tuesdays), from 6:45 a.m. 7:40 a.m. Participation in the Swingin Strings is open to all violin, viola, cello and bass players. Acoustic guitar students are also accepted by audition. Participation in Chamber Strings is determined by auditions that will take place on September 5 th at Gregory Middle School. Audition information and materials are available each year at the end of April for the following year. Bass and piano players may ask the band teachers for information regarding extra-curricular jazz opportunities.

4 Private Lessons It is impossible for us to overemphasize the positive impact of private lessons. Individual instruction is the best way to help students fulfill their potential. The main benefit of a private lesson is weekly one-on-one instruction with a specialist on the same instrument. A private instructor will immediately reinforce strengths and give specific suggestions for improvement. Lessons are great for advanced students who aspire to audition for accelerated classes down the road in high school or IMEA honors orchestra. In fact, the highest level high school instrumental students are required to take private lessons. Lessons are also great for students who just want help with orchestra and technique class music. Please request our list of recommended private instructors if this is an advantage you wish to offer your child. ILMEA & IGSMA Students are given the opportunity to perform solos and/or ensembles at the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) contest in February. More experienced orchestra students also have the opportunity to audition in the fall for the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) Honors Orchestra and/or Jazz Band. Information for these events will be made available as they approach. Students involved with ILMEA and/or IGSMA events are required to pay a small participation fee. Instrument Repair & Purchase Instrument repair is a highly specialized skill. It is very easy to damage an instrument in an attempt to repair it if you are not a trained professional. Please share any instrument problems with the orchestra teachers so that we can assess the problem and make recommendations as to what sort of repair is necessary. This will help protect you and your instrument from costly repairs. Please also contact Mr. White and/or Mrs. Patterson before purchasing an instrument. We are glad to help ensure that you make a worthwhile purchase and investment. Generally, if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Some instruments can literally hinder your child s progress, and we would hate to see any student struggle in class because of a poorly made instrument. We would love to help each family find an instrument that will be a good investment for years to come. If you have been renting through Quinlan and Fabish, we are glad to help you purchase an instrument that will be a great investment for your child. More information will be sent home regarding the process. If you would like to search for an instrument at any other time of year and from any other music store, please contact Matthew_White@ipsd.org or Laura_Patterson@ipsd.org. We are glad to help at any time! Music Department Uniform All Band, Chorus and Orchestra students wear the music uniform for performances. Students must have the following: Scullen Music polo shirt (order form in the back of this booklet) Black dress pants (ankle-length) no jeans, shorts, skirts or capris Black closed-toe dress shoes and black socks no athletic shoes Summer Orchestra Students are highly encouraged to participate in the District 204 summer music program. This is an excellent way to continue improving skills during the summer months. Registration information is available at: Instrument Storage Instrument storage is available for each student and will be assigned during the first week of school. We ask that students store only their instrument and orchestra related materials in the orchestra room. A combination lock is not needed.

5 Orchestra Calendar ALL EVENTS ARE AT SCULLEN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. PROMPT PICK UP AFTER ALL EVENTS IS APPRECIATED. Please note: BCO = Band, Chorus, Orchestra September 5 Scullen Chamber Strings Auditions Gregory MS, 3:45-6:00 p.m. 11 Chamber Strings 1 st Rehearsal! (per audition only) 19 Swingin Strings 1 st Rehearsal! (no audition required) 21 ILMEA optional combined rehearsal MVHS Orch Rm, 5:45-7:30 p.m. 30 ILMEA Orchestra & Jazz Auditions Yorkville Middle School, All day (Auditioning students will be assigned a specific audition time and need to make arrangements for transportation to Yorkville Middle School) October 12 6th Grade Orchestra Combined Rehearsal (required) 3:15-4:15 p.m th and 7th Grade Orchestra Fall Concert at 7:00 p.m. (arrive at 6:15 p.m.) November 2 8th Grade Fall Orchestra Concert WVHS Auditorium, 4:45 8:00 p.m. 11 ILMEA District Festival (selected students) Huntley HS, all day 15 NVHS Freshman Center Orch. Night for 8 th Grade Students/Parents, 7:00 p.m. December 4 6th Grade Orchestra Combined Rehearsal (required) 3:15-4:15 p.m. 7 Concerts - 6:30 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. 13 Concerts 8:00 p.m. 19 Paramount Arts Center Field Trip 7 th /8 th BCO, Elf The Musical January TBA 8th grade NVHS & WVHS Advanced Orchestra Placement Auditions (optional) February 17 Solo & Ensemble Festival (optional) Granger MS, all day March 8 6th grade Orchestra Combined Rehearsal (required) 3:15-4:15 p.m. 12 Spring Orchestra Concerts - 6:30 & 8:00 p.m. 16 IPSD 204 Orchestra Organization Festival (required for Chamber Strings students) Fischer MS, after school/evening commitment for all members April 12 Fiddle Fest at NVHS Freshman Center (Swingin Strings only), 5:30-8:00 p.m. May 5 CSO Trip: 6 th Grade BCO, The Firebird 9 Honors Concert (Chamber Strings) 7:00 p.m. 19 Fine Arts Festival (4th quarter concert) WVHS, all

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7 Scullen Music Department Uniform Polo Shirt Order Form All Band, Chorus and Orchestra students wear the music uniform for performances. Students must purchase a light blue Scullen Music polo shirt (combo students only need one shirt). The shirt is 100% cotton pique with our embroidered logo. Students must provide their own black pants, black socks and black dress shoes. While it is encouraged to allow for growth, these shirts tend to be big! They are adult men's sizes. Please order sizes carefully. Shirts cannot be exchanged. This order form and a check for $14 (payable to "Scullen Middle School") are due no later than Thursday, August 31st, Student's Name: Class Period (circle one): Adult Men s Sizes (Please check one - remember the shirts run very big and cannot be exchanged once they are ordered): X-Small (Adult Men sizes) Small (Adult Men sizes) Medium (Adult Men sizes) Large (Adult Men sizes) X-Large (Adult Men sizes) Students who may already have a Scullen Music polo (perhaps from an older sibling) do not have to order a new shirt. However, please be sure the shirt fits properly in case a new shirt needs to be ordered for your child. Thank you in advance for checking! We already have a Scullen Music polo for our child to use this school year. Please do not order a shirt for us. Thanks! Whew!! Did you make it all the way to this last page? If so, congratulations!! We know this is a lot of information. To thank you for taking the time to read through our tips for success, general procedures and hopefully adding our important dates to your family calendar, students will receive 25-points toward their first quarter grade for turning in this completed form by Thursday, August 31st, This is a great way for students to start off the year on a positive note. Student Name: Grade Level (circle one): Class Period (circle one): Reminder: Please be sure that all supplies are ordered! Q&F needs ample time to ensure on-time delivery of your child s supplies. If you have not placed your order yet, please call right away. Students will receive a grade in class for having all supplies with them in class (due August 31 st ). Thank you!! Student Signature: Parent/Guardian Signature: Parents We send home information regarding concerts and upcoming events through our eschool program. Please go to the site with your child (how you would check their grades) and double check that your contact address is correct. If there are any typos that may have been made when your child s information was typed in after registration, you will not receive s from me or any of your child s teachers. Please double check this ASAP so you can get all important reminders and updates. If you find an error, contact the main office so they can update your address. Thank you!