Ms. Rennick

Week of January 30 - February 3

Beginning Music Theory - Classes will be putting what they know about note-reading and rhythms into practice with performance selections on the piano keyboards.  Students must know the notes, where they are found on the piano keys, and the values of the notes to play the melodies correcty.  (2 class sessions)

Orchestra Classes - Students are focusing on note-reading and shifting in INTERMEDIATE class, and shifting and articulations in the ADVANCED class.  Both classes will work skill drills in shifting, recognizing the shifting positions when doing so.  Advanced orchestra members will pay attention to and execute the bowing articulations in the GMEA performance music.

Week of January 23-27, 2012

Week 3 of second semester already - time is moving very swiftly!!

Beginning Music Theory - Classes are reviewing NOTE VALUES, METER, TIME SIGNATURES, COUNTING, and PERFORMING RHYTHMS.  There will be a checkpoint quiz at the end of the reviews. 

Orchestra Classes - Are still practicing for and preparing for judging at GMEA evaluation.  About 75% of the orchestra students will attend GMEA this year.  We are scheduled to perform at 1:00 on Monday, February 27 at Sprayberry High School.  We will need a couple of parent chaperones, if any wish to volunteer, please respond to this posting. 

Week of January 17-20, 2012

Beginning Music Theory - Classes will be continuing to review and re-learn the first few Georgia State Standards.  Last week students reviewed 1.a Sight-singing and 2.a Identifying notes on the piano keyboard.  This week, we are covering 2.b Relating the printed notes on music to keyboard notes on piano and 2.c Performing simple melodies on the piano.

Orchestra Classes - Students are preparing to perform before judges at the GMEA evaluation at the end of February.  Not all students will be going.  ALL of 4th block will, plus about half of 3rd block will combine for this effort.  Rehearsal schedule for the GMEA event:

January - 17  3:40-5:00  First violins

              18  3:40-5:00  Second violins

              19  3:40-5:00  Violas & 3rd violins

              20 - UNIFORM ORDERS & PAYMENT DUE

              24  3:40-5:00  Celli and Basses

              25  3:40-5:00  First violins

              26  3:40-5:00  Second violins

              31  3:40-5:00  Violas & 3rd violins

February   1  3:40-5:00  Celli and Basses

               2  3:40-5:00  First AND Second violins

               7  3:40-5:00  Violas and 3rd violins

               8  3:40-5:00  Celli and Basses

               9  3:40-5:00  First AND Second violins

14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23  3:40-5:00  ALL GMEA ORCHESTRA MEMBERS

Week of January 10-13, 2012

Happy New Year to everybody.

Beginning Music Theory classes will begin this week with Mid-Term Test Analysis, identifying student areas of strengths and weaknesses.  Class members will also state how they will help to bring up their scores for the next round of testing in March.  As always, I offer tutoring every morning from 7:30-8:00.  This week, our 2 class sessions will also review the first 2 standards in the Georgia Proficiency Standards; 1.a Sight-Singing, and 2.a Identify notes on the piano keyboard.

Orchestra classes will also begin the week with the Mid-Term Test analysis - checking for areas that students did well in, as well as areas that did not do so well.  This first week back into rehearsals, students will review skills learned first semester, as well as beginning use of the GMEA evaluation rubric.  (what performance judges grade on)  The areas in the GMEA rubric cover several standards we've had already first semester: Tone Quality, Intonation, Skills and Techniques, Balance/Blend, Musical Interpretation, Artistic Musical Effect, and General Effect (Behavior, Appearance, and Discipline).  Several students in Intermediate orchestra were selected to perform at the ADVANCED level GMEA evaluation coming up at the end of February.  Be sure to look at the BRIGHT yellow rehearsal schedule for this event.  A second uniform order will be sent out the end of this month.  Any student that still has not gotten the correct uniform may order one through the school by paying by or before January 20th.