Arkansas Junior Honor Orchestra Festival

ArkMEA Professional Development Conference with Arkansas ASTA and NSOA

Hot Springs Convention Center, Friday, Nov 6, 2015

Please visit the ArkASTA LiveBinder for copies of this letter, more detailed information on this year’s festival and clinicians, and links to the Registration Form and the selected repertoire.

ArkASTA LiveBinder:http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1495643

Access Key:Arkansas ASTA

About the Honor Orchestras:

The Honor Orchestra Festival will be comprised of an intermediate and advanced orchestra with 30-45 musicians in each ensemble. The Advanced orchestra will be directed by Jessica Morel, Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Evansville and Conductor of the Evansville Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and the Intermediate orchestra will be directed by Curtis Hansen, Head Orchestra Director at Kimmons Junior High in Fort Smith.

Please review the repertoire selections for each orchestra and plan to order those pieces which are not already in your school’s library so that you may adequately prepare students prior to the festival. I will make copies of the music available digitally the week of October 19 for those who need it (home-schooled students and those without an orchestra program in their schools) so that students will be able to practice for three weeks before the festival. We do not want any students sight reading at the festival. Works to be performed include:

Intermediate Orchestra

Sea Venture – Todd Parrish

Hyland/Etling catalog number AP.43837

The Russian Music Box – Soon Hee Newbold

FJH Music Co catalog number FJ.ST6068

Koneko – Keiko Yamada

Carl Fischer catalog number CF.PAS4

Advanced Orchestra

Pavane – Gabriel Faure arr. Larry Clark

Carl Fischer catalog number CF.CAS16

Concerto for String Orchestra (from Concerto a Quattro) – G. F. Telemann arr.

Tim McCarrick

Belwin Music catalog number AP.29665

Troika (from Lt. Kije) – Prokofiev arr. Wieloszynski

Kendor Music catalog number 09926

Nomination:

Please recommend your outstanding student musicians for participation based on the following criteria:

INTERMEDIATE ORCHESTRA

1. Reads music, understands most elements of basic score notation (dynamics, bowings, accidentals, roadmaps).

2. Is not a beginner this year, and can play material from Suzuki book 1 or 2.

3. Is a confident player with good rehearsal skills and playing ability.

4. Students can range from 1st grade through 8th grade.

It is understood that this may be the first orchestra experience for some students. Please be attentive to the requirements above so that the students and the clinician have a successful day.

ADVANCED ORCHESTRA

1. Mostly students from 7th to 9th grade with 2 or more years of orchestra experience.

(Outstanding younger players will be considered.)

2. Strong reading skills and can play grade 2 and 3 level music.

3. Serious students in your studio or program and are achieving success (can play solidly from late from level 2 or 3 Suzuki or higher).

4. Participates in region activities and exhibits leadership in your program.

Please complete the Nomination and Registration form (Excel spreadsheet). Please e-mail your completed form to me at .

Each student nominated is guaranteed participation if the nomination form is submitted by October 9th, 2014. Please be thoughtful to the success of the orchestras when nominating students. In addition to recommending each student for either the Advanced or Intermediate orchestra, you will also be asked to estimate the students’ Suzuki Book level, and for Violins, to recommend placement in the Violin I or Violin II sections. This information will help us determine seating in advance.

If you have any issues with the October 9th deadline, please email me. I would like to have names ready for the program by October 16th.

Fees:

Each teacher should submit only one Nomination and Registration form. Please add your total number of participating students from both orchestras, then calculate your total registration fee. Registration is $15 per student. Please make checks payable to “ArkASTA” and write the Teacher’s Last Name and School/Studio in the memo.

You many mail checks to:

Brittany Osman

Lakeside Middle School

2923 Malvern Ave

Hot Springs, AR 71901

OR you may bring your check to the event on Nov. 7.

Concert Dress:

Concert dress will be Black bottoms and white tops with black shoes. Do your best to help students meet the dress code. It is important that we look sharp for a state event.

We will begin checking in students at 9:00 a.m., break for lunch at noon (please make arrangements for students), 1:00 resume rehearsals, 4:15 concert. I will provide more details of the specific rehearsal rooms and times in response to participation.

Thank you for your dedication to the art of string playing and for fostering a love of orchestral music in our children. I am so looking forward to meeting you all and to working with your students,

Brittany Osman

Festival Chairperson and Treasurer, Arkansas ASTA

Email: