S&E is Saturday, April 25th at Robinson Middle School

Spring Concert 2026

Christ United Methodist Church

3101 Coit Road

Thursday, May 7th

Formal Concert Dress

2 Major Grades

One major grade will be earned for demonstrating appropriate audience participation and one for the concert performance.

Concert A

5:00 PM Call Time for Beginning Orchestra, Prelude Orchestra & Advanced Orchestra

5: 30 PM Concert A Begins

Participants of Concert A are dismissed at the conclusion of Concert A. If you are a student in Concert A and would like to stay for Concert B, you must sit with your parents.

Concert B

6:40 PM Call Time for Etude Orchestra, Advanced Intermediate Orchestra, & Chamber Orchestra

Please do not arrive before 6:40 P.M. We will not have the space to accomodate you until 6:40 P.M.

7:00 PM Concert B Begins

Orchestra summer camps (2).pdf

Incoming students, did you miss our instrument selection night???

We have created online resources so that you and your child can access all the information required to start orchestra in the fall.

Explore the website

Visit the home page for Incoming Students: https://sites.google.com/pisd.edu/ricemsorchestra/incoming-students

Pick your instrument

Decide what instrument your child would like to play: https://sites.google.com/pisd.edu/ricemsorchestra/incoming-students/instruments

The great thing about string instruments is that they come in all sizes. Your child should pick the instrument they want to play based on the sound. What sound do they love the most????

If your child selects cello or bass, we will provide an instrument for them to use at school and you will keep the rented instrument at home. Easy!

Let us know what you picked!

Once your child has chosen the perfect instrument for them, fill out this Google Form (https://forms.gle/aVayZxEUChEzqVNj8) so that we can place them in the correct class.

Reserve your instrument at a rental company

Now it is time to reserve your instrument with a rental company. Do NOT purchase an instrument online. You will need to reserve your instrument over the summer and ask for it to be delivered to Rice MS. Please do not wait to do this! The best, highest quality instruments go out on a first come, first serve basis.

***Please, please do NOT purchase an instrument. This is very important.***

https://sites.google.com/pisd.edu/ricemsorchestra/incoming-students/rental-companies

Gather the remaining supplies

Once you have rented the instrument there are a few more supplies your child will need on day two of orchestra: https://sites.google.com/pisd.edu/ricemsorchestra/incoming-students/suppli

Many of the rental companies will sell you a “school kit” which contains all but a few of the required materials (For example: The black 1 inch binder does not come in the school kit or the Rice MS PTA pack. Get this at Walmart or Target.)

For students with prior string playing experience, this is an optional event for you. We need you to submit and audition video using this Google Form so that we can place you in the correct level of orchestra.

PISD Summer Strings Brochure 2026.pdf

PISD Summer Strings Camp!!!!

This is a great camp for students in Beginning, Etude, Prelude, and Advanced Intermediate!

PISD Summer Strings Info 2026.pdf

Spring Semester Dates

Tuesday, April 7th - Deadline for Solo & Ensemble forms and payment

Saturday, April 25th - Solo & Ensemble Competition at Robinson Middle School

Thursday, April 30th - Required Beginning Orchestra rehearsal 3:55 PM - 5:00 PM

Thursday, May 7th - Spring Concert at Christ United Methodist Church (everyone!)

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!

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