Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Week of May 3, 2010

All orchestras: Please watch this "do not talk during rehearsals" video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtjMS3ikk5Q

YIKES!

Friday, February 5, 2010

week of February 8, 2010

Music Fest is Saturday, February 13. The performance schedule for orchestra classes is:
6th grade violin/viola 10am - 10:20am
6th grade cello/bass 11am - 11:20am
7th grade orchestra 12 noon - 12:20pm
ISSMA ensembles 1pm - 1:20pm
8th grade orchestra 2pm - 2:20pm

Please remember that this is a fund raiser for the Performing Arts Department. 100% of the money given on behalf on an orchestra student will go directly to the orchestra to pay for new music, music stands, coaches, rock stops, rosin, mutes, contest entry fees, humidifier filters, clipboards and more. Please give generously.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Week of January 18, 2010

8th Grade Orchestra:
Be sure that you have given your parents the yellow paper about the North Central Orchestra program.
Practice cards due on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will be accepted until 9am on Jan. 20.
Play a 2 octave scale every day. Be adventuresome and try a 3 octave scale (violins in G, A, and C, violas in C, D, and F, cellos in C, D, and F, bass in F and G.)
Fiddle - set the metronome at the tempo that you can play it easily and gradually increase the speed.
America's Cup - m. 47-71.
Relic - m. 1-43.
Rosin - entire piece
English Suite - m. 1-33.

7th Grade Orchestra
Practice cards due on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will be accepted until 9am on Jan. 20.
Play a scale every day. Be adventuresome and try a 2 octave scale (violins in G,D,and C, violas in C,G, and D, cellos in C, D, and G and basses in F,G and D.)
E.E. 174-176
Woodsplitter - m. 1-24
British Grenadiers - m. 1-21
Salty - set the metronome at the tempo that you can play it easily and gradually increase the speed. We are at quarter note = 104 in class.
Free Flight - m. 37-50.

6th Grade Violins and Violas:
Practice cards due on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will be accepted until 9am on Jan. 20.
Our field trip to the Indiana Convention Center is Friday, Jan. 22. Be sure to wear your black and white concert attire that day, bring your instrument and your music to school.
E.E. 144-150.
Incantations - m. 1-16.
All of Bear Mountain
All of Balloon Man

6th Grade Cellos and Bass:
Practice cards due on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will be accepted until 9am on Jan. 20.
E.E. 144-150.
All of Incantations
All of Bear Mountain
All of Balloon Man

Monday, December 7, 2009

Week of December 6, 2009

WINTER CONCERT FOR 7TH AND 8TH GRADE ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8. ALL STUDENTS ARE TO BE IN THE ORCHESTRA ROOM AT 6:30 IN CONCERT ATTIRE (black pants or skirt, white shirt, black dress shoes). ALL STUDENTS ART TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRE CONCERT. THIS IS A MANDATORY PERFORMANCE. THE CONCERT BEGINS AT 7PM.

Extra Credit Question:
Ms. Imboden's son, Sean, will be playing with the National Tour of the musical, Hairspray. He leaves Indianapolis on Christmas Day. Here are some questions for you.
What city will Sean be in on his birthday(Feb. 26)?
When you roll the cursor over the map of tour performances, what does the push-pin become?
In what decade does this show take place?
Who plays the part of Edna Turnblad in this show?
What is surprising about that?
Go to http://www.hairsprayontour.com/ for info about Hairspray.
Send your answers to cimboden@msdwt.k12.in.us (3 points for every correct answer)



8TH Grade Orchestra:
E.E. 143-169
There will be a playing test on Shifting 4 December 14-16. Contest music will be handed on Wednesday. There will be a seating test on Jan. 6 over a contest music excerpt.

7th Grade Orchestra:
There will be a playing test on Shifting 3 December 9-17. Students must meet expected criteria to pass prior to Dec. 17. Contest music will be handed on Wednesday. There will be a seating test on Jan. 7 over a contest music excerpt.

6th Grade Orchestra:
E.E. 116-124.
Playing test on E.E. 116 Monday and Tuesday in class. Spelling test on Friday, December 11. Continue to work on Bear Mountain.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Week of November 30, 2009

Extra Credit Question:
How many concertmasters are there in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra? What are their names? What is the job of the concertmasters? Why do you think that there is more than one concertmaster? Check out http://www.indianapolissymphony.org/ for your information. 2 points for each question. Send your answers to cimboden@msdwt.k12.in.us

Why 8th Grade Orchestra:
Any practice card turned in this week will be considered extra credit.
All ASTA money should be turned in for the ASTA Festival on Dec. 5 at the University of Indianapolis.
All Artsgarden/CEC permission slips should be turned in.
Remember to wear concert black for our Artsgarden trip on Thursday, Dec. 3. Bring your instrument, music and money for lunch.
Continue to work on all our holiday concert pieces.

7th Grade Orchestra:
Any practice card turned in this week will be considered extra credit.
All ASTA money should be turned in for the ASTA Festival on Dec. 5 at the University of Indianapolis.
G Major scale with swing 8th notes.
E.E. 155 - 161.
Continue to work on Avatar, Canon, Skaters' Waltz and Let It Snow

6th Grade Orchestra:
Any practice card turned in this week will be considered extra credit.
Practice slurring two notes.
E.E. 111-124.
Continue to work on Jolly, Good King, We Wish You and Up on the Housetop.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Week of November 23, 2009

Extra credit question.
President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941. Who was the US president at this time? (5 points)
Name some traditional Thanksgiving songs - (3 points each)
Email your answers to cimboden@msdwt.k12.in.us

8th Grade Orchestra:
Shifting 3 and 4
Be sure to turn in your permission slip for the Artsgarden/CEC.
Look through all of our holiday/concert music. What gives you trouble? What can you improve by isolating the measures and practicing the passage slowly? Make sure you play every piece this week at least 3 times.

7th Grade Orchestra:
Shifting 1 and 3
G Major scale with straight 8th notes and then with swing 8th notes.
Snow - entire piece
Canon - violins - keep working on the notes slowly. Practice a few measures at a time.
Avatar - What gives you trouble in this piece? Practice it slowly and then gradually speed it up.
Skaters - Work on the section where you have the melody. Does it flow? Does it make you want to dance?

6th Grade Orchestra:
Work on all your flash cards. How fast can you do them? Time yourself.
D Major scale - Make up your own rhythm and use it for the scale.
E.E. 106 - 116.
Good King - Practice the measures with slurs then do the entire piece.
All the other holidays tunes you should be able to play in their entirety.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Week of November 16, 2009

Finally a new post!

Extra Credit Question:
On Sunday, November 15, the Indianapolis Colts beat the New England Patriots.
Here are your questions:
What was the score of the game? (5 points)
Who played the Star Spangled Banner before the game? (10 points)
Email your answers to cimboden@msdwt.k12.in.us

8th Grade Orchestra:
A Major Scale - 2 octaves
shifting 3 and 4
Brandenburg - upper strings - practice the measures where you have 8th notes
cellos - practice all passages with extensions
bass - practice 37-57
Trepak - 61-end
Magi - 86-end
Santa at the Symphony - 44-60

7th Grade Orchestra:
G Major Scale - straight 8th notes and swing 8th notes
E.E. 136-151 - (always be working one page ahead of where we are in class)
shifting 3
Avatar - work on dynamics
Canon - violins - you know the measures to practice
Snow - make sure your 8th notes swing

6th Grade Orchestra:
G Major Scale
E.E. 93-105 (always be working one page ahead of where we are in class)
Jolly - A part - learn the other parts if you like
Up on the Housetop - 1-8
Good King - 1-8
Your playing test begins on Tuesday this week. E.E. #99 is the test.