5th & 6th Grade Elementary Orchestra Student Handbook
Teacher Contact Information
TeacherMrs. Wilcox
Virginia 749-5437 Ext. 1248 Email
Eveleth-Gilbert744-2211 Ext. 6301Email
Webpagestaff.vmps.org/swilcox
Concert Information
Beginner Concert (grade 5 only)2 pm Dec. 19 Roos. - 2pm Dec. 20 NelleShean
Fall Concert (grades 6-12)Nov. 21, 2017, 7pm Gilbert Aud.
Winter Concert (grades 5-12)Feb. 5, 2018, 7 pm VHS Auditorium
Spring Pops Concert (grades 5-12)May 14, 2018, 7pm VHS Auditorium
Students are expected to take part in these concerts unless they are ill. Each performance represents months of home practice and group rehearsals. Every effort is made to keep the concerts to an hour long, but if your child must leave before the end of the concert, please send a note so we can make arrangements. You should plan on arriving at least 30-45 minutes before the start of these performances for tuning. The East Range Orchestra Parents’ Association sometimes has general meetings during this tuning time that parents are encouraged to attend. Dress rehearsals take place the day of the concert in the morning. The school provides transportation to and from the dress rehearsals. Parents need to arrange transportation to and from our evening performances. Cellists andBassists will need to bring their instruments to the dress rehearsals and performances as well as their endpin holders.
Concert clothing needs to follow the school dress code and should be semi-formal in nature (dress pants, skirts, or dresses for the girls - polo or other dress shirt and khaki or dress pants for the boys – dress shoes and socks - no jeans, wind pants, etc., please.)
Instrument Information
Most students find it easiest to rent an instrument from Schmitt Music, located at 325 Chestnut Street in Virginia (741-8488). (Schmitt Music representatives will be at the September parent night display.) The Christian Eggert Violin Shop, located in the DeWitt-Seitz Building in Duluth’s Canal Park, also has very good instruments, books and accessories (1-877-800-6568). Both shops deal with instrument & bow repairs. Please do not purchase anything online without first consulting Mrs. Wilcox. These instruments are generally made of inferior parts, which are very expensive to replace and make playable. Please label your case with your child’s name and phone number as many of the cases look identical. There are good used instruments available from older students in the program who have outgrown theirs. Contact Mrs. Wilcox if you wish to purchase a used instrument.
Instrument Care Guidelines
Handle the instruments with care in and out of the case. Don’t let others play your instrument. Try to avoid exposing your instrument to extremes in temperature for prolonged periods of time. When handling the bow, please take care not to touch the hair, and always loosen the hair tension before putting it away. For safety reasons, please be careful where the tip of your bow is at all times. Store your instrument in its case and out of the way of young siblings and pets.
Required Accessories
•A folding music stand for home practice to promote proper posture
•A cleaning cloth
•A cake of rosin for keeping the bow hairs sticky
•Cellists and Bassists need a rock stop or other endpin holding device
•Violinists and Violists need a sponge or shoulder rest for holding their instrument up
•Students must bring a pencil to each lesson
•Folders will be provided thanks to Schmitt Music
•Students should bring their Essential Elements for Strings book 1 to every lesson as well as an sheet music
Lessons
Lessons take place once a week during school hours. Attendance at lessons is critical for success. If you have forgotten your music and/or instrument, you need to come to the lesson anyway. That way you can still learn the new concepts, notes, rhythms, and bowings for that week and practice them at home. Please try to let me know ahead of time about special class parties, field trips as those lessons can often be rescheduled. Parents can help by making sure their child brings his/her instrument and music to school on the appropriate days.
Practice
Parents should assist their child with establishing a daily practice routine, assisting with productivity, choosing a distraction-free location, and selecting a time of day that is best and is consistent. Short and frequent practice sessions are better than long and infrequent sessions. Students will record their daily practice on the weekly practice journals that they receive in class. They have a checklist of the skills covered for that week. Parents are also welcome to write me notes on this sheet.
Rehearsal Conduct and Procedures
Students should display appropriate social skills.
Students should not talk or play while the director is talking or when another student is asking or answering a question.
Students should raise their hands if they have a question or answer.
Students are responsible for information that was missed when absent from rehearsal.
Students may not bring any food, candy, gum or drinks into Malone Hall.
Students should have their binder, a pencil and their instrument for each class.
Cell phones are not allowed in class.
Upon arrival, students will uncase their instrument at their assigned chair and bring the instrument to the piano to be tuned. After tuning students should return to their chair and may warm up plucking only.
Consequences for inappropriate conduct include: a verbal warning, phone calls home, detention, and eventually removal from the ensemble.
Acknowledgement
(please detach below and return to Mrs. Wilcox asap)
I have read, understood and agreed to the requirements for Elementary Orchestra. I have reserved the concert dates on my calendar, and I will notify Mrs. Wilcox if I cannot purchase the needed items for class.
Student’s Signature______
Parent/Guardian’s Signature______
Date______