Middle School Orchestras

Ex) Middle School Class Code : Name of Orchestra at Sudie

MS Strings : Beginning Orchestra

For 2023-2024, beginning orchestra courses will be offered to all interested 6th grade students with little or no experience in orchestra class. In the beginning class, we will focus on the fundamentals of reading music as well as music performance and practices through the study of a bowed string instrument. Students will select either the violin, viola, or cello as their primary instrument for this year. Later in the year, students may be able to study the double bass as well. However, due to its increased difficulty in learning and performance, only highly motivated and dedicated students who show an interest in the first half of the school year will be allowed to switch to the double bass in the beginning orchestra class.

Orchestra is a performance-based class. The goal of this beginning-level course is to prepare students for either the Non-Varsity or Varsity orchestra in 7th grade so that they may continue their progress in orchestra class in the future. Students will be graded based on their efforts in class as well as in performances. Information on acquiring an instrument as well as the grading policy may be found in those pages of the website.

Varsity Orchestra 0 : Intermediate Orchestra

Intermediate orchestra is a class designed for 6th grade students with prior experience in strings class from elementary school. Students may choose to continue their studies on the violin or switch to the viola or cello. Fortunately, most of the introductory skills from 4th and 5th grade strings class on violin will transfer to viola or cello due to the similarities between the bowed string instruments. In either case though, we will further develop skills in both music reading and performance will the goal of preparing students for the varsity orch. Students may also be able to try the double bass later in the year, but should plan to wait for now until they have demonstrated consistent dedication on their primary instrument.

The biggest change from elementary to middle school classes will be the amount of class time. Instead of 40 minutes once per week, we will have 90 minutes 2-3 times per week. Secondly, as mentioned before, to have a balanced musical ensemble, some students will be asked to switch to viola and cello as needed. More information will be provided at the beginning of the school year for this change.

Students are encouraged to apply for All-City Orchestra auditions in September. Students with multiple years of group or private study are also highly encouraged to audition for the All-Region Orchestra as well. Audition materials for both of these group are passed out in the first week 

Non Varsity Orchestra 1 or 2 : Philharmonic Orchestra

The Non-Varsity orchestra class provides strings students in 7th or 8th grade with additional support and practice for skills and concepts introduced in the beginning orchestra class. This class aims to prepare students for either the Honors Orchestra in 8th grade or high school orchestra classes in 9th grade. As a non-varsity course, the Philharmonic Orchestra allows students to participate in orchestra class at the middle school level with more freedom to explore musical concepts and performance opportunities outside of orchestra classes without the increased expectations of the varsity orchestra. We will focus on clarifying the fundamentals presented in the beginning level orchestra class while also focusing more on performance literature than the beginning orchestra class.

Some students in the varsity orchestra may also choose to join the Philharmonic Orchestra to focus on a secondary instrument. Students who earn membership in the Honors orchestra and have a high level of dedication may be allowed to study a secondary instrument in the Philharmonic Orchestra to increase their overall music knowledge and performance opportunities.

Varsity Orchestra 1 or 2 : Honors Orchestra

The Honors Orchestra is the highest performing string ensemble at Sudie. Membership in this group is determined through individual efforts throughout the school year in either the Beginning or Philharmonic Orchestra. As the varsity performing ensemble for the orchestra program, Honors Orchestra students are expected to participate in spring UIL orchestra evaluations, Dallas ISD Solo and Ensemble Contest, as well as Dallas ISD All-City Orchestra and All-Region Auditions. 

Students in this group have demonstrated a strong desire to achieve at the highest level and will be given more complex music in preparation for high school orchestra. There may also be opportunities to form smaller ensembles within the Honors Orchestra, such as string quartets and trios. Honors Orchestra students are the leaders of the orchestra program and will therefore mostly be comprised of 7th and 8th grade students.