While Mr. Liu encourages the listed expecations for all orchestra students, Chamber Orchestra students must adhere to these expecations and may be moved to a different orchestra group if they are not consistently met.
Music Preparation
Students understand that learning the notes (including intonation), rhythms, bowings, and printed dynamics in a piece of music are the bare minimum requirements in music performance. The music in Chamber Orchestra will involve more complex awareness, adherence, and performance precision towards musical expression, tone quality, bowing techniques, and stylistic articulations required in the music. Students are highly encouraged to ask for assistance and help from the teacher to reach mastery levels in a timely manner.
Extra-Curricular Commitments
Chamber Orchestra students must attend the required concert performances, morning and after school rehearsals, weekend performances and rehearsals, orchestra trips, and performance workshops and clinics. Students and parents will be notified 2 weeks’ in advance for required morning/after-school rehearsals. Please note that required morning/after-school rehearsals and concerts are part of the student’s academic grade.
Commitment to the pursuit of music and leadership
The RTMS Chamber Orchestra is one of a small handful of middle school orchestras in the state that consistently performs at the high school level. Mr. Liu believes that all orchestra students should not focus on mastery of music performance but also in supporting and being a leader of spreading the joys of music performance. As advanced middle school performers, all students in Chamber Orchestra must adhere to the mindset that music performance is for everyone and have the willingness and respect to perform music of any level and with others of every performance levels.