Music Major 101

If you have a senior high school student who is considering being a music major in college, please encourage him/her to attend this informational meeting on Monday, March 21 from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Vocal Music Room at the SH.  We have been publicizing this at school, but it would be good for parents to know about this event, as well.  It is important for students to prepare for college auditions, and to know what to expect as a music major, including piano proficiencies, music theory and ear training tests, and academic requirements.

Mr. Salser, Mr. Olear and Ms. Laird will be presenting information, as well as answering questions about music careers, music majors, and the music major lifestyle.

We've also encouraged the students to bring a snack to share for this informal informational meeting.

IUP String Day

IUP's String Day will be held on March 19. This is a great opportunity for our Senior High students to see what it would be like to be a college string major, or just to get some great coaching and play some new music!

The schedule has been changed slightly from the original paperwork that was sent home.  Here are the changes that you can make to your family's calendar:

8:50 AM  Registration

12:00 Pizza Lunch (provided)

5:00 IUP String Alumni Festival Concert

Scott Laird is the featured guest conductor, as well as IUP's Dr. Stanley Chepaitis.  

Participants are to wear black bottoms and a colorful top for the festival concert.  The day will feature rehearsals, a string pedagogy session for aspiring string teachers, a jazz workshop, and a chance to try out some handmade instruments by violin makers Robert Gordon and John Thorell.

I have PDFs of the music, so I can provide that to any of our IHS students who are participating.

Please let me know if your child is participating so that I get the edited application and the music to you!

Elementary Orchestra cancelled for Wednesday, March 2

Please help me get the word out!

Our beautiful new instruments!

The four 1/4-sized basses and two 13" violas that our community helped us purchase are here!  We took delivery yesterday from Mr. Gerry Branca of Branca's Fiddle Sticks in West Lebanon.  Mr. Branca is our local string repairman and a great friend to our program.  During the days, he is the string repairman for Johnstonbaugh's Music in Gibsonia.  When he is back in Indiana County, he is repairing instruments for our Indiana community.  Mr. Branca facilitated the purchase of these new instruments and set them up for our student use.

The basses and violas are here...

...and we're taking delivery tomorrow!!!!

Pictures to follow!!!

Success at Western Regional State Orchestra!

Congratulations to our outstanding string students who represented us this past weekend at Western Regional State Orchestra in State College!  Jennifer Han, Joanna Li, Brandon Wu, Gloria Lo, Scylla Humbert, Hamzah Wahi, and Jason Herrington performed an outstanding concert Saturday morning under the baton of Maestro Gerardo Edelstein of Penn State University.

Everyone performed brilliantly in the grueling audition process, and we now have 4 students going on to represent us in All-State Orchestra next month!  It has been many, many years since we had 4 string students represent our school district at states!!!!  Moving on to states are:

Violin 1
Brandon Wu, 4th Chair
Jennifer Han, 8th Chair
Joanna Li, 9th Chair
and

Violin 2
Gloria Lo, 2nd Chair

Gloria finds out that she's 2nd Chair, 2nd Violin!

With our PYSO friends!

Rehearsing with Dr. Edelstein

Joanna and Kerry

Jennifer

Brandon

Gloria

The PMEA Orchestra bunch!

Scylla

Rehearsal

Successful Fundraiser!!!! THANK YOU TO ALL!!!!!

Our fundraising efforts to purchase instruments for the elementary schools have been TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL!!!!

We have raised over $6000 in ONE MONTH!!!!

As of this date, 4 quarter-sized basses and bows have been ordered for our two intermediate elementary schools, and we were able to order two brand new 13 inch violas for each school, as well.

These instruments (and their new players!) will debut at the elementary orchestra concert on May 3!

THANK YOU to EVERYONE who helped to make this fundraiser a success!  We have given many students through the years an opportunity to learn to play an instrument and make beautiful music!!!!!