Vala's Pumpkin Patch: Date T.B.A. at 5:45 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. Students pick which time they will play.
Halloween Hootenanny: October 17th from 6-8 p.m. This is a social for all orchestra, band, and choir students. They can wear a costume! This social has games, dancing, food, and more! Sign up and more info coming soon!
All State Auditions: The week of September 8th all recordings need to get done. Mrs. Dymond will be recording auditions Wednesday, September 10th from 3-4 in room 308.
Nebraska Middle Level All State Orchestra November 20th. Optional for 7th & 8th. For more information, click HERE.
Winter Concert: December 4th at 7 p.m. at Russell Middle School. Grades 6, 7, 8 and mandatory. Students need to arrive by 6:40 p.m. and wear their music polos and black dress pants.
All Millard Orchestra Festival January 26th at the Baxter Arena. Mandatory for 8th grade. Optional performance for 6th & 7th grades. Performance is at 7 p.m. and 8th grade students have a rehearsal during the day at the arena. More info to come.
Solo & Small Ensemble Recital February 26th This is in the RMS library at 7 p.m. and is optional.
Breakfast and Bach February 27th 7-7:35 a.m. This is a staff appreciation breakfast that orchestra students provide the food and entertainment for. It is our way of thanking all the Russell staff for all the awesome support they give us!
Fiddle Fest March 21st at Beadle Middle School. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 6, 7, 8. Optional. More info here.
Millard Solo & Small Ensemble Contest March 28th at Millard North Middle School. 6, 7, 8. Optional. More info here.
Spring Concert April 2nd at 7 p.m. at Russell Middle School. Grades 6, 7, 8 and mandatory. Students need to arrive by 6:40 p.m. and wear their music polos and black dress pants.
Storm Chasers Game T.B.A. at Werner Park. T.B.A.
Young Orchestra Festival and NeASTA State Solo Competition May 9th 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Chamber Orchestra and optional for soloists.
(click the links!)
RMS Varsity Chamber Orchestra 2025-26
Rehearsals are every Wednesday in room 301 from 7-7:35 a.m.
Violin 1
Albert Gwon
Andy Brink
Andrew Dymond
Naman Moondra
Violin 2
Hudson Backhaus
Lyla Hanke
Holden Jacob
Charlie Turner
Viola
Dmitri Garry
Autumn Fallon
Leah Kleinschmit
Zoey Deming
Cello
Victor Desouza
Malcolm Chase
RMS Junior Varsity Chamber Orchestra 2025-26
Rehearsals are Fridays before school in room 301 from 7-7:35 a.m.
Violin 1
Mickey Hirsch
Holly Hirsch
Archer Petersen
Dade Spencer
Violin 2
Raiden Graves
Holden Pope
Hannah Mazgaj
Max Jones
Viola
Lucia Schott
Ariel Castaneda
Cello
Logan Knott
Emerson Mintken
5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th grade orchestra students are invited, but not required, to perform a scary story at Vala's Pumpkin Patch date September 23rd. There are two times that students can perform at, so you can choose what works best for your family's schedule. The two performance times are 5:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Each student performer gets in for free and one adult gets in for free with them. Sign up here! To learn more about Vala's Pumpkin Patch, click here.
For pdf files of the music and story, click on your instrument below:
(Click and listen!)
Boil dem Cabbage Down Spooky Twinkle
All Millard Pieces for 8th Grade Orchestra on January 26th:
Legend of the Dragon Chasers, La Bruja, Seven Nation Army, An Ode to Joy Festival
5th through 7th grade students are invited to join the All Millard Orchestra Festival for our big closing piece. Bring your family to see your child play with every 8th through 12th grade orchestra student in Millard! The All Millard Orchestra Festival will be on January 26th, at the Baxter Arena. It starts at 7 p.m. and students need to be there at 6:30 p.m. Student performers get in free but anyone else will need to buy a ticket. You can order tickets online (link coming soon!) or call them at 402-554-6200.
Students will be playing Ode to Joy from memory, but the music to practice and memorize, along with the details are linked for each instrument below. Please email your orchestra teacher with any questions. Students can also listen to and play along with the recording of the full piece HERE.
Starting August 25th, we will have practice club after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, in room 308 and Fridays in room 301 until 3:30 p.m. This is simply a time where students can come practice or get help with anything they need. They do not need to pay anything or sign up beforehand. It is just an opportunity to help give any extra support or simply a place to practice. Please email me if you have any questions at jjdymond@mpsomaha.org.
StringClub is a YouTube channel that does tons of songs for violin, viola, cello, and bass! It will show you what string and finger each note is on. You can learn pop songs, classics, rock, etc. Check out their channel by clicking here!
IMSLP- The Petrucci Music Library. All free sheet music
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/- This is a place that you can purchase contemporary music.
https://www.musicnotes.com/- This is another place that you can purchase contemporary music.
https://musescore.com/- This is another place that you can purchase contemporary music.
https://www.8notes.com/- This has some free sheet music.
IMSLP is a website with thousands of free pieces of sheet music. You either search by your instrument, composer, or piece. If you are interested, click HERE.
StringSkills.com is a website that has a lot of tools to make yourself a more awesome player! If you are interested, click HERE.
Compose your own music on blank staff paper from this website HERE.
Free Folk music can be found by clicking HERE.
8notes.com is a website with some music you can buy and some that is free. Check it out by clicking HERE.
The Traditional Tune Archive is a website with hundreds of traditional tunes from all sorts of places. Check it out HERE.
MusicTheory.net is a great tool for learning notes, key signatures, and other great music theory stuff HERE.
Musescore.com is a website with some free music and some available to purchase HERE.
Musicnotes.com is a website that has sheet music free and for purchase. The link to the free stuff is HERE.
Free-scores.com is a website with free music HERE.
This former Millard graduate performs her violin on YouTube. She even has her own Spotify channel!
Watch Albert Gwon, RMS violinist, perform the Mozart Violin Concerto in G Major. This is the piece he won a concerto competition with!
Music History by Think Quest - This site has a brief history of each period of music and its composers.
Music History from Classics for Kids - This website has lots of great audio explanations and examples.
Early Music History - Music history from the beginning of time to the Middle Ages.
Composers by Country - This has some major composers from each country.
Chamber Orchestra is our audition based orchestra that performs around Omaha, at concerts, works with awesome guest musicians, and plays at the Young Orchestra Festival.
Interested in auditioning for Chamber Orchestra?
Auditions to get into Chamber Orchestra will be on August 27th & 28th after school. Sign up with the link here! Get your audition material ready by clicking on the link of your instrument below, downloading the music, and learning it before your audition. You can get extra help at Practice Club!