Concerts:

December—Classic examples from great musical literature. Previous highlights include Saint-Saens’ Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave Overture, and Puccini’s Preludio Symphonico.

February—Each lesson group composes original music for the Symphony to premiere.

April—String Extravaganza. Fourth through Twelfth grade orchestra students perform together in a gala festival concert.

May/June—Symphonic presentation. The orchestra performs a great symphony in its entirety. Previous highlights include Beethoven’s Seventh, Schubert’s Fifth, Mendelssohn’s Fifth, Dvorak’s Eighth, and Mozart’s Fortieth.

Solos:

Students are required to prepare a solo chosen from the NYSSMA Manual. Freshman and Sophomores may choose a level 4 or higher solo, Juniors and Seniors may choose a level 5 or 6 solo. The solo must be performed for Mr. McCarter by June, or the student may choose to attend the NYSSMA Solo Adjudication Festival instead.

Additional Opportunities:

Students may perform with the Chamber Orchestra, which meets Monday evenings throughout the year and performs for school and community events.

Students may also join the Spring Musical Pit Orchestra, which with the cast and crew present a Broadway musical each March. 

Grading Policy 

Grades are assigned in three categories: preparation (100 points), rehearsals (100 points), and concerts (200 points). Preparation reflects the work students do outside the classroom, i.e. practicing concert music, learning solos, composition homework, and the studying of parts. Rehearsals reflect how the student performs in class. Concerts are graded as a group, and each student participating earns the same grade unless there is cause for a different grade. Grades are calculated as follows: points earned/points possible 

Rubric (see the NYSSMA Solo Adjudication sheet for further explanation) 

A+ (97—100) students practice daily, and perform all aspects of the music with mature artistry, tone, and technique. 

A (93—96) students practice at least 5 days a week, and perform with maturing artistry but still need improvement in technique. 

A- (90—92) students practice at least 3 days a week, and are working towards improving their artistry and technique. 

B+ (87—89) students need to practice more frequently to meet the goals of this ensemble. 

Remember, this class is one of the few where every single student’s performance affects the outcome for the group. We are a SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA!