TEMS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

The TEMS Chamber Orchestra is a select ensemble.  This means that students are selected for Chamber Orchestra by audition.  Students who are selected to play in the group must commit to practicing (learn your music before rehearsal), being at all rehearsals on time, and performing in our required performances.   Students must participate in a large ensemble at TEMS to be a part of this group.  Positions are open for musicians who play violin, viola, cello or bass.  

REHEARSALS:  New Rehearsal Time for 2008-2009!  Chamber Orchestra will meet on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:00pm.

AUDITIONS:  Are held in September at the beginning of the school year.  Students will not be admitted into Chamber Orchestra without passing the audition.

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES

Fall Recital:  GREAT PERFORMANCE!!!   (Wednesday, November 12, 2008)

Holiday Music for Seniors:  BEAUTIFUL JOB!  The Seniors really appreciated your willingness to share your music with them.  One woman said that you made her holiday.  (Thursday, Dec.18, 2008 at the Community Center.)  The Community Center invited the Chamber Orchestra to perform anytime.

Holiday Music in the Main Lobby:  Good Job!  Everyone enjoyed hearing you play!  (Dec.23, 2008)

TE Unplugged:  Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 3pm in TEMS Auditorium.  Featuring Chamber Orchestra, TE Singers, and a professional string quartet TBA.  Dress Rehearsal Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

Music in the Parks Festival:  Friday, May 8, 2009.  Performance & Adjudication location TBA, then to Six Flags New England.

MAIN EVENT

Dress Rehearsal:  Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 5pm - finish in TEMS Auditorium

Performance 1:  Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 7pm in TEMS Auditorium

THE GREAT EAST FESTIVAL 2008

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

8th Grade Orchestra:  GOLD

Chamber Orchestra:  GOLD

EASTERN REGION MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Eastern Region Music Festival is held by CMEA (Connectiuct Music Educator's Association) every year.  Students from the Eastern Region of CT audition for a chance to participate in musical ensembles at a two-day Festival.  Violin, Viola and Cello students are eligible to audition for the orchestra.  Bass students are eligible to audition for orchestra and/or jazz band. 

AUDITIONS are held once a year in November.  Please see Mrs. Fausel in March 2009 for the November 2009 audition music.  Congratulations to the nine string players, and one bassoonist, from our school who made this year's Eastern Region Festival Orchestra.  http://cmea.org/

The FESTIVAL will be Friday, Feb.27 and Saturday Feb.28, 2009 at Timothy Edwards Middle School.  Snow Dates are Friday March 6 and Saturday March 7, 2009. 

QUIA Orchestra Activities:  Test your music knowledge!

Musical Signatures:  http://www.quia.com/jg/955449.html 

ORCHESTRA SUPPLY LIST 

Handbook:  You received an Orchestra Handbook at the beginning of the school year.  The Handbook includes information on what you need to do to be successful in Orchestra this year.  Parents and Students are expected to read the Handbook, then sign and return the Orchestra Contract on the last page.  Please keep the Handbook in your Binder so you don't lose it.

• Binder:  One-inch Three-ring binder, ten page protectors, ten sheets of lined notebook paper, ziplock pencil pouch, ten pencils with erasers, one highlighter.  Reserve a section to keep your practice chart and homework assignments safe!
• Book:  See the New books list below.
• Instrument and bow in good working condition.  
• Cleaning cloth:  soft, clean, untreated cloth please.
• Rosin
• Extra Strings:  Violin & Viola must keep an extra set of strings in your case.  Dominant brand strings will give you a beautiful sound.
• Violin & Viola:  Shoulder rest. 
• Cello & Bass:  Rock stop. 
• Music stand.  This is a must if you want to play well.
• Please put your name on your supplies.  There are over 100 Orchestra students, and when items are dropped or misplaced, they get mixed up with other people's things!

Not Required, but Really Useful Supplies:

• Tuner:  Do your strings go wacky when you get home?  Do you like playing in tune?  This can help you learn to tune your instrument so everyone's ears are happy when you play.
• Metronome:  This will click at a steady beat to help you with keeping time and rhythm.  It's your own personal drummer!
• Pouch for your Shoulder Rest.  Some students have trouble fitting a shoulder rest in their case.  If that is so, be creative!  Find a way to make and/or attach a pouch to your case so you don't lose your shoulder rest.

NEW BOOKS

6th Grade:  Essential Elements 2000, Vol.2, by Allen, Gillespie & Hayes.  Published by Hal Leonard.

7th Grade:  Essential Technique 2000, by Allen, Gillespie & Hayes.  Published by Hal Leonard.

8th Grade:  High Tech for Strings, by Doris Gazda.  Published by Hall Leonard.

INSTRUMENTS 

If you have a school instrument at home for the summer, please bring it to school with you on the first day of school. 

Cello/Bass: If you need a school instrument for home practice during the school year, please sign up for one on the first day of school.  Or, your parents can send me an e-mail.  I will need your name, phone number, e-mail address, instrument, and size.  If you aren't sure of the size, I can check you when school starts.

Cello/Bass:  Once you are playing a full-size instrument, I recommend that you look into purchasing your own instrument for home practice.  There are not always enough large instruments (especially cellos) available for each student to keep one at home and one at school.  If the need is too great, cello & bass players may have to carry instruments to and from school.  If you purchase a good instrument, you may even want to bring it to the concerts to make your performance extra special. 

LOOKING TO RENT OR PURCHASE AN INSTRUMENT?

Please contact a local stringed instrument store or music dealer.  To get the best results, I recommend that a student try out an instrument at the store before bringing it home.  Make sure it is comfortable to play, and that you like the sound. 

There are links to stringed instrument shops at the bottom of this page, and additional lists are available in the Orchestra Handbook and in Mrs. Fausel's classroom.