Rochelle School of the Arts Orchestra

Syllabus, 2010-2011

Amati Orchestra

First Nine Weeks

*Begin After-School Technique Clubweek of 8/30

Assign Stand Partner Learning Pairs

Review of Good Playing Position and Posture

  • Essay to compare and contrast good playing position and ineffective playing position
  • Teaching Project: Plan and teach two lessons to one of your teachers: 1.) how to hold the bow; 2.) how to hold the instrument and perform DAD song pizzicato (complete form with your teacher, and photograph your teacher’s bowhold and instrument position; present with checkpoints)

Solo and Ensemble

  • Pieces assigned
  • Master classes: practice strategies, peer coaching, performance etiquette
  • Recital during school for 2nd grade violin classes
  • Solo and Ensemble MPA: Saturday, November 13 at RSA

Vibrato

  • Introduce/review Viva Vibrato exercises

Shifting/ Position Work

  • Introduce/ Review Shifting Songs (Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle)
  • Performance Test
  • Shifting needed in All County Etude
  • Watch and discuss professional string players’ shifting (Art of the Violin, Yo Yo Ma)

Scales

  • Finger Pattern Review: Daily Warm-Ups
  • Begin G, C, D, A, F, Bb memorized (as required in literature) from Essential Elements Book 2
  • Pass-Off Charts
  • Half notes, quarter notes (add slurred 2, 3, 4 per bow with met for speed)

Tone Production

  • Open-String Warm-Up: Mondays (alternate with fingered notes )
  • You will be graded Mondays using the Bow Rubric
  • Daily Warm-Ups (Mondays): introduce/ review new bowing articulations
  • All County Etude, Solo and Ensemble, Scales
  • Master Class: Tone Production (excerpts from Secrets of String Success)

Left Hand Flexibility

  • Daily Warm-Ups (finger patterns slow to fast with finger release)
  • Etude/ Exercises (Method Books)

Sightreading

  • Unitunes: D major, G major: 16 measures daily (T/ Th)
  • Rhythm worksheets: #1-4:3 lines daily (W), Continuous Play
  • Sightreading Procedure: Matesky, Grade 1 pieces

Practice Strategies

  • Organizing practice time
  • Identifying and modeling practice strategies
  • Master class: Solo and Ensemble coaching (practice strategies, peer coaching, performance etiquette)

Music Composition

  • Write original poem and 8-16 bar composition based on poem

Improvisation

  • Call and response improvisation in the key of our piece
  • 4-bar improvised solos over harmonic drone

Listening/ Ear Training

  • Watch and discuss performances by master string musicians (Thursdays)
  • Master class: Tone production
  • Guest recital

Second through Fourth Nine Weeks

Additional Units will include:

Vibrato

  • Metronome chart exercises
  • Performance Test (Viva Vibrato)

Scales

  • Continue G, C, D, A, F, Bb memorized (as required in literature) from Essential Elements Book 2

Shifting/ Position Work: III position

Acoustics of a string instrument

Teaching Project (Careers in Strings): Mentor 2nd and 3rd grade violin students (November, January)

Spring Concert