Practice over Thanksgiving - November 25-December 1 is extra credit!
All-County Orchestra Pre-Registration
Any student interested in auditioning out for All-County orchestra should have received the pre-registration packet from Mrs. Bowers. In that packet is a pre-registration form and a directors group form. Students should follow the directions below when registering for all-county orchestra auditions.
1. Auditioning for All-County on December 7 - fill out the pre-registration form. Then go to the following link to pre-register and select an audition time. Keep the parent signed pre-registration form and take it with you to the audition at Reagan Middle School on December 7. Pre-register at https://acorchestra.pwcs.edu/ and enter ACOrch2020 as the website password.
2. Not Auditioning for All-County - entering into lottery group - fill out the Directors group form (2nd form in the packet). Have a parent sign this form and return it to Mrs. Bowers. Entering into the lottery "Director's" group does not guarantee you entrance into All-County Orchestra. This is a chance for you to possibly make it into a 2nd orchestra.
3. Auditioning on December 7 but wish to enter into the lottery group - Fill out both forms and have your parents sign both. Follow the directions for #1 and #2 above.
The lottery "Director's" group is new this year. This group will be selected by the orchestra teachers. The music performed will not be as difficult as the music for the audition group, but this group gives the opportunity for so many more students to participate in this great event.
Please email Mrs. Bowers at bowersdr@pwcs.edu if you have any further questions.
Pre-registration online will be open until December 2. There will be no onsite registration for this audition.
Instruments for Home
This is a friendly reminder to all violin and viola students that all instruments are to go home regularly, especially the weekend. The total number of students leaving their instruments in the building over the weekend is increasing. I do check lockers every Friday before I leave for the weekend. This past 4 day weekend was no different, we had 20 instruments here.
I know a few students say that they have 2 instruments (1 at home and 1 at school). If this pertains to your student, please send me a quick note telling me so and I will mark it for future reference.
All other instruments need to go home on a regular basis. Practice is essential for learning any instruments, let alone any skill.
Thank you for your attention to this message.
Mrs. Bowers
VIRGINIA DINER MUSIC DEPARTMENT FUNDRAISER
What a fantastic job Mrs. Bowers classes did in the fundraiser this year. Congratulations for such a wonderful amount of participation among all classes. Winning class for the pizza party is still being calculated as the online sales totals come in as well as the student who won Ernest (our large class mascot bear). Donations were amazing, too.
Remember that all orders that will be delivered to the school will not arrive for 4-5 weeks after the sale was over (approximately 1st week of December). When there is a firm date, all families will be notified for pick-up.
If orders were placed online and were to be shipped, they will probably arrive much earlier.
Thank you again for your participation.
Virginia Diner 19.pptx
Practice Chart Link - Online Submission
Below you will find the link to the online practice chart submission. It is created like a survey. Once the student submits the chart it will be delivered to a spreadsheet that i will grade from.
Online Practice Chart Submission
Students will be completing their first practice chart starting September 16 and it will be due on Monday, September 23 OR Tuesday, September 24 (whichever day your student has class with me).
Here's to a great year in orchestra.
Welcome to Marsteller Orchestra
Big welcome to all the new Marsteller Orchestra students. We are just starting to get to know each other. I have asked what instrument they all know, or if they are beginners and we got to play BINGO.
On Wednesday/Thursday, all classes will be going over the handbook for the class which has all the information you will need for the year. Please pay close attention to the section about instrument rental. Marsteller does not own enough instruments for everyone who requests a rental. ​Once I am out of instruments students and parents will need to provide an instrument from an outside source. If you would like suggestions or flyers, please feel free to ask me.
Students will not bring their instruments to school this week. Students will start bringing them next week.
I am looking forward to meeting all of you at back-to-school night on September 10 @ 7PM.
Have a great week,
Mrs. Bowers
Note Reading Games Weblinks
The students have been working hard at really learning to read their notes on the staff. They will be having a quiz on notes on the D & A strings (bass on the D & G string). So, if they would like to practice before their quiz, they may visit the webpages below and play some games which will be fun and help at the same time.
Violin, Cello & Bass - www.musictechteacher.com - click on quizzes and choose a game according to what notes you need to read (violin - treble clef, cello/bass - bass clef).
Viola - www.purposegames.com/gam/36dfecct
Book for Orchestra this year: Artistry in Strings - Book 1 (green cover)
