Student Info

Welcome to the Leestown Middle School Orchestra! 

Our program is one of the most successful and rewarding classes at Leestown Middle School. We are proud to be a KMEA Gold Level Program of Excellence award recipient, a KMEA Distinguished Rated Ensemble, and a “Music in the Parks Festival” and “Acclaim Music Festival” Superior Rated ensemble. In addition, our students have earned "Best Overall Orchestra" and the "Spirit Award" at the festival.

Joining our orchestra is more than just learning to play an instrument; it's about developing friendships, mastering the art of reading music, and gaining valuable life skills that will last a lifetime.

Required Concerts

Concerts are a graded and required part of our orchestra program. We will have four required after-school performances and one required performance during the school day this year. All required performances count as a test grade, and attendance is necessary to qualify for our rewards trips.

On concert days, students may stay after school to practice with their black concert clothes. Families are invited and encouraged to attend the concerts at 6:00 PM. If transportation is an issue, please let us know so we can help arrange carpooling.

(NOTE: Concerts are at 6:30 PM.)

If you have a conflict, please let the orchestra director know immediately! Students with a valid excuse, such as sickness, a family emergency, or not being at school on the day of the concert, will be excused. Please communicate with us promptly if your child must miss a concert.

Required Concert & Performance Dates:

• Fall Concert - Thursday, October 16th at 6:00 PM, LMS Gym

• Winter Concert - Thursday, December 18th at 6:00 PM, LMS Gym

• KMEA Pre-View Concert - Thursday, March 12th at 6:00 PM, LMS Gym

• KMEA Orchestra Assessment - March 18th & 19th, University of Kentucky, Singletary Center for the Arts. (Note: This event is during the day sometime between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.)

• Spring Concert and Awards - Monday, May 18th at 6:00 PM, LMS Gym

Concert Dress Code

For all concerts, the dress code is all black. This means students should wear solid black dress tops and solid black dress bottoms. Please note:

• No t-shirts or jeans.

• No skirts or dresses.

• The school dress code always applies.

If you have any questions about the concert dress code, please don't hesitate to contact the teachers.

Optional Events

Beyond our required events, we also offer several activities that help our orchestra stand out as one of the best in the district. These events provide additional opportunities for students to perform, learn, and have fun. Participation in these events requires good conduct with no Level 2 or 3 violations.

Optional Performances & Rewards Trips:

• Acclaim Music Festival Reward Trip, 8th Graders - November 12th, Malibu Jack's. (Note: This is a daytime event from 9 AM to 2 PM, and eligibility is contingent on attendance at all required concerts and school conduct and behavior.) (Approximate Cost $32).

• KMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival - Saturday, November 22nd, Bryan Station High School, Lexington, Kentucky. (Approximate Cost $10).

• District 7 Honors Orchestra Auditions - Saturday, February 28th at LMS. (The event itself is on Saturday, April 25th.) (Approximate Audition Cost $10).

• Acclaim Music Festival Reward Trip – 7th Graders, March 25th at Malibu Jack's. (Note: This is a daytime event from 9 AM to 2 PM, and eligibility is contingent on attendance at all required concerts and school conduct and behavior.) (Approximate Cost $32).

• District 7 Honors Orchestra Performance - Saturday, April 25th at Tates Creek H.S. (Approximate Audition Cost $25).

• Acclaim Music Festival Reward Trip – 6th Graders, April 29th, at Malibu Jack's. (Note: This is a daytime event from 9 AM to 2 PM, and eligibility is contingent on attendance at all required concerts and school conduct and behavior.) (Approximate Cost $32).

• Music in the Parks Festival Reward Trip - Saturday, May 16th, 2026, King’s Island. (To be eligible for this trip, students must attend all required concerts, have a "B" average, and demonstrate exceptional behavior throughout the year.) (Approximate Cost $70).

Materials & Instruments

To ensure a successful experience, students must bring the following to every rehearsal:

• An instrument in good working order

• All necessary supplies (bow, cloth, rosin, shoulder rest, or sponge).

• A pencil

• All assigned sheet music

For the benefit of everyone in the orchestra, please put all materials away at the end of each rehearsal. To improve and perform well on playing tests, we strongly encourage students to take their instruments home for regular practice.

Fundraising - Buses, Music, and Strings

The orchestra program is an incredible opportunity for our students, but it requires significant financial support to be successful. We need money to pay for transportation for field trips to buy music and essential supplies like strings. Your participation in our fundraisers is vital to helping us meet these needs and provide the best experience for our musicians.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming fundraisers:

• September 12: The Charleston Wrap Fundraiser begins.

• October 16: The Calendar Fundraiser kicks off.

• February 12: Our annual Cookie Dough Fundraiser starts.

Your support makes a real difference!

Fees

All students are required to pay a $25 class fee. This money covers the cost of sheet music, strings, rosin, and other necessary supplies. Students who use a school instrument must also fill out the contract on the back page of this document.

Grading

Grading in orchestra is based on several key areas that reflect a student's commitment and growth. All students will receive grades for the following:

• Concert Attendance: Attendance at all required concerts is mandatory and counts as a test grade. These performances are the culmination of our hard work and are essential for a student's success in the class.

Grading . . . continued.

• Materials: Students are expected to bring all required materials—such as their instrument, bow, music, and a pencil—to every class. Consistently being prepared for rehearsal is a crucial part of being a responsible musician.

• Effort and Participation: This includes a student's active engagement in class, a positive attitude, and a willingness to improve. We value the effort students put into learning and growing as musicians.

• Quizzes and Tests: Grades are also based on both written and playing quizzes and tests. These assessments help us measure a student's understanding of music theory and their progress in learning to play their instrument.

Practicing

The best way to improve at anything is to practice! Students are encouraged to practice after school and at home as much as possible. Ideally, students should aim for a minimum of 80 minutes per week. A great way to do this is to practice for 20 minutes, four times a week! After-school sessions are also offered every week to help with this. We offer supervised after-school practice (with snacks!) every Thursday until 5:30 PM. Additional practice days may also be offered at the discretion of the teachers.

Friends in Music (Sponsored by CKYO)

We are proud to partner with the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras (CKYO) to offer an optional after-school program called "Friends in Music." This program provides middle school orchestra students with valuable music instruction. It meets every Wednesday and includes an after-school group session led by mentors from CKYO's most advanced orchestra, supervised by professional music educators, and private lessons. For more information, please visit the CKYO website: https://www.ckyo.org/ckyo-friends-in-music.

Volunteer Drivers and Chaperones: FCPS Approval Process

Chaperones are essential for all school trips. The most crucial part of this process is that every chaperone must be approved by FCPS. This approval process ensures that all individuals in a supervisory role meet our strict standards for student safety and support, which is a non-negotiable requirement for all off-campus activities. *We seriously need parent drivers to carry cellos and basses on our field trips.

·         PLEASE contact us if you can be a driver and/or chaperone this year! Thank you!