Orchestra is a progressive study, which means that the learning happens little by little. Students are required to practice for at least 20 minutes every day outside of class time to ensure they are on track to developing their musical skills and preparing for our concerts. Reinforcing the topics or techniques covered in class will determine your success in the class.
Forgot your instrument at school or temporarily lost access to it? No worries! You can do alternative practicing in a number of ways: practice your fingers using your right arm as a "fingerboard", shadow practice, study note names or rhythms, count rhythms or say note names out loud in your music, etc. The possibilities are endless! Any mindful time you spend with your music can only help you.
We also have routine progress checks to make sure that students are understanding and able to demonstrate material covered in class. Hearing the students perform individually and providing them with feedback is crucial to their success in orchestra class, and can be a great way for students to know how to improve their skills. These may be done in class, recorded in SmartMusic, or submitted in Schoology as a video (instructions TBA). These include:
Orchestra classes follow the procedures for assignment submissions and late work outlined in the Smith Middle School handbook.
Happy practicing!