SWMS Orchestra
Greetings, SWMS Orchestra Families!
We are almost there!! Only two more class days before 7th and 8th graders before our big MPA and Fred Ingold performances this week. There are a few opportunities where we need some parent help. Let me know if you are able to help us, and THANK YOU!!
Butter Braids-Spring Fundraiser (all grades)--NEED HELP!!!
Butter Braid delivery is set forMarch 18 around 3PM. Please make appropriate plans to collect and deliver your products that afternoon; please note, they must stay frozen!! Parents, we need a couple of adults to help sorting and distributing starting around 2:45PM this Friday. If you'd be able to help, please email me. Thanks!
MPA (participating 7th and 8th graders)--NEED HELP!!
Last after-school rehearsal is this Tuesday!! We have quite a few students who have been splitting time and it is appreciated. This is our last opportunity to play together as a group before Wednesday. I appreciate everyone making sure there are no conflicts to attend this rehearsal. Please come to the Orchestra room when car riders are called, and be prepared for our final run-through. We'll be finished by 6PM at the latest.
-Tuesday,March 15-Full Orchestra rehearsal 4:45-6:00 PM
-Wednesday, March 16-2PM PERFORMANCE TIME--MPA!!!
Things to remember about MPA:
-Students will come to school as normal, check in to homeroom, then report to the Orchestra room.
-Students must be dressed in concert performance attire (Orchestra polos, black dress pants/long skirt, black dress shoes/socks)
-We travel to Carolina Place Mall for lunch, then Northwest School of the Arts.
-Bring money for food court lunch, or bring a lunch with you on Wednesday.
-We will probably be able to watch one group perform. Students will be on their absolute best behavior as audience members, especially since judges will have the opportunity to observe us prior to our performance.
-After our performance, students will pack up and load the buses. One bus will depart early because we have some student athletes who have a game that afternoon. As long as everything goes as planned, remaining students should be back to school before regulardismissal.
PARENTS: We currently have one chaperonesigned up to gowith us for MPA. Even if you can't be with us all day, if you'd consider meeting us at Carolina Place Mall for lunch around 11, or meeting us at NWSA around 12:30 PM, it would be incredibly helpful. Please send me a note if you'd be able to meet us either place. Thanks!
Fred Ingold Festival (all 7th and 8th graders)--NEED HELP!!
Things to remember about Fred Ingold:
-Students must be at school at 6:45 AM.
-Students must be dressed in concert performance attire (Orchestra polos, black dress pants/long skirt, black dress shoes/socks)
-We travel to Forest Hills High School for two performances.
-Students maybring a snack to eat on the bus.
-After our second performance, we'll eat at Golden Corral in Monroe. Students either pre-paid for lunch at the restaurant or must bring their own lunch.
-We should be back to school in time for all of4th block, so please be prepared.
PARENTS: We currently have four chaperonessigned up to to gowith us to Fred Ingold. Please send me a note if you'd be able to go with us this day. Thanks!
6th Grade update
We will have normal class Monday (B-day), Tuesday (A-day), and Friday (B-day) of this week. Wednesday (B-day) and Thursday (A-day), no instruments are needed because Ms. Wright will be out with 7th/8th graders. Students will have a substitute teacher and alternate music-related work those days.
DISNEY UPDATE!!
Any final Disney payments must be made ASAP.
We have set a parent meeting forTuesday, March 22at6:30 PMat Southwest MS (room location TBA.) Traveling students may attend, but we ask that at least one parent also be in attendance. We will have overnight trip permission forms and paperwork, which does include some medical info (e.g. health insurance.) Filling it out that night would be helpful for the music directors. We'll also have specific info on itinerary, hotel, emergency contact info, what to bring, etc. We'll answer as many questions as we can for you that evening.
The group traveling to Disney is a different make-up than the MPA group. In order to get used to our new group, we will have fiveoutside-of-school time rehearsals. These rehearsals are required in order to properly prepare for our Disney performance. Remember this is like MPA, but on anationalstage--both a festival AND a competition. This is the biggest such performance we've ever participating in at Southwest MS Orchestra.
-Tuesday, March 22Parent Meeting 6:30PM
-Tuesday, April 5Full Orchestra rehearsal4:45-6:15PM
-Friday, April 8Full Orchestra rehearsal 7:30-8:45 AM
-Tuesday, April 12Full Orchestra rehearsal 4:45-6:15 PM
-Friday, April 15Full Orchestra rehearsal 7:30-8:45 AM
-Tuesday, April 19Full Orchestra rehearsal 7:30-8:45 AM
Calendar Recap
-Tuesday,March 15-Full Orchestra rehearsal 4:45-6:00 PM (participating MPA students)
-Wednesday, March 16-2PM PERFORMANCE TIME--MPA!!!(participating MPA students)
-Thursday, March 17-6:45 AM departure for Fred Ingold Festival (all 7th/8th graders)
-Friday, March 18-Butter Braid delivery
-Tuesday, March 22-Disney parent meeting
-Tuesday, April 5Full Orchestra rehearsal4:45-6:15PM (participating Disney students)
-Friday, April 8Full Orchestra rehearsal 7:30-8:45 AM (participating Disney students)
-Tuesday, April 12Full Orchestra rehearsal 4:45-6:15 PM (participating Disney students)
-Friday, April 15Full Orchestra rehearsal 7:30-8:45 AM (participating Disney students)
-Tuesday, April 19Full Orchestra rehearsal 7:30-8:45 AM (participating Disney students)
-Thursday, May 12SWMS Orchestra Spring Concert
Almost there...We've made such great improvements in our musicality over these past weeks. We've had the discussion--you want to be able to say "I did everything I could to have a great performance" instead of asking yourself "If I could have just practiced more." Make it the former! I'm proud of our growth, whatever the outcome.
Kristen Wright
Orchestra Director