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Week 4
Week 4
An optional performance opportunity is taking place on Saturday October 17, 2026. This is called an Honors Orchestra. Any student interested may register to spend the day performing in a middle school orchestra with other students from around West Michigan in a one-day event which includes rehearsal and a concert.
Students must bring $20 cash to Mr. Finley AND register online no later than October 1st 2026. The event is located at Portage West Middle School (7145 Moorsbridge Rd, Portage, MI 49024).
Students must arrange their own transportation to and from this event. Lunch is provided to students. For more information, please see the details on the Mid-Level String Clinic section on this website or reach out to Mr. Finley directly.
ABC stands for anything but classical. If students are interested in joining an afterschool orchestra club that gets together and jams, we meet on most Tuesdays at 5:30-6:30. (Last year we met on Monday's. Please note the schedule shift. This was to accommodate a change in my personal schedule.) This group will also have students from Vallywood and Crestwood middle schools. It is a great way to meet up with other orchestra students and to make friends across the other middle schools.
Who can join? Any member of the 7th or 8th grade orchestra program.
When and Where? Pinewood Orchestra Room on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm
What do we play? Anything but classical. This includes Irish fiddle music, jazz, funk, pop, rock, and even improvisations.
How good do I have to be? You need to be as good as you are today. There is no level requirement for this ensemble. Just come and have fun with your peers. No pressure if you don't get every note.
How much does it cost? It costs 3 payments of ZERO Dollars. This is a free club that students in the orchestra program.
Please see the schedule found on this website under ABC Orchestra ---> ABC Middle School Club
Students interested in auditioning for the All State Orchestra may register for an audition time. Please visit the ALL STATE section of the website for more information. This is incredibly competitive and is not for all students. It is highly encouraged that students who do attempt this are taking private lessons. The materials for this audition are well outside of the scope of a normal middle school curriculum. However, I do encourage those looking for a challenge to give it a shot. If nothing, it is a great way to get extra practice and get experience auditioning. I did have a double bass student make All State 2 years ago from Pinewood Middle School. If you would like more information on this competition, please reach out to Mr. Finley. Auditions cost is $15. Cash may be delivered to Mr. Finley. Parents should also complete the registration document found on the All State Section of our website so that I can register students accordingly. The deadline is September 25.
Weekly Practice
Students should be practicing often at home. Students have generally been doing a great job completing assignments and preparing for playing quizzes this year. Please encourage students to prepare for online as well as in person quizzes.
7th Grade Orchestra finishes their review unit this week and has already been given their sheet music for the year and switched from row seating to traditional seating. I encourage students to not lose their music. The easiest way is to get a small binder to keep their music safe. I recommend a 1/2 inch binder. I have a hole punch in class that makes it easy to get holes in their music and to keep it safe. Starting this week the 7th Grade Orchestra will begin the standardized curriculum and start progressing through the next level method book. This book is called Habits of a Successful Middle Level String Musician. Students will use this book for the next two years. If a student would like their own book they are welcome to purchase it from a local music store or online. However, we have a class set and students can practice at home using MakeMusic.com which also contains the same material.
8th Grade orchestra has already had 2 playing quizzes. Students are allowed as many re-do's as they want before submitting an online make music playing quiz. Please encourage practice and submitting quality work. For in person quizzes, students are given an additional week to re-take the test if they are unhappy with their initial score. They have learned two new finger patterns last week. After this they will officially know ALL of the finger patterns for their instrument. We have also begun shifting up and down the fingerboard and learning vibrato exercises. I'm excited to see students finish up the basics and start seeing how they apply it to all of the amazing music they are now capable of playing.
Week 3
Week 3
An optional performance opportunity is taking place on Saturday October 17, 2026. This is called an Honors Orchestra. Any student interested may register to spend the day performing in a middle school orchestra with other students from around West Michigan in a one-day event which includes rehearsal and a concert.
Students must bring $20 cash to Mr. Finley AND register online no later than October 1st 2026. The event is located at Portage West Middle School (7145 Moorsbridge Rd, Portage, MI 49024).
Students must arrange their own transportation to and from this event. Lunch is provided to students. For more information, please see the details on the Mid-Level String Clinic section on this website or reach out to Mr. Finley directly.
ABC stands for anything but classical. If students are interested in joining an afterschool orchestra club that gets together and jams, we meet on most Tuesdays at 5:30-6:30. (Last year we met on Monday's. Please note the schedule shift. This was to accommodate a change in my personal schedule.) This group will also have students from Vallywood and Crestwood middle schools. It is a great way to meet up with other orchestra students and to make friends across the other middle schools.
Who can join? Any member of the 7th or 8th grade orchestra program.
When and Where? Pinewood Orchestra Room on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm
What do we play? Anything but classical. This includes Irish fiddle music, jazz, funk, pop, rock, and even improvisations.
How good do I have to be? You need to be as good as you are today. There is no level requirement for this ensemble. Just come and have fun with your peers. No pressure if you don't get every note.
How much does it cost? It costs 3 payments of ZERO Dollars. This is a free club that students in the orchestra program.
Please see the schedule found on this website under ABC Orchestra ---> ABC Middle School Club
Students interested in auditioning for the All State Orchestra may register for an audition time. Please visit the ALL STATE section of the website for more information. This is incredibly competitive and is not for all students. It is highly encouraged that students who do attempt this are taking private lessons. The materials for this audition are well outside of the scope of a normal middle school curriculum. However, I do encourage those looking for a challenge to give it a shot. If nothing, it is a great way to get extra practice and get experience auditioning. I did have a double bass student make All State 2 years ago from Pinewood Middle School. If you would like more information on this competition, please reach out to Mr. Finley. Auditions cost is $15. Cash may be delivered to Mr. Finley. Parents should also complete the registration document found on the All State Section of our website so that I can register students accordingly. The deadline is September 25.
Lower Strings getting instruments from Pinewood
Those students who are getting instruments from Pinewood Middle School, we are doing our best to accomodate. There are more that 18 cellists in the 6th grade class that all need cellos during the school day, not to mention the current 7-8th grade classes. It is not possible to provide every cellist and bassist with a school and home instrument, but we are doing our best to accomodate those who request them. I have been pulling instruments aside preparing them for this week. Students who filled out an instrument request form and have parent permission to get an instrument will be able to bring home instruments this week. I highly encourage those who can afford to rent to consider this option. Just a few points to consider if any parents are on the fence concerning renting an instrument:
Students may keep the same instrument from year to year
Rent to own means all payments go to owning a instrument
The quality of the instrument is substantially better with rentals that school offerings
If a student needs a new bow or a bow rehear it is included in the rental contract
If a student breaks an instrument, repairs are included in the rental contract
Size upgrades are included as part of the rental agreement
Broken strings are included in the rental contract
Thank you to parents who have been keeping in touch, making inquiries, and finding errors in my emials from time to time. If you need anything don't hesitate to reach out.
Week 2
Week 2
This week our 8th grade students started learning an Irish Jig called Murphy's Jig getting ready for the Masquerade Concert already. Our 7th graders have completed their first pre-test in class learning how to submit an assignment on our online music submission portal called makemusic.com.
8th grade updates
8th grade updates
This week the 8th grade students will be getting the next two pieces for the masquerade concert. Students are learning half position and working through our method book learning flat keys as well as learning more shifting into third position.
Here are recording links for all of our repertoire for the 8th grade orchestra.
Murphy's Jig Zombie Tango La Mia Forza
Assignments for this week will include a practice activity in Muphy's Jig where students will learn to perform with a metronome. Students will create a practice journal and learn how to make incremental progress on difficult passages over time and how to record their practice over time.
7th Grade Updates
7th Grade Updates
Students in the 7th grade began reviewing the 6th grade year. However, we are moving much faster through the material than last year. We have already reviewed how to hold our body without tension, how to hold the bow without tension, and reviewed some simple bow exercises. We are spending a lot of time reviewing how to compare pitches and to hear sharp vs flat sounds. This is so students can learn to tune themselves effectively. Students were even introduce to how to tune with the pegs of their instruments and not just the fine tuners.
Due Tuesday September 1 - #14 on Make Music
We covered Exercise 1-20 last week and were assigned exercise 14 on Make Music as our first practice quiz. Students should complete this quiz at home. There are few students who play lower strings who may not have instruments. These students may complete the assignment in class until instruments are assigned. Students that have instruments at home, I'm asking that students use this assignment as an opportunity to begin integrating daily practice into their schedule. This assignment is a way to check in on that daily practice.
This week's plan is to cover up to exercise 60 or as close to it as we can get. Students should practice these review exercises on their chrome books by searching for the title Habits of a Successful young string musician.
While we 7th grade students did not yet receive their music for the upcoming fall concert, here are recordings of each piece if students would like to get a head start in listening to their future pieces.
Week 1
Welcome to Pinewood Orchestra
This week students received a copy of the Syllabus.
Please review the syllabus for important dates and policy information for the music program.
You can also find a complete list of every orchestra activity for the district on our home page
Students are given access to a powerful practice and assessment tool called Make Music. They can access this through the website www.makemusic.com. This is where students will recieve practice assignments. They will be counted for a grade and assessed by the teacher after submission. Students will be required to practice at home to master skills learned in class.
Upcoming Events
Mid Level String Clinic - This is an optional performing event students can elect to attend if they want to. We are actively working on getting bussing to the event. Parents will have to pick up students from the event which is hosted in Portage, Mi. More details are found on the Mid Level String Clinic Page.
Please feel free to reach out to me with questions
I'm looking forward to a fun year of music making!
Stephen Finley
stephen.finley@kentwoodps.org
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