Canyon Middle School Orchestras

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Congratulations on enrolling your child in the award-winning orchestra program at Canyon Middle School! Orchestra is one of the most rewarding and exciting educational opportunities offered by our schools. Your investment will pay tremendous dividends in your child's life for many years to come.

Music education provides students with a wealth of direct and indirect benefits. In addition to obtaining the life-long skills needed to become a music performer or consumer, a child learns skills that can be used in any facet of life. Teamwork, goal-setting, organizational skills, grit, dedication, and self-discipline prepare a child for a successful future in any profession they might choose. Research continually shows that music students are among the academically strongest in their schools. Most colleges, universities and future employers now look for more than just good grades on a child's transcript. They want the well-rounded, compassionate, students that have been able to accomplish more than just acquiring textbook knowledge.

In accordance with the national music string teaching standards, this school year your child will be learning to understand basic to advanced performance concepts in playing one string instrument. Your child will also learn to demonstrate knowledge of different styles, genres, cultures and historical periods.

Below, please find the materials that will be needed for your scholar to succeed in our orchestra classes. These materials can be obtained at any area music store but the online resources I recommend and utilize for our district music supplies are jwpepper.com and sharmusic.com.

Our school is able to provide instruments for students in need to borrow during the school year. The requested donation for borrowing a school instrument for the entire school year is only $ 75.00. Please, make any donations to the Music department by check addressed to CVUSD (NOT Canyon MS). Indicate your child’s name, group name and school on the memo line of the check. We also encourage you to support our district music program by joining the Canyon Orchestra Parents Society ("COPS"), a group of dedicated, volunteer music parents that coordinate fundraisers throughout the school year. 

Please take this list and your student with you for correct sizing of the instrument. 

1. a GOOD QUALITY Orchestral String Instrument - in a functional and secure instrument case labeled with a name/ ID tag attached on handle - properly fitted for correct size, rented from the school or purchased from a store.

2. Sound Innovations for String Orchestra Book 1 (for 6th grade orchestra); 

3. Sound Innovations for String Orchestra Book 2 (7th grade orchestras); 

4.  Sound Development for String Orchestra (Green Book -7/8th grade orchestras); 

5. Shoulder Rest - (for Violin, Viola) or Endpin Stop (for Cello or Bass);   

6. Rosin for your instrument;

7. A sofft cott            

5. Folding Music Stand - for home practice and tour (this may be purchased later in the year).

The following will need to be brought to the next class: 

1. Music class folder or journal. Please, have a separate binder for writing your at home practice log. 

 2. Pencils with erasers, NO pen or erasable pens, please!

Thank you for giving your child the gift of music! I can be reached at the email listed below.

Sincerely,

Ms. Heidi Dahms, M.M., M. Mus. Ed.,

Director of Orchestras, CVUSD 

Contact Information: hdahms@cv.k12.ca.us

Music tutoring/ Office hours:  FRIDAYS, 3:15-4:00 pm & Upon Request