WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-25): WEDNESDAY; OCTOBER 6, 2010

GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2,3,6
COMPOSER: BACH CELLO SUITE PRELUDE Bach of Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU_QR_FTt3E&feature=related 

SEE POST ON THIS BLOG
1. Defined the term SUITE:
.....a. An instrumental composition, especially of the 17th or 18th century, consisting of a succession of dances in the same or related keys.
.....b. An instrumental composition consisting of a series of varying movements or pieces.
2. Short demonstration on the cello
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER NOTE READING BY LETTERS
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: John Phillip Sousa
.....a. A famous American band director and band composer opera the late 19th to the early 20th Century.

.....b. One of his most famous pieces was called "The Stars and Strips Forever"

.....c. He was known for his patriotic music. (I like to remember that fact about him this way: Sousa.)
.....d. He is also known as the inventor of a marching tuba (the instrument goes around the player making it easier to carry 
         and play while marching) and the instrument called the Sousaphone was named after him.

2. Reviewed note reading by step
.....a. Explained and showed what line and space notes look like on the musical staff
.....b. Explained and showed what notes moving by step (up and down) look like on the musical staff.
...........1)A step is when a note moves from a line to the very next space (or vice versa) either up or down
...........2)These steps can be thought of like stairs you walk up and down on.
3. Notes that move by skip
.....a. Counting the lines and spaces in between the notes that move by skip
4. How to determine the name of one note on the staff so you can figure out all the other note names from it by using the 
    musical alphabet concept

BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:

OBJECTIVE: FINGERING DO-RE-MI
1. TUNE 
2. FINGERING DO-RE-MI (Students are to remember to keep the 1st finger down when placing down the 2nd finger)
....a. Using the guitar position (for practice purposes only) students reviewed and practiced plucking the strings using the 
        right thumb over the fingerboard while they fingered the DO, RE, MI notes using the left fingers.
.....b. We practiced DO, RE, MI on each string in the CYCLE OF STRINGS and students were instructed to retry again with 
         the objective of being able to place the fingers down without using their eyes; I want them to use their sense of touch 
         and their sense of hearing.
.....c. When able to perform this task they are then ready to try placing the violin up in its regular position and pluck the 
         same sounds, again using right pizzicato.
.....d. We re-did the exercise again using a DO, RE, MI, MI, RE, DO pattern (placing fingers down and then removing them in 
         order).
.....e. We started to use the DO, RE, MI patterns in songs; our first one to start on: "HOT CROSS BUNS" (This is to be 
          played on each string in the CYCLE OF STRINGS)
..........1)First sing the solfege to get the tune in the mind first (you cannot play anything well on an instrument unless you 
             can sing it in your head first).

..........2)While in guitar position, sing again; this time singing the finger numbers as students place the proper fingers down 
              (silent fingering).

..........3)Again in guitar position, sing the fingering and/or solfege while fingering on the left and plucking on the right.

..........4)If the last step can be done with ease, then try re-doing it in the proper holding position at the neck.

..........5)Once the left hand fingering is memorized and has become what I term an "automatic reflex" (movements that are 
              performed without overtly thinking because they have become a reaction) then the bow can be tried in replacement 
              of the pizzicato.
..........6)Having the left fingering memorized allows the brain to focus only on the use of the bow; if the left fingers have not 
              learned the movements as an automatic reflex and the bow is used too soon with the left fingers, then the brain is 
              forced to have to concentrate on two completely different movements at the same time... that is very difficult to do 
              and it will take longer to get the song learned.

..........7)Continue to use the UH (upper half ) of the bow only in playing the song and work toward articulating the beginnings 
              of each separate bow stroke.

.....f. We also started another DO-RE-MI song: Mary had a Little Lamb (using same practicing format)

Tomorrow Mary had a SAD lamb open string bowing try out open string holiday song if time

ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: 
OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE

2. Hoe Down

.....a. Worked on section B trying to get all the notes to stay together on the violins
.....b. Practiced cello, guitar, piano part separately and they learned to stay together

.....c. Violins need to accent the first note of every 4 in the 16th note passages

.........1)Need to sit properly in the seat with feet on the floor so you can use the feet to help make the accent

.........2)We do not play these instruments with only the upper parts of our bodies

3. Orange Blossom Special

.....a. Violins stayed together but the piano, guitar parts still need to keep steady beats (will work on that next lesson)

WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-24): TUESDAY; OCTOBER 5, 2010

GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2,3,6
COMPOSER: BACH TOCCATA AND FUGUE in D MINOR  (Check out this link on my blog)
1. Bach was an expert on playing the organ and he wrote many pieces of music for that instrument.
2. This piece is extremely famous and is often associated with music like one might hear in the "Haunted House" at Disneyland. However, Bach had never intended his music to be used in that way.
3. A "prelude" is a musical introduction and a "fugue" is "a musical composition in which one or two themes are repeated or imitated by successively entering voices and contrapuntally developed in a continuous interweaving of the voice parts." (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fugue)
.....a. It is a fancy round or "canon" in which layers of melodies (horizontal patterns of repeated sounds)                        overlap themselves in a such a way that their vertical combinations form very beautiful harmonies.
.....b. Each horizontal pattern of melody has an individual character that can be played alone but also                               combines well when layered against the others in the fugue.
OBJECTIVE: UNDERSTANDING THE BAROQUE "CANON"
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Gioacchino Rossini

.....a. An Italian opera composer from the 19th Century
.....b. One of his most famous pieces was the "William Tell Overture" 

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4PS8-_5UFw) 

which was used as the theme song for old TV series called the "Lone Ranger."

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxIuIxqo2So&feature=related)

An "A cappella" version sung by the Swingle Singers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtyiUNZzCY4

 WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE "MOM" STYLE (FUNNY)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHPhxnW6Ti4

2. Discussed what a musical "canon" is.
.....a. The word “canon” comes from the Greek kanon, meaning “rule” or “order.”
.....b. "A composition or passage in which a melody is imitated by one or more voices at fixed intervals of pitch             and time." Sort-of like a fancy round (ie: round example: "Row Row Row Your Boat")
.....c. This type of musical style is typical of the music that was being played during the time of Bach.
.....d. A good example of a canon in this style is one written by Johan Pachelbel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wpPk8qk3uQ&feature=related

.....e. We listened to a funny version of the Pachelbel canon called the"Taco Bell Canon" 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG0VonKs7b8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXsCMGhzC1o&feature=related

.....f. After hearing the canon, we sang each of the 4 individual parts (melodies) with the recording.
.....g. Then I split the class into 4 parts and gave each group one of the 4 melodies to sing with the recording.
.....h. The groups switched parts and resang these again with the recording.
.....i. By singing the canon we were able to experience how difficult it is to sing one melody with someone next           to you singing something completely different and also it helped the students to understand this famous style         from Bach's time.

BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:
OBJECTIVE: DO-RE-MI Fingering
1. TUNE 
2. FINGERING DO-RE-MI (Students are to remember to keep the 1st finger down when placing down the 2nd finger)
....a. Using the guitar position (for practice purposes only) students reviewed and practiced plucking the                     strings using the right thumb over the fingerboard while they fingered the DO, RE, MI notes using the left                     fingers.
.....b. We practiced DO, RE, MI on each string in the CYCLE OF STRINGS and students were instructed to retry            again with the objective of being able to place the fingers down without using their eyes; I want them to use                their sense of touch and their sense of hearing.
.....c. When able to perform this task they are then ready to try placing the violin up in its regular position and               pluck the same sounds, again using right pizzicato.
.....d. We re-did the exercise again using a DO, RE, MI, MI, RE, DO pattern (placing fingers down and then                         removing them in order).
.....e. We started to use the DO, RE, MI patterns in songs; our first one to start on: "HOT CROSS BUNS" (This is
          to be played on each string in the CYCLE OF STRINGS)
..........1)First sing the solfege to get the tune in the mind first (you cannot play anything well on an instrument                   unless you can sing it in your head first).
..........2)While in guitar position, sing again; this time singing the finger numbers as students place the proper                 fingers down (silent fingering)
..........3)Again in guitar position, sing the fingering and/or solfege while fingering on the left and plucking on                     the right.
..........4)If the last step can be done with ease, then try re-doing it in the proper holding position at the neck.
..........5)Once the left hand fingering is memorized and has become what I term an "automatic reflex"                                     (movements that are performed without overtly thinking because they have become a reaction) then the                     bow can be tried in replacement of the pizzicato.
..........6)Having the left fingering memorized allows the brain to focus only on the use of the bow; if the left                         fingers have not learned the movements as an automatic reflex and the bow is used too soon with the left                 fingers, then the brain is forced to have to concentrate on two completely different movements at the same               time... that is very difficult to do and it will take longer to get the song learned.
..........7)Continue to use the UH (upper half ) of the bow only in playing the song and work toward articulating                   the beginnings of each separate bow stroke.
WE ARE CONTINUING THIS TOMORROW TO GET MORE STUDENTS READY TO COMBINE LEFT FINGERS WITH THE USE OF THE BOW

ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: 
OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE
2. DE COLORES 
.....a. Reviewed harmony parts with cellos, guitar, and piano by having everyone (including violins) play the                 harmony part.
.....c. Started the process of connecting the parts together. by having 4 violins start the melody part (more                    have been added from yesterday and more students to be added later until all violins are playing the melody).
.....d. We worked on articulation so all instruments will be staring and stopping at the same time
.....e. We sight read through "Good King Wenceslas" in tutorial home room and started to read and play the                 notes located on the "D" string (playing with the recording students only played those notes and left out the             others...this rehearsal technique used to teach continuity)
QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE OF ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL POSTPONED UNTIL I RE-ANNOUNCE IT

VIOLIN BEGINNING CLASS SONGS #2a: BY NUMBER; BEGINNING SONGS

Before we read the notes on songs using fingers I like to teach the song by numbers first. After the fingers are comfortable and the fingering and bowing are memorized, then I start teaching note reading while playing the violin.

Use this fingering pattern

(fingers 2 and 3 touch)

on all three songs:

Here are some beginning songs to try by number:
[ALL BOWINGS ON THESE SONGS START DOWN BOW AND CONTINUE DOWN-UP-DOWN-UP....UNTIL THE PIECE ENDS/IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF BOWING PLAY ONLY AT ONE PART OF THE BOW STARTING WITH THE "UH" or UPPER HALF (MIDDLE TO TIP) LATER TRY THE "LH" or LOWER HALF (FROG TO MIDDLE) WHEN THOSE BOWINGS ARE ACCOMPLISHED THEN TRY THE SONGS USING THE "WB" or WHOLE BOW.]

Mary:(Can be played on each string/"0" means "open" string-no fingers down/play pizzicato first and learn the fingering before adding the bow)

2.1.0.1.2.2.2... solfege: mi.re.do.re.mi.mi.mi...
1.1.1...2.1.0... solfege: re.re.re...mi.re.do...
2.1.0.1.2.2.2.2. solfege: mi.re.do.re.mi.mi.mi.mi.
1.1.2.1.0....... solfege: re.re.mi.re.do.......


Hot Cross Buns:
(Can be played on each string/"0" means "open" string-no fingers down/play pizzicato first and learn the fingering before adding the bow)

2.1.0... solfege: mi.re.do...
2.1.0... solfege: mi.re.do...
00001111 solfege: dodododorererere
2.1.0... solfege: mi.re.do...

TO MAKE "MARY" SOUND SAD or "HOT CROSS BUNS" TO SOUND LIKE THEY WERE BURNT, LOWER THE 2ND FINGER TO TOUCH THE 1ST FINGER: THE MUSIC TERM FOR THIS IS "MINOR"






(THE ORIGINAL "MARY" and "HOT CROSS BUNS" SOUND HAPPY AND THE MUSIC TERM FOR THIS IS CALLED "MAJOR")


Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star[This song uses two adjacent, neighboring strings (one lower and one higher) so it can be played on the "G" and "D" strings OR the "D" and "A" strings OR the "A" and "E" strings/Again...."0" means "open" string-no fingers down/play pizzicato first and learn the fingering before adding the bow/numbers used for the lower string are placed lower, numbers used for the higher string are placed higher]

SECTION 1
....... (Higher)0.0.1.1.0. (Lower)0.0.



SECTION 2
(Lower)3.3.2.2.1.1.0...



SECTION 3
(Lower)4.4.3.3.2.2.1...



SECTION 3
(Lower)4.4.3.3.2.2.1...



SECTION 1
.........(Higher)0.0.1.1.0...(Lower)0.0.



SECTION 2
(Lower)3.3.2.2.1.1.0...

WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-23): MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010

GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2,3,6

COMPOSER: BACH DOUBLE VIOLIN CONCERTO (CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY)
1. Reviewed what a "double concerto" was: soloists playing a duet with an accompaniment of an orchestra with the music 
    divided into 3 movements.
2. Discussed that Bach's music has a lot of notes and that he had to write all these notes down using a quill pen and ink that 
     you dipped the pen into.
.....a. All the music for the orchestra parts had to be copied by hand (no electronics back then) and since there was no electric 
         lights this was all done by candle light.
.....b. Bach work all day and at night he and his wife would copy most of the music by hand.
.....c. At the end of Bach's life he was going blind partly due in part to the years of stress he put on his eyes writing up all this 
         music by candle light.
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER NOTE READING BY LETTERS
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Sergei Prokofiev
.....a. A Russian composer from the 20th Century
.....b. His most famous composition was "Peter and the Wolf." 

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpoizq-jjxs

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFSrmhNHz84&feature=related

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShA-ew26eL4&feature=related

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 4

.....c. We discussed the topic of dissonance in music and likened it to food.

..........1)First we defined the term dissonance: discord or lack of agreement; conflict or incompatibility

..........2)Certain foods have flavors that are pleasant but they don't always blend well together (ie: peppermint and orange 
              juice may be pleasant separately but don't mix well together) Sounds can act the same way; ones that don't blend 
              well together produce a strident, harsh, often irritating sound call dissonance.

..........3)Sounds that blend well together create a pleasant, comfortable, and/or happy-type sound; the term used for this in 
              music is called "consonance."

2. SOLFEGE: DO-RE-MI

.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to...
       teacher: "Did you finish your quote/" Student reply, "Yes I did."
3. WARM-UP

.....a. We worked our way down the recorder starting to use the fingers of the right hand.
.....b. We reviewed the musical alphabet backwards and how it related to recorder fingering

4. WHACKY NUTCRACKER DO-RE-MI piece

.....a. Using the musical alphabet forward (up) and backwards (down) I showed students how to locate the note names on the 
         staff (lines and spaces) using step-wise motion
.....b. Understanding this concept, by knowing where the name of one note is located you will know how to name all the others 
          as well.
.....c. The symbol which indicates that one note that helps you identify all the others is called the "clef" (the symbol used for 
         the soprano recorder in music notation is called the "treble" clef or "G" clef because the symbol (found at the 
         beginning of the music) looks like a fancy "G" and the circular portion of the "G" goes around line 2 of the staff  
         (which is the "G" note in the "treble" clef). 

.....d. We exchanged finger numbers for letters and also reviewed many of the directions (measures rest, beats per measure, 
          staccato, etc.)

5. OLD MACDONALD (periods 2 and 3) DO-RE-MI piece

.....a. Reviewed letter names and what the fingerings were
.....b. Looked at the use of quarter notes (tah) and eighth note in pairs (ti-ti) symbols found in this piece

6. TURKEY TROT DO-RE-MI piece
.....a. Echanged numbers to letters

.....b. Used more complicated combinations of quarter and eighth notes

.....c. The song contained single eighth notes with flags and eighth notes in pairs (their flags being "beamed" together)

..........1)Eighth notes with flags are the same as eighth notes with beams; whenever you have 2 or more single (flagged)eighth 
             notes next to each other those flags can be tied together or "beamed" to make reading the notes easier on the eyes

..........2)Eighth note rests are valued the same as an eighth note except they are silent notes. The symbol for one looks sort-of 
             like a fancy "7"

BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:

OBJECTIVE: Bowing on Open Strings/DO-RE-MI Fingering
1. TUNE 
2. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string UH
3. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string 8x UH
4. CYCLE OF STRINGS 2x each string to rhythm: "My sis-ter Marc-y" (slow-fast-fast-slow-slow) using same amount of bow 
     for each syllable but bow speed changes UH
5. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string lifted, short down bows MB for articulation practice 
6. Reviewed "Little Bitty"
.....a. Reviewed that there are many LIFTED DOWN bows in this piece; bows to be lifted where indicated (during the
       quarter rests). We practiced silent lifted bows in the air first.
.....b. Reminded them of the term RITARDANDO (Italian meaning to retard or slow down "RIT." for short) written into the 
         music and defined the Italian directions "a tempo" (the original speed), "fermata" (holding the note as long as the 
         conductor wishes; symbol looks sort-of like a bird's eye),

          and a "double bar" (a symbol with a thick and thin line indicating the end of a piece of music).

......c. We played through the entire piece.
7. FINGERING DO-RE-MI
..........a. We put away our bows and learned how to put left fingers down at their pads in the RE (1st finger)-MI (2nd finger) 
               positions (DO is an open string) with the left thumb opposite the 1st finger.
..........b. Using the guitar position (for practice purposes only) students started to practice plucking the strings using the right 
              thumb over the fingerboard while they fingered the DO, RE, MI notes using the left fingers.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW

ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: 

OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE
2. DE COLORES 
.....a. Reviewed harmony parts with cellos, guitar, and piano by having everyone (including violins) play the 
     harmony part.
.....b. Started the process of connecting the parts together. by having a few violins start the melody part (later to add a few 
         more students until all violins are playing the melody).

3. HOE DOWN

.....a. Review trying to keep bass line harmony parts connected rhythmically with the melody
.....b. Violins practiced to try to keep the fast section from rushing, so all the violins are moving at the same speed

QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE OF ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL POSTPONED UNTIL I RE-ANNOUNCE IT

DE COLORES MUSIC

VIOLIN I

VIOLIN II

CELLO

VIOLA

HARVEST FESTIVAL CONCERT: PERIOD 4 ADV. VIOLIN CLASS

THE HARVEST FESTIVAL CONCERT IS OCTOBER 28TH. HERE IS THE MUSIC SELECTED SO FAR:

HOEDOWN

ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL

Depending on time we might try this:

CRIPPLE CREEK

HOEDOWN MUSIC

BLACKBERRY BLOSSOM MUSIC WORKSHEETS

RECORDER SONGS PLAYED ON THE KEYBOARD

PIANO: HOW DOES A PIANO WORK?

LOOK AT THIS VIDEO

TO FIND OUT HOW THE PIANO WORKS!

ALSO:

http://www.ehow.com/video_4993290_piano-work.html

WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-22): FRIDAY; OCTOBER 1, 2010

GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2,3,6
COMPOSER: BACH DOUBLE VIOLIN CONCERTO 

Menuhin and Oistrakh Violinists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmmpjziKcFU

OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL "OLIVER"
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: GIAN CARLO MENOTTI
.....a. A composer from the 20th Century who was famous for writing modern operas.
.....b. One of his most famous operas was called "Amahl and the Night Visitors" about the Christmas story of the 3 kings 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrJG0jsm_9c&feature=related

.....c. He recently passed away; he was in his nineties
2. SOLFEGE: DO-RE-MI
.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to...
teacher: "Did you finish your quote/" Student reply, "Yes I did."
3. MUSICAL OLIVER: OVERVIEW(see detailed information on this BLOG)
.....a. Musical written by Lionel Bart
.....b. Story based on novel by 19th Century English author: Charles Dickens called "OLIVER TWIST"
.....c. We discussed living conditions in England during the time period the story took place
..........1)Poor versus rich and educated versus non educated
..........2)Laws that did not protect children's rights (including working conditions for children: workhouses, orphanages, the 
             selling of children for slave labor)
..........3)Social attitudes and morals; how they differ from today
..........4)Lack of sanitary living conditions and poor medical care (especially for the poor)
..........5)Communication devices and the speed of the transfer of information
..........6)The importance of this novel; how a piece of literature can change a society
.....d. Discussed the term overture
..........1)orchestra playing an introduction made up of short, instrumental and musically connected excerpts or passages from 
             the melodies that will be heard later.
.....e. We watched the beginning of the musical (we heard the first 3 songs)
...........1)GRUEL: a term heard in the film...I explained what it was; please see section in this BLOG about this and there is 
              also a recipe if someone would like to try making it.
DUE TO THUNDER STORM AND RESULTANT TIME CHANGES IN PERIOD 3 I WILL NOT REQUIRE THE WRITTEN QUOTE ON FRIDAY TO BE DONE. ANYONE WHO DID IT WILL RECEIVE EXTRA CREDIT. SO, THIS WEEK THERE ARE 3 REQUIRED QUOTES COUNTED TOWARD THE GRADE.

BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:
OBJECTIVE: Bowing on Open Strings
1. TUNE
2. SILENT BOW ROCKING for arm levels at the MB (middle bow)
3. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string UH
4. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string 8x UH
5. CYCLE OF STRINGS 2x each string to rhythm: "My sis-ter Marc-y" (slow-fast-fast-slow-slow) using same amount of bow for each syllable but bow speed changes UH
3. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string lifted, short down bows MB then at UH (tip) for articulation practice
4. "OPEN STRING WALTZ" open string note reading piece in 3/4 time
.....a. Explained about half notes (2 beats) and dotted half notes (3 beats) by relating them to money
..........1)half note=half dollar, 50 cents, or 2 quarters
..........2)dotted half note=half dollar and a quarter, 75 cents, or 3 quarters)
..........3)RULE OF THE "DOT": a dot placed next to the right side of a note adds half the value on to that note; so if a half 
             note is worth 2 beats, the dot added to it will be worth 1 beat, so a dotted half note is worth 3 beats
....b. Reviewed note names and sang them with the recorded music
....c. Played song on violin while singing notes out loud (bowing at UH)
....d. Learned a new bow technique called "tremolo" and played it on the last note of the song.
5. "BLAST OFF" review song and tremolo technique from yesterday
.....a. Reviewed that at the repeat students need to "LIFT" the bow and restart the repeated section "DOWN" bow
5. Reviewed "Little Bitty"
.....a. Reviewed that there are many LIFTED DOWN bows in this piece; bows to be lifted where indicated (during the quarter 
         rests)
.....b. Reminded them of the term RITARDANDO (Italian meaning to retard or slow down "RIT." for short) written into the 
         music

ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: 
OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE
2. MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT IS TONIGHT: I passed back the permission slips given me and students need to take them with them to the high school in order to go on the bus
3. DE COLORES
.....a. Started working on melody parts with the violins
..........1)We sight read through the part
..........2)We circled passages that were similar and chose certain passages to practice on first
..........3)The passages we worked on were played while the recorded accompaniment was on but the parts we had not worked 
              on yet were left out and just watched. This is a practice technique which teaches continuity (being able to play the 
              parts you know and not letting the parts you don't know throw your focus off).
.....b. Reviewed harmony parts with cellos, guitar, and piano
.....c. Started the process of connecting the parts together.
QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE OF ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL POSTPONED UNTIL I RE-ANNOUNCE IT