Schedule update!

This is a busy week for the Indiana Orchestras!  All rehearsals are focused on this Friday's concert:

Indiana Orchestras Rock!
It's All About that BASS!!!!

The concert will begin at 7:00 in the JH Auditorium.

Call times are as follows:

• Elementary Orchestra - report to the orchestra room (123) at 6:30.
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• JH Orchestra - Report to the stage at 5:55 OR SOONER for rehearsal with the basses at 6:00.
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• JH Symphonic Orchestra woodwinds, brass, and percussion - report to the band room at 5:45.  You will be seated in the auditorium until the JH Orchestra begins their part of the concert.
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• SH Orchestra - Report to the band room for tuning at 6:45.
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• ALL BASSES in JH and SH Orchestras are to report in front of the stage at 5:55 or sooner for the 6:00 rehearsal with JH Orchestra and community bassists!!!!

We have a lot of community members joining us on bass, but we could always use more.  If you know someone who would like to join us, please encourage him/her to come on out for the 6:00 rehearsal!

SH Orchestra will be performing the same rock selections in concert with the choral department of the Senior High School on Tuesday, February 9.  Please mark your calendars for this additional event.

Please watch the blog for a February meeting to begin planning for the PMEA District 2, 3, 5 Orchestra Festival, to be held at the JH from January 26 - 28, 2017.  It will take a year of planning for this event.  We have some hoops to jump through (i.e. clearances for ALL parent volunteers) that will take some time. However, we expect this event to be an exemplary festival that will serve as a model for other festivals!

Thanks to all for your continued support and encouragement of our orchestra program in the IASD!

More pictures from District Orchestra!

Success at PMEA District Orchestra!

We are home safe and sound from PMEA District 2, 3, 5 Orchestra in Meadville!  Our IHS students did an amazing job in the festival concert on Saturday afternoon!  Of the 8 students who participated, 7 are going on to Western Region Orchestra in State College next month.

Here are the results from the seating auditions:

Violin 1

• Jennifer Han, 2nd chair
• Joanna Li, 3rd chair
• Brandon Wu, 5th chair

Violin 2

• Gloria Lo, 2nd chair

Cello

• Scylla Humbert, 3rd chair
• Hamzah Wahi, 5th chair
• Amy Varner was awesome, but didn't place

Bass

• Jason Herrington, 1st bass (for the second year in a row!) 
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Attending a festival takes a monumental amount of work, both in rehearsals and in paperwork.  Please congratulate these students for their achievements and representation of the Indiana Area School District!

Next year we are hosting the PMEA District 2, 3, 5 Orchestra Festival at the Junior High School from January 26 - 28, with the concert at 11:00 AM on the 28th.  Please consider volunteering to assist with the planning and coordination of this huge event. 

January News!

We have a lot of activities going on in the Orchestra classroom this month!  Here are the updates:

The Chipotle fundraiser has been changed to Monday, February 15.  It's not written in stone yet, but that is our target date.

District Orchestra students are busy preparing for our trip to Meadville on Thursday.  Representing our school district are Jennifer Han, Joanna Li, Brandon Wu, Gloria Lo, Amy Varner, Scylla Humbert, Hamzah Wahi, and Jason Herrington.  We know it will be a great success for them!

The annual Indiana Orchestras Rock! concert will be held on Friday, January 29 at 7:00 PM in the JH Auditorium.  The theme of the concert is "It's All About That Bass!"  This year, instead of hiring a clinician, we're going to use all donations to purchase small (1/4 sized) basses for Horace Mann and Eisenhower.  As you will see in the concert, we have NO bass players in our elementary schools, since they don't have basses to learn on, practice on, or even see demonstrated.

One way that you can help us with our fundraising efforts is to purchase an advertisement in the program.  You can purchase a $5 student ad to encourage your string students or you can purchase an advertisement for your business.  Please email Mrs. Bev Mastalski at bpmastal@iup.edu for information on the business ads or the personal ads.

Finally, watch this blog for a new format.  We are switching to a blog format that uses a link system so that the blog easily comes to your email inbox.  More info on that is forthcoming!

Stay warm and have a wonderful winter season!