Overview
The 7th and 8th Grade Concert Orchestra classes are the on level, intermediate orchestra classes. Concert Orchestra continues the development of ensemble performance skills, instrument techniques, and an understanding of music literature and history. There is one concert orchestra class for each grade level which meets every day during the school year. Each Concert Orchestra group will perform as separate ensembles for the Winter Concert and Large Group Performance Evaluation Concert. The two grade level Concert Orchestra groups will often combine and perform as one ensemble for the Spring Concert.
What will my child learn?
7th Grade Concert (Intermediate) Orchestra
The curriculum for 7th Grade Intermediate orchestra picks up right where 6th grade orchestra finished at the end of the year. 7th Grade students will start to learn low 1st finger and extended 3rd/4th finger notes and the challenges those fingerings cause with playing in tune. Students are also introduced to sixteenth note rhythms and basic syncopated rhythms. The level of large ensemble music increases as students will encounter pieces of music that have more dynamics with more independent and complex parts.
8th Grade Concert (Intermediate) Orchestra
8th Grade Intermediate Orchestra continues to address the remaining skills not addressed in 7th Grade Intermediate while refining all of the skills towards a mastery level of performance. In addition, students are introduced to a major component from the Advanced Orchestra standards which advanced positions (Violin/Viola-III position, Cello- III and IV position, Bass ½-IV position).
8th Grade Intermediate Orchestra students will apply all of the skills they learned towards more challenging level pieces of music that require a higher level of awarenesss towards ensemble precision, balance, tone quality, dynamic contrasts, and music expression.
The final quarter of 8th Grade Concert (Intermediate) Orchestra is spent preparing for their final Middle School Spring Concert performance and preparing students planning to audition for the various leveled groups in High School Orchestra.