PMHS Orchestra
Students will be completing re-seating auditions January 9, 10, 11 during Orchestra class. We are gearing up for our Music Trip to Williamsburg, VA from March 30-April 2, 2023. We are preparing exciting music by Antonin Dvorak and Gustav Holst for our competition!
The next $150.00 payment is due by January 30th.
Strolling Strings: Rehearsals have started up on January 4th. The Pennsville Women's Club gave a $50 for the students performance during the December Luncheon - we will be using it for pizza party after school (most likely on a date after Academy Juries on 1/27/23.)
Small Ensemble: This zero period is starting up for the Spring and will be determined by the re-seating auditions. The group meets on Tuesdays before school starting at 6:55am.
Pennsville MS Orchestras
6th grade: Students are learning a new 2 octave scale to expand on what they know of the G major scale. They received most of the concert music so you should hear some practicing at home!
7th & 8th grade: Students are working on music for our next concert. They are learning new music concepts in an arrangement of Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons.
Small group lessons: Students continuing to meet with their lesson teachers. Ask them if they have been attending - these lessons are not optional and are counted in the participation category in PowerSchool.
Composer/Musician Birthdays
9 - Joan Baez
10 - Frank Sinatra
16 - Lin-Manuel Miranda
18 - Emmanuel Chabrier
19 - Dolly Parton
25 - Alicia Keys
31 - Justin Timberlake
How to practice something you've been working on (from Paigesmusic.com)
Practice SLOWLY
Work on the measures you marked as difficult after first sight-reading
Practice in 2-3 measure chunks around problem area
Start to put whole song together SLOWLY
Go back to difficult spots – start to speed them up to the proper tempo
Practice in 2-3 measure chunks with the new tempo
Play the whole song FASTER
Go back and work on dynamics and articulations (accents, staccatos, slurs, etc.)
Play whole song with ALL components
If having difficulty, REPEAT ANY OF THE ABOVE UNTIL YOU CAN PLAY THE SONG WITHOUT MISTAKES! This is the most important step!
Looking Ahead
1/4 - Tri-M Meeting after school (HS124)
1/9-1/11 - HS Re-Seating Auditions (video recorded in class)
1/16 - No School
1/18 - Tri-M Meeting after school (HS124)
1/18 - HS Advanced Music Composition Night, 7pm
1/19 PPAB Meeting, 7pm HS 124
1/23 - MS Orch playing test due
Recording submitted on Classroom (1/25 is final date for submission)
1/26 - Academy Juries 2:15pm-5:15pm
1/27 - Marking Period 2 Ends
2/8 - Tri-M Meeting after school
2/8 - Tri-M Induction Ceremony, 7pm