J.T. Hutchinson Middle School Orchestra

Upcoming Events:

Hutch MS Open House - Tuesday, Nov. 28 @ 6pm
Region 16 MS All-Region Clinic & Concert- Thursday, Nov. 30 through Saturday, December 2!
Holiday A Lunch Performance - Wednesday, Dec. 6
Hutch MS Winter Orchestra Concert- Wednesday, Dec. 13 @ 6pm in Hutch Auditorium (FREE ADMISSION!)
Hutch MS Varsity Orchestra Holiday Tour- Friday, Dec. 15 ALL DAY!
Hutch MS Instrumental Ensemble Central Office Performance- Monday, Dec. 18 @ 10:30 AM

CHECK BACK FOR OUR 2024 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE!

Solo & Ensemble Times:

S&E PerformanceSchedule_2024.docx

All-Region Audition Results:

Congratulations to all Advanced & Varsity Orchestra members who auditioned!

Almost 86% of Hutch Orchestra students who auditioned earned a spot in an All-Region Orchestra!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AR1xxVkn20hAGy6IK2lp9v1hXm32uhsWuYRpNqj38hQ/edit?usp=sharing

For Incoming 6th Graders:

Incoming 6th grade Orchestra auditions:

(Auditions are for those students who already know how to play the violin, viola, cello, bass, or harp.)

Time by appointment

Hutch Middle School Orchestra Room

(Room 116 by the Cafeteria, Enter through Door 10)

APPOINTMENTS ARE ONLY FOR INCOMING STUDENTS

FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR!

Book your appointment here:

hutchmsorchestraauditions.as.me/

Audition for Mrs. Olivier to be placed in a class that meets you where you're at in your learning! (All new-to-orchestra students who do not audition will automatically be placed in Beginner Orchestra.)

The Purpose of this Audition:

This audition gives us a chance to meet!
This audition is really so Mrs. Olivier can watch you play to determine what you know (or don't know yet) in order to correctly place you in the orchestra class in which you'll thrive for next year!
- Orchestra placement is not based on what book level you are in, but rather the collection of knowledge and technique you display! We're all here to grow together, and there is ALWAYS a place for you here no matter what!
No need to be nervous because I'm not here to judge you, but rather, to get to know you and your playing!

Audition Procedure/ Requirements:

For your audition, please perform a solo (or another piece of music you've been working on) that demonstrates what you can do and what you know.
Then, Mrs. Olivier will give you a 4-8 measure piece of music you've never seen before to Sight-Read. You'll have about 5 minutes to study & practice the music before you perform it for Mrs. Olivier.
Finally, we'll discuss your options for where to place you next year! You should know which orchestra you'll be scheduled in to before you leave!

Looking to purchase an instrument?!

As the holiday and gift-giving season revs up, many folks look to purchasing an instrument for the musician in their life!

As a reminder, it is not necessary for students to purchase an instrument to be in orchestra, however, if you are interested in purchasing an instrument, please allow me, or a private teacher, to help you with that process in order to find a high quality and beautiful instrument!

The highest quality instruments that have the most longevity (and therefore instruments that will give you “more bang for your buck” in the long run) are generally a natural wood (no painted on color) and are from specialty stores (rather than online marketplaces). If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email me! I am more than happy to answer any and all questions to help you through the process!

There are a few local vendors where you can purchase instruments AND they are several reputable online vendors (if that's a route you prefer). HOWEVER, please avoid colorful or painted instruments! As cool as these instruments are, they just don't tend to be as nice of quality as the normal wooden ones, they don't hold tuning well, and they don't usually stand the test of time well.

For more info, check out THIS GREAT ARTICLE about purchasing an instrument!

We've all heard that "music makes students smarter." BUT, did you know that a study from MIT suggests that "musical brains produce more structural and functional connections when compared to those who don't learn music."

Read About It Here:

-If You Want Smarter Kids, Teach Them Music, Not Coding, According to MIT (Feb. 2022)