Mr. Doemel

Mabry Orchestra Communication Form

Please take a moment to complete the short form.  Click the link to access the form.  IMPORTANT!  Don't forget to click "Submit" before leaving the form.  Thanks

Mabry Orchestra Communication Form

What's Going On!

6th grade is working on the G string and 4th finger for violins and violas.  We are on pages 26 and 27.  We are currently doing a playing test on #98 in the book.  Our next playing test will be #102.  I have also passed outy some of the music we will do at String Jamboree.  You should be hearing that at home.

7th grade is currently doing a playing test on #87.   The key of A...3 sharps .. open position for cellos ..has been our focus.  We've also skipped ahead a bit to pages 26-29 to work the different arrangements of 16th notes.  We are also working on our music for festival (Large Group Performance Evaluation).  You should be hearing that at home.

8th grade is working on their  music for festival. 

I give assingments nearly every day.  Instruments should be going home every day and students should have a regular practice schedule. 

 

8th Grade FT to Barrage Performance

On Wednesday, January 18^th the Mabry 8^th grade orchestra will travel by county school bus to Kell HS to perform with the group Barrage.  Transportation is only provided to the concert.  Families must arrange transportation home after the concert.

Dinner will be provided by the Lassiter HS Orchestra Association at Kell, or you may bring your own dinner.   Concert dress will be our blue orchestra shirts, clean blue jeans and clean shoes.  We will play first on the second half of the program

If the students are to stay for the concert they need to purchase a ticket.  Tickets have been available for purchase through the Mabry Orchestra program.  If you already bought a ticket it will be held at a will-call table at Kell.  If you have not bought a ticket they will be available for purchase at the door also.

If you will use a school instrument please make arrangements to take it home after the concert and then back to Mabry on Wednesday morning. This will be an exciting event that the students will enjoy!

 

Summer Camp

If you are considering a summer music camp for your young musician, the UGA camp is offering an "early bird" registration discount.   Click here to go to that site.

8th Grade Spring Trip

The 2nd payment for the trip is due now.  Receipt envelopes are available in the orchestra room. 

Mabry Eighth Graders Perform With Barrage.

The group Barrage will perform at Kell High School January 18th.  The Mabry 8th Grade Orchestra will perform on stage with Barrage.   Click here to download a Barrage ticket order form.  Please return this order form and cash or a check made payable to LHSOA by Monday, January 16 to Mr. Doemel at Mabry.   Tickets will be held at will-call.  Click here to find out more about this unique musical group.

Winter Concert

Corrections to the letter that was sent home are in red.

Our first concert of the year will be Thursday, December 15^th at 7 p.m. in the Mabry Theater.  This concert will showcase the hard work we’ve done so far this year.

The 6^th grade will stay after school the day of the concert for a final run-through.  We will have a pizza dinner following the rehearsal.  Sixth graders must bring their concert clothes with them to school that morning!

IMPORTANT! In order to combine the two classes in 7th grade there will be an extra rehearsal.  The 7^th grade orchestra will rehearse from 7:45am until 8:50am on Tuesday, December 13^th.   Please enter the building from the bus parking lot and use the cafeteria hall doors.  This is an important rehearsal that cannot be made-up as it is the only time to combine the classes that will be performing together in concert.

The evening of the concert the 7th and 8th grade orchestras should arrive at school no later than 6:30pm to tune and prepare for their performance. The 7th grade orchestra will meet in the orchestra room and the 8th grade orchestra will meet in the chorus room. 

Cello and bass players may need to bring their own instruments.  Please bring them on Tuesday morning the week of the concert.

Concert dress for 7^th and 8^th grade is our blue orchestra shirt and blue jeans without holes.  For 6^th graders it is solid black pants/slacks or LONG skirt and solid white top.  Sport shoes are not appropriate attire.  Students not dressed appropriately will not be allowed to take the stage. 

We will need parent chaperones/helpers for the 6^th grade pizza dinner at 5:30, and at 6:20 in the band, orchestra and chorus rooms, and also to sit with and actively monitor the groups seated in the theater before and after they have performed.   If you have any questions please email at Chris.Doemel@Cobbk12.org

 

Practice Records

Individual practice at home is required and expected in order to progress as a musician.  Practice records are our 'homework grade' in orchestra.  Each week is a separate grade.  Practice records are to be turned in at the middle and end of each grading period.  Practice records make up 10% of a student's final grade in orchestra.  100 minutes of practice time is required to receive the full 10%.  Think of minutes as points.  If you practice 95 minutes one week, your grade for that week is a 95.  If you only practice 70 minutes the following week, your grade for that week is a 70.  Blank practice records can be found in the orchestra room and at a post on this blog dated September 21. 

Hello Mabry Orchestra Students and Families,

Thank you for a great beginning to the year!  Here’re a few things we’ve accomplished so far.  We began with a great new recruiting class of 90 enthusiastic 6^th graders.  2 Mabry orchestra students, Alissa Ji and Madeline Schroeder,  auditioned and were passed on to the final round of the All-State Orchestra auditions.  Congratulations!   We had a very successful fundraiser.  Thanks to all who supported that!  Many of us also enjoyed an evening together at Six Flags.   Thank you to the parents who have helped as chaperones or who worked on the fundraiser.  I’m just one guy…without your help, most of this stuff doesn’t happen! 

 As well, all three grades are making great progress on the new skills they have been presented and which we have been working in class.  I trust that you are hearing that progress at home.  Daily assignments are given and students must be practicing at home to make the expected progress. 

Ahead we have a trip to hear the Atlanta Symphony and our first concert of the year on Thursday, December 15^th.     As soon as I get back we will get the Mabry Symphony up and running.  

Thank you for all of your help and support over the first part of this year.  Lot’s of great stuff ahead!!  

 

Six Flags..an Adventure!

 Wow!!  What can I say!  As miserable as it was, all of the kids I saw were having a great time!  So next year let's pray for rain?!??  No, no..I think not!     It was midway through Sunday before I felt warm again.  

The lines were short!!  One young man told me he rode twice as many rides as he did on a weekday in July. 

Thank you to the chaperones who attended to student needs, real or imagined!!  In particular, making it by the ghoulies and goblins!   I love the ghoulies and goblins!!!   

Hey, I've got an idea..let's do this again next year!!!  

BowingFun.com - String Crossing Exercises for the iPhone, iPad and iTouch

ok...for 2 bucks, this is really cool. Clean, precise string crossings are often our biggest challenge. This looks like a fun way to conquer that.

Bowing Fun generates random string crossing exercises for violin, viola, cello and double bass to develop sight-reading skills and agility. Exercises are printable and can be individually programmed for any level of difficulty. Included is a custom option for use in developing finger strength and pick speed on guitar and other string instruments.

via bowingfun.com