Congratulations on a wonderful Fall Concert!!!!

Fundraising Link

Please share this fundraising link with family and friends!

***UPDATE *** We are at $4,688. A big Thank You to those who have donated. This averages out to about $18 in donations per kid. We need to be at about $80 in donations per kid to reach our goal! The fundraiser ends at the end of the month. Don't delay!

https://tinyurl.com/ricemoney

The number in SchoolFundr does not reflect our $20,000 goal or the cash/check donations. Come here for official updates.

🎻 Rice MS Orchestra Fundraiser 2026

Winter Concert Date!

Monday, December 14th

Rice Middle School Gym

Formal Concert Uniform

(required for All Region concert)

All orchestra students will wear the formal black concert uniform as part of their major grade.

Boys - long sleeve black button up shirt, black dress pants, long black socks, black dress shoes, ties are not required although you may choose to wear a holiday tie for this concert.

Girls - long black shirt, black pants (prefered) or long black skirt, black tights required if wearing a dress or skirt, black dress shoes.

***Skirts and dresses must be below knees when seated.***

Please reference this picture for ideas on appropriate concert attire.

Winter Concert Grading - 2 Major Grades

Students will receive two Major Grades for the concert on Monday, December 14th

1st Major Grade - Performer Grade

To receive full credit, students must:

Formal black concert uniform - No sports shoes, leggings, athletic wear, etc.

Bring all required supplies and materials. (Instrument with nametag on case, black binder, working tuner, rock stop - for cello/bass, stool - for bass)
Arrive on time and be prepared to participate.
Participate to the best of their ability.
Conduct themselves professionally and respectfully.

Remember the directions that have been given in class. Please do not come ask up questions at the concert that we have already answered.

2nd Major Grade - Audience Grade

To receive full credit, students are expected to demonstrate appropriate audience behavior throughout the concert.

All electronic devices must be put away and remain out of sight during the performance.
Students should use an appropriate audience voice during transitions when appropriate and remain completely silent during performances. Whispering is not considered silent.

Please choose your seat carefully and avoid sitting next to someone who may tempt or encourage you to talk during the performance.

Students will be filmed while in the audience during the performance. This footage will be reviewed by your director at a later date to assess audience behavior and professionalism.

Students must remain seated throughout each performance and should not get up or leave during the performance.
Students are expected to remain at the concert for its entire duration.
Running, horseplay, or disruptive behavior is not permitted at the Robinson Fine Arts Center.
Food and drinks are not permitted inside the concert hall.

Please clap appropriately. Slow clapping or excessive clapping are not appropriate.

Practice Records!

Weekly Practice Records

We have started weekly practice records in **every** class. All students should be developing consistent practice habits and taking responsibility for documenting their work each week.

Students in All Classes Should:

Practice daily. Even though beginners have not taken instruments home yet, they are currently practing bow holds and music reading at home.
Record their practice minutes and activities in the practice log each day.
Finalize their total minutes and comments on Sunday night.
Ask an adult at home to sign the practice record only after the week’s practice is complete, on Sunday night or Monday morning.
Turn in their completed practice record with an adult signature every Monday in class.

Practice records turned in on Tuesday will be accepted for a reduced grade of 80. Practice records will not be accepted after Tuesday unless the student was absent.

Chamber Orchestra

While students in Chamber Orchestra do not have written practice records, they are expected to practice their music as needed to be fully prepared for rehearsals and performances. New Chamber students will likely need to spend significantly more time practicing their music than students who have been in the ensemble longer.

For Chamber students, accountability will be assessed primarily through preparation and performance during small-group and full-ensemble rehearsals. Students should be able to demonstrate that they are practicing sufficiently to learn their assigned music and contribute successfully to the ensemble.

2026 - 2027 Dates

Friday, August 21st - Welcome Packet Due!

Thursday, October 1st - Fall Concert @ Robinson Fine Arts Center (Everyone)

Saturday, October 24th - All Region Auditions (not for beginners) @ Allen High School

Friday/Saturday, November 6th & 7th - All Region Clinic and Concert (for students who make All Region after audition) @ Lowery Freshman Center

Thursday, November 19th - All Cluster Day @ Plano West for select 8th grade students

Monday, December 14th - Winter Concert @ Rice MS

Thursday, February 4th - Plano West Sr High TMEA Preview Concert (not required)

February - PreUIL TBD

Wednesday/ Thursday, March 10th & 11th - UIL for Chamber, Advanced, Advanced Intermediate, and Prelude

Saturday, April 24 - Solo and Ensemble Festival @ Plano West Senior High School

All Region Orchestra 2025 @ Lowery Freshman Center

Practice Records (Etude, Prelude, Advanced, AI)

All students are expected to turn in a weekly practice record every Monday. This practice record should accurately reflect the time spent on orchestra or private lesson materials at home. Parents, please only sign completed practice records. Repeated zeros on practice records negatively impact a student's grade. ***Chamber students have a different accountability procedure in place.***

Supplies

Advanced Intermediate

Advanced

Chamber

Rental Companies

Rice MS Orchestra - Rental CompaniesPlease plan on renting (not buying) an instrument from one of our recommended vendors. These vendors have worked with Plano ISD for a number of years and offer quality instruments at a competitive price. Violins and violas will rent an instrument to be carried back and forth between school each

Congratulations to the 2025 Rice Chamber Orchestra on a wonderful TMEA Honor Orchestra Performance.

Congratulations S&E Participants!

This year's Solo & Ensemble was a huge success. Thank you to all who participated.

Rice orchestra students earned 126 superior awards and 26 exemplary awards. Congratulations!

Plano West Orchestra Students Earn Top Honors

I’m happy to share that 4 PWSH Orchestra students are in the TOP 10 of their graduating class, including Valedictorian!

Why? As you know, several years ago, PISD changed how they calculate class rank. The new formula no longer rewards dropping fine arts classes to take AP classes purely for the GPA boost they used to provide. Now, all students are evaluated on a core set of classes that are common to everyone. It's not at all surprising to see this result, and best of all, these outstanding scholars have proven that you can do music AND compete at the highest academic level. The new plan has worked, because previously, our students VERY RARELY placed in the top 10…….. not at all due to ability, but simply because of the old GPA game that punished them. Now, our students are disproportionately represented in the top 10 every year, including several years of Valedictorian and Salutatorian.

Secret Santa 2024

Chamber Viola Section

Viola pride at All Region!

New Orchestra Student Info

We are excited to meet all our new orchestra students. If you missed the 5th Grade Instrument Selection Event, don't worry. You can still be in orchestra! We've created some onlines resources to help you navigate the process of selecting an instrument at home. It is important that you pick your instrument and start the rental process before school begins in August. ***Do NOT purchase an instrument.***

Please locate "Incoming Students" in the navigation bar above for everything you need to get started. We look forward to seeing you soon.

We had an EPIC time at the Epic Waters Music Festival!

Page updated

Report abuse