Beginning Orchestra FAQs

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What is a viola? The viola is a beautiful instrument that should get more attention! The viola is larger than the violin therefore it is lower in pitch. The viola's lowest string is the C string, which the violin does not have. The viola's highest string is the A string, which is the violin's second highest string. It's played on your shoulder just like the violin. If you want to play a smaller instrument, but you like the lower pitched instruments, viola is for you - best of both worlds!

How should I choose an instrument? Parents and students are welcome to listen to the below examples of each instrument. At the Instrument Selection Event on January 18, 2025, students will try each instrument and will have the opportunity to show their hands to Mrs. Dixon to find the best instrument for them!

Violin Examples:  Paganini     Meditation from Thais

Viola Examples:   Fantasia      Piazzolla

Cello Examples:   The Swan   Bach Prelude

Bass Examples:    Bottesini      Pink Panther

Harp Example: Smetana 

What is it like to be in Orchestra? All Orchestra students perform, have opportunities for awards, can take private lessons, participate in competitions, and get to have fun at the many social events throughout the year. The outside time requirement for Beginning Orchestra is very manageable and will allow students to be involved in many activities on campus. 

What if my student already plays a string instrument? We offer five different levels of Orchestra at Pioneer Heritage. If you already play a string instrument, please complete this survey. Once the survey is complete, please email Mrs. Dixon to set up an audition time to determine which orchestra is best for your student's skill level. Dixonc@friscoisd.org 

Will my student be required to practice every day? Practice time is very personal. Students have different goals and different schedules. In the end, there are no shortcuts to learning a string instrument and unfortunately students will not progress unless they make practice a daily habit. Mrs. Dixon does not mandate a certain amount of time each student must practice because again, it will be different for each person. A great starting point for a beginning student is 30 minutes per day, not every other day or whenever the student feels like it - it must become a habit. 

Do students need any prior experience to be in Orchestra? No, students may join Orchestra with zero experience. We start from the very beginning and go from there. Any prior experience playing piano, guitar, recorder, or singing in choir will certainly help, but the only requirement to be in Orchestra is a desire to be here and a commitment to work hard. 

Where can I find the Orchestra supply list?  Here

How do I rent an instrument and purchase supplies? 

Dallas Strings will be at the Instrument Selection Event on January 18, 2025 to help parents set up instrument rentals.  We want our students to have access to high quality instruments and highly recommend renting an instrument from a reputable music education vendor. Quality materials make a big difference in your child’s orchestra experience. Please do not purchase an instrument at this time. 

If you cannot attend the Instrument Selection & Fitting Event on January 21st:

Step 1: Visit a reputable music education store such as Dallas Strings, Violin House, or Cadenza  with your student. They can size your student for an instrument. (String instruments come in different sizes. If the instrument is too small for the student, they will struggle. If the instrument is too large for the student, they will struggle. We want students to be set up for success on an instrument that is the perfect size for them.) 

Step 2: All of the above vendors are aware of the Pioneer Heritage Orchestra supply list. They will guide you on what to purchase for a beginning student. You are welcome to purchase supplies from any music education store you would like. PLEASE do not purchase your student's instrument and/or supplies from a store, or online store, that you can also buy toilet paper from. 

My student wants to play either the cello or bass - what do I need to know?

• Just like the violin and viola, cellos and basses come in different sizes to fit the student. If your student is small, they will have a small cello/bass. 

• We have cellos and basses at school that our students use to play on during class. Each cello/bass student has an instrument that they rent from Dallas Strings which remains at home. They practice on this instrument and only bring it to school if they need it for a concert or event. Cello/bass students do NOT transport an instrument to and from school each day like the violin/viola students. 

• There is a $100/year Frisco ISD instrument fee that each cello/bass student pays to use the school instruments. 

Does my cello/bass/harp student need to transport their instrument to and from school for Orchestra? No, cello/bass/harp students will play on the school-owned cellos and basses during class. These instruments are $50/semester to use through Frisco ISD. They remain at school. Cello/bass/harp students also need to rent an instrument from an outside music education store such as Dallas Strings, Violin House, or Cadenza. This instrument will remain at home for students to practice on and to use for concert performances. 

My student is interested in harp. What do I need to know? 

• Students interested in harp may audition for the harp program on piano. Students must have 2 or more years of piano experience. If you are interested in auditioning or just want to learn more about the harp program, please fill out this Google form https://forms.gle/XAe9Fg3tKGu4uFLo6 by January 30th or email Dana Peck at peckda@friscoisd.org.

• FAQs about the harp program: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18NlRK415AVtDZlClKfOUH32Qc4B5KZb-/edit

When will my student receive their instrument that we rented through Dallas Strings, Violin House, or Cadenza? A store representative will deliver the instruments to Pioneer Heritage MS. Once delivered, Mrs. Dixon will tune each instrument and put fingering tapes on. She will contact cello and bass parents to arrange a time to pick up the instruments that will be remaining at home. Violin and viola students will begin taking their instruments to and from school once tapes are on. 

Will my student need to take their instrument to and from school every day? Violin and viola students are expected to rent one instrument to take to and from school every day. Since cellos and basses are larger instruments and harder to transport, students rent one instrument from a music store for at-home practice and use the school-owned instruments for Orchestra class.

Should I buy my student an instrument? I highly recommend renting an instrument instead of purchasing one, especially for the first year. Most students will need a smaller size instrument when they first start and will later grow into a full size. Students ca rent a quality instrument from a reputable music education store such as Dallas Strings, Violin House, or Cadenza  

PLEASE do not purchase an instrument online. And PLEASE do not purchase an instrument at a store where you can also buy paper towels. If your student has been in the program for at least one year, ready for a full size instrument, and is a dedicated player, I would be happy to guide you in purchasing an instrument. 

Can my student wear fake nails? No, string players must have their nails clipped short to play. Students that have fake nails or nails that are too long will struggle which will result in their hand hurting from poor hand positions. 

What type of time commitments are required of Beginning Orchestra students? Students in all Orchestras are encouraged to practice every day. Students will have a playing quiz each week. They will have the last 20 minutes of their Orchestra block day class to submit their assignment. If they need more time to practice they may submit the assignment at home. All assignments will be due by 11:59pm on their Orchestra block day and all assignments must be recorded and submitted through Canvas. 

Beginning Orchestra students will perform a fall concert, winter concert, and a spring concert that are after school. Students are required to stay for the duration of the concert. Beginning Orchestra students also have the opportunity to participate in additional events such as Solo and Ensemble (Saturday in April) and the end-of-the-year festival (before school rehearsals in March and April).