Sparta Middle School Orchestra
Ms. Santora, director
andrea.santora@sparta.org
Mission:
For Each student to develop a lifelong appreciation of music through performance and theory.
CONCERT DATES
Winter Concert: Tuesday, December 20, 2022 7:00pm
Spring Concert: TBA 7:00pm
CONCERT DRESS Girls: long black bottom (no mini skirts). If wearing a skirt or dress, it must fall below the knee when seated. Capris, pants OK. Plain white blouse or sweater with a straight edge tucked in or not tucked in. (no t-shirts, no bellies or under garments showing, no sweat-shirts). Natural or black stockings. Black comfortable, sensible shoes.
8th grade girls and Con Brio girls – black tops.
Boys: black dress pants, dockers OK (no jeans). White button down shirt, short or long sleeve. Long tie any color or design. Black or dark shoes (no sneakers), black or dark socks.
Homework Assignments: Students will use Screen Castify, flip grid, or any other recording app to turn in weekly practice assignments. These assignments will be a combination of what we learned that week and need to perfect such as scales, warm-ups and pieces. These assignments will be recorded and graded in Genesis.
Class grading system (rubric). Students have received their copy. Please review this with them to insure they maintain the “A” they begin each marking period with.
Private lessons and tutoring: If you are interested, I have phone numbers available upon request.
The Con Brio Chamber Players
By audition. Students were given audition piece in September. - -- Auditions will be held mid October.
We will meet Thursdays after school. (Depending on which day works best) Students can take the late bus home.
Attendance is critical
Expectations
Participation
Having instrument and their own copy of the music every day as well as a pencil
Participating in all phases of the rehearsal from beginning to end
Music Preparation
Learning all of the Orchestra music
Being functional on one’s own instrument
HomeWork
Homework will be assigned weekly, often there will be 2 assignments per week where your student will record themselves playing along with a recording I have provided for them. Ample time will be provided to complete each assignment. (5-7 days), therefor, late submissions will not be accepted.
Lesson Attendance
There are a lot of conflicts regarding lessons since they’re “pullout”
Lessons are students’ opportunity to be taught on their specific instrument and musical part
Students are expected to attend lessons unless they have a test or foreign language during their scheduled lesson time.
Orchestra grade is not solely determined by lesson attendance but 99.99% of the time, the students’ participation in lessons enhances the Orchestra grade
If you are reluctant to have your son or daughter miss their core subjects (I refuse to call them academic because I believe Orchestra is equally, if not more, academic), then we would strongly suggest that you consider having them study privately with a local music teacher on their instrument
Should the student have a test or quiz during their scheduled lesson time, they should come to me and let me know, and we’ll simply reschedule it.
If the student or I am absent that day, the lesson is not made up.
SUPPLIES
Pencil
Rosin
Please keep a spare set of strings in your child's instrument case.
Please get an electronic tuner. I recommend the KORG Chromatic Tuner CA-30.
Available at Music Shop, Music Den, or sharmusic.com