Orchestra News
December 2023
Prelude Orchestra Rehearsal
Prelude Orchestra - our second required after school rehearsal of the year is coming up on Tuesday, December 12 until 5:00. This rehearsal is to facilitate our students from all 3 6th grade class periods rehearsing together for our upcoming concert. All students should be picked up at the back of the school at the back entrance next to the cafeteria at 5:00. Our required rehearsal before each major performance is a graded activity.
Winter Concert
Friday, December 15
7:00 pm Crownover Cafeteria
Our second concert of the year is approaching soon. Please review the following reminders to help us have a successful performance:
This concert will be our first to follow formal attire guidelines - see the Performance Dress section of our orchestra handbook for the full description of what to wear.
Philharmonic and Chamber students received their assigned uniforms on picture day. Some students have chosen to store their uniform at school in between concerts. These students will need to make sure to pick their uniform up at least 1-2 days before the concert. Students and parents will receive a separate email from Ms. Harvey with uniform care guidelines to follow for the rest of the year.
This concert will follow the same call times as the Fall Concert - Prelude 5:30, Philharmonic 6:00, Chamber 6:30. The back doors of the school will unlock at 5:20. All students and parents will enter through the back doors.
Please remember that call times indicate that a student will have their instrument unpacked and ready to tune/warm-up at the assigned time. Attendance is taken the night of the concert according to those expectations. Students with the earlier call times may be dropped off at the back doors of the school by a parent. Parents are also welcome to arrive early with your child and sit in the cafeteria.
Once on campus, students are under the supervision of Ms. Harvey on concert nights, which means that there are many students under the supervision of one teacher. It is expected that students report to their assigned warm up areas and remain in those areas so that they are accounted for at all times. Students should make sure they have visited the restroom and taken care of any personal needs before their call time in order to be seated in their warm-up area for the duration of their warm up. Students should be attentive and respectful of any adult volunteers assisting with supervision or rehearsing, such as our high school directors, Crownover staff members or parent helpers.
All-Region Audition Results
All-Region auditions took place on Saturday, October 28. Crownover had 9 students earn placements in the orchestra - the most in Denton ISD! Students auditioned in a blind audition against hundreds of other middle school students from 4 school districts. This is an amazing accomplishment. Please congratulate these students for their hard work preparing for this audition. Congratulations to ALL students who auditioned on your hard work getting ready for this experience.
All-Region students will be participating in the All-Region Clinic and Concert this Friday & Saturday, December 8-9. Please make sure you have carefully reviewed the information letter the students received as well as the map and schedule Ms. Harvey passed out to them in class.
Violin
Alaina Beeks (8th Grade)
Isaac Kelly (8th Grade)
Jason Wang (8th Grade)
Tina Yang (8th Grade)
Grace Yoon (6th Grade)
Viola
Ashley Bird (7th Grade)
Cello
Bennett Ray (8th Grade)
Bass
Mark Eads (8th Grade) - Ranked #1 in the region!
Victor Columna (7th Grade)
Accent Points Reward Party
In orchestra, students are given the opportunity to earn reward points for activities or tasks that go above and beyond our basic class expectations, such as investing extra time in practicing, attending concerts outside of school, etc. We will have our first reward activity the final week of the semester that students can participate in through reward points. Students will have a system for checking reward points they will learn about in class and will need to individually discuss with a parent if they are eligible to participate in this event.
Wednesday, December 20 12:30-3:00 (immediately following our early release day)
Students can be picked up earlier than 3:00 if needed. We typically do a holiday movie/pizza party and our 3:00 ending time is to ensure the students get to completely finish the movie of their choice.