Advanced Orchestra Syllabus (Showbie: EEFJ8)
The Advanced Orchestra is the top orchestra at MPI and is only available by audition to students in high school. All students should have at least 2 years of orchestra playing experience (unless given consent by the teacher). The primary goal of this class is to prepare students to play their instrument(s) on college level and this is mainly achieved through a large number of rehearsals and performances. Students are highly encouraged to take private lessons and practice outside of the classroom is mandatory for success. On top of this, students will be exploring the historical aspects of the music they perform and attend at least one live concert a semester.
I. Instrument Technique
a. Fluent playing in positions 1-7
b. Tuning without a tuner
c. Vibrato on all fingers in all positions taught
d. Fluid shifting to all positions
II. Note Reading
a. Reading notes appropriate to level 6 music
b. Playing rhythms up to 32nd note values and syncopation
c. Reading/playing various mixed rhythms in multiple meters
d. Knowing note names and fingerings for all positions
III. Concert Etiquette
a. How to act as an appreciative audience
b. How to perform in a concert
c. How to evaluate a concert
IV. Playing the following scales in 3 octaves
a. G, D, and C
b. Chromatic scale from G
V. Music from level .5-6
Supplies
Students are expected to have their own books and supplies daily!! The daily supplies for Advanced Orchestra are as follows…
General Supplies:
Instrument:
All students must have an instrument for class. If you have your own instrument, please bring it every time you have orchestra class. If you do not own an instrument, MPI has instruments for you to rent for $125 a year and $25 for the summer. Please pay your fees to the MPI School Store across from Bakken. All checks should be made payable to MPI Orchestra.
The instrument should consist of a case, the actual instrument, a bow, rosin, shoulder rest (violin/viola) or chair strap (cello/bass). All rented instruments should have these items however if you lose or break the items, you will be charged for it. Here are the cost breakdowns:
Rosin- $5
Shoulder Rest- $25
Chair Strap- $14
Bow- $100-$500
Instrument- $500-$2500
iPad Apps:
iStrobosoft (tuning app) $9.99
Tenuto (quiz/drills) $3.99
Avid Scorch (Sib. File Player) $1.99
Weebly (Website Creator) FREE
Acapella (Recording app) FREE
Showbie (Document app) FREE
(I may ask the students to purchase additional apps in the future.)
Orchestra Uniform
Students will need to purchase their own orchestra uniforms to be worn at concerts. See the Dress Code page for more information.
Grading Breakdown
24% Weebly Online Portfolio:
Students are expected to document their participation in class through an online portfolio that they will keep using an app called Weebly. Within this portfolio, students will document and track the following
Students are expected to perform in all concerts they are assigned to play. The dates and information for these concerts will be posted in My Pueo. Please keep track of these dates. This is worth 35% of the student’s grade and acts as a final exam for the class. It would be impossible to pass orchestra without attending the concert. You must have a VERY good excuse for missing a concert such as a death in the family or hospitalization. In these cases, you will be allowed to do a makeup however if you do not have a legitimate excuse, you will receive a zero for this grade.
The makeup for the concert is as follows:
The student will play their part of the concert as a solo for their peers, Mr.Masaki, and one of the other band directors or performing arts faculty or administration. Your peers will give you 25% of the grade and the teachers will give you the other 75% of your grade.
Believe me when I tell you it is easier to just play the concert. In addition, part of concert participation includes being in the proper dress code and following proper etiquette. Be sure you are aware of what the concert attire is. Coming to the concert with improper attire will count as a missed concert! Your behavior at the concert is also important since you represent the orchestra program and MPI. Improper behavior at all events will result in lowered grades and additional penalties.
Included in this grade is a large, after school rehearsal that is held before the concert (usually on a Friday). Intermediate Orchestra students are expected to attend any and all after school rehearsals prior to the concert. There are usually 1-2 night rehearsals (Usually held on a Wednesday or Thursday before a concert). These rehearsals are important since they will help you prepare for your presentation of leanring.
20% Projects:
There will be a fair number of recorded projects that will need to be added to your portfolio. These projects will often be short video recordings that will need to be added to your online portfolio. Students will be given a list of projects that they need to complete by a given date and will have time in class to prepare and record these projects until the student is satisfied with their work.
10% Quizzes/Homework:
All of the homework in Intermediate Orchestra is optional and will not be graded. The homework will help a student do well on their quizzes and the instructor will go over the homework if there are any questions. Quizzes in Intermediate Orchestra will often be done in the Tenuto app which almost acts as a game that students can do to learn music notes. As students progress, during the year, they will be asked to learn a wider range of notes and identify which finger(s) correspond to those notes on their instrument.
11% Folder:
Your orchestra folder is worth 11% of your grade. Your folder should be a 1", black, three ring binder with sheet protectors in it. You will keep all of your sheet music in this folder. If you cannot get a folder like this, you may purchase one from Mr. Masaki for $3.
Numeric Grading Breakdown
A= 93-100
A-= 90-92
B+= 87-89
B= 83-86
B-=80-82
C+= 77-79
C= 73-76
C-= 70-72
D= 60-69
F=59 and below
To get an A+ in orchestra, you must go beyond what is expected of you in class. This could be a number of things. Ask Mr. Masaki if you have any questions.
I. Instrument Technique
a. Fluent playing in positions 1-7
b. Tuning without a tuner
c. Vibrato on all fingers in all positions taught
d. Fluid shifting to all positions
II. Note Reading
a. Reading notes appropriate to level 6 music
b. Playing rhythms up to 32nd note values and syncopation
c. Reading/playing various mixed rhythms in multiple meters
d. Knowing note names and fingerings for all positions
III. Concert Etiquette
a. How to act as an appreciative audience
b. How to perform in a concert
c. How to evaluate a concert
IV. Playing the following scales in 3 octaves
a. G, D, and C
b. Chromatic scale from G
V. Music from level .5-6
Supplies
Students are expected to have their own books and supplies daily!! The daily supplies for Advanced Orchestra are as follows…
General Supplies:
- Pencil
- 1" Black Folder with at least 10 sheet protectors (available for purchase from Mr. Masaki for $3)
Instrument:
All students must have an instrument for class. If you have your own instrument, please bring it every time you have orchestra class. If you do not own an instrument, MPI has instruments for you to rent for $125 a year and $25 for the summer. Please pay your fees to the MPI School Store across from Bakken. All checks should be made payable to MPI Orchestra.
The instrument should consist of a case, the actual instrument, a bow, rosin, shoulder rest (violin/viola) or chair strap (cello/bass). All rented instruments should have these items however if you lose or break the items, you will be charged for it. Here are the cost breakdowns:
Rosin- $5
Shoulder Rest- $25
Chair Strap- $14
Bow- $100-$500
Instrument- $500-$2500
iPad Apps:
iStrobosoft (tuning app) $9.99
Tenuto (quiz/drills) $3.99
Avid Scorch (Sib. File Player) $1.99
Weebly (Website Creator) FREE
Acapella (Recording app) FREE
Showbie (Document app) FREE
(I may ask the students to purchase additional apps in the future.)
Orchestra Uniform
Students will need to purchase their own orchestra uniforms to be worn at concerts. See the Dress Code page for more information.
Grading Breakdown
24% Weebly Online Portfolio:
Students are expected to document their participation in class through an online portfolio that they will keep using an app called Weebly. Within this portfolio, students will document and track the following
- Ability to perform notes in tune (Intonation)
- Demonstrate rhythm counting (Performance)
- Track Tenuto progress (Theory)
- Record short musical examples (Performance)
- Evaluate Musical excepts (Evaluation)
Students are expected to perform in all concerts they are assigned to play. The dates and information for these concerts will be posted in My Pueo. Please keep track of these dates. This is worth 35% of the student’s grade and acts as a final exam for the class. It would be impossible to pass orchestra without attending the concert. You must have a VERY good excuse for missing a concert such as a death in the family or hospitalization. In these cases, you will be allowed to do a makeup however if you do not have a legitimate excuse, you will receive a zero for this grade.
The makeup for the concert is as follows:
The student will play their part of the concert as a solo for their peers, Mr.Masaki, and one of the other band directors or performing arts faculty or administration. Your peers will give you 25% of the grade and the teachers will give you the other 75% of your grade.
Believe me when I tell you it is easier to just play the concert. In addition, part of concert participation includes being in the proper dress code and following proper etiquette. Be sure you are aware of what the concert attire is. Coming to the concert with improper attire will count as a missed concert! Your behavior at the concert is also important since you represent the orchestra program and MPI. Improper behavior at all events will result in lowered grades and additional penalties.
Included in this grade is a large, after school rehearsal that is held before the concert (usually on a Friday). Intermediate Orchestra students are expected to attend any and all after school rehearsals prior to the concert. There are usually 1-2 night rehearsals (Usually held on a Wednesday or Thursday before a concert). These rehearsals are important since they will help you prepare for your presentation of leanring.
20% Projects:
There will be a fair number of recorded projects that will need to be added to your portfolio. These projects will often be short video recordings that will need to be added to your online portfolio. Students will be given a list of projects that they need to complete by a given date and will have time in class to prepare and record these projects until the student is satisfied with their work.
10% Quizzes/Homework:
All of the homework in Intermediate Orchestra is optional and will not be graded. The homework will help a student do well on their quizzes and the instructor will go over the homework if there are any questions. Quizzes in Intermediate Orchestra will often be done in the Tenuto app which almost acts as a game that students can do to learn music notes. As students progress, during the year, they will be asked to learn a wider range of notes and identify which finger(s) correspond to those notes on their instrument.
11% Folder:
Your orchestra folder is worth 11% of your grade. Your folder should be a 1", black, three ring binder with sheet protectors in it. You will keep all of your sheet music in this folder. If you cannot get a folder like this, you may purchase one from Mr. Masaki for $3.
Numeric Grading Breakdown
A= 93-100
A-= 90-92
B+= 87-89
B= 83-86
B-=80-82
C+= 77-79
C= 73-76
C-= 70-72
D= 60-69
F=59 and below
To get an A+ in orchestra, you must go beyond what is expected of you in class. This could be a number of things. Ask Mr. Masaki if you have any questions.