November 17, 2017 Students and Parents of the White Station Elementary Strings Class: Our Strings students’ progress continues. We completed pages 10 & 11, which complete the eight notes necessary to play the D major scale. Ask your child to play #31 & # 32 for you (they may even play it with their eyes closed!). They should also be reviewing #19, #36, and #43. We are also using the bow, rosin, and rag every day in class. Today was the first day to really put the bow on the strings, and sounded pretty good (for the first day!) From now on, they will need all of their supplies every day. We will have Strings on Tuesday, November 21 (before Thanksgiving break), and play some of the concert music with the bow. When we return from Thanksgiving, there is ONE class before the Strings and Chorus program (November 30 at 6:00 p.m.). After the program, we will continue to work on proper bowing techniques, and continue our progress using the method book. Our last class of the first semester will be Friday, December 15. If you’re looking for a Strings-related holiday gift for your student, a portable (sometimes called collapsible) music stand is a great idea. We use music stands in every class, and they promote correct playing position and good posture. All of the local music stores (and on the internet) carry them. Please note that I have modified the webpage for my Elementary Strings classes. The new website is www.Drpalmerstrings.weebly.com.
Sincerely,
Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
Students and Parents of the White Station Elementary Strings Class: January 15, 2018
Happy New Year! We have an exciting spring ahead, with several performances already scheduled.
December was a good month for WSE Strings. After the November 30 program (Thank you to all who played and attended!!!), we continued our progress through the book, including a lesson on Jingle Bells and playing with the bow while reading music (page 15 and 18-19). Last week, we started on page 20, learning about eighth notes.
We have an excitingprogram that is just a few weeks away. White Station Elementary is performing a Side-by-Side Concert with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, February 6, at 6:00 p.m at WSE. The Strings class will be participating on the program, too! We are playing on the piece Street Song. At our next class, I will introduce the piece to the students. You probably know that Mr. Murray and I are both musicians in the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, too, so this concert is very meaningful to us!
There will be a dress rehearsal at school on February 6 at 4:30 p.m. with the Memphis Symphony. Mr. Murray and I are working out a schedule to have at least one school-time rehearsal with the fifth grade Strings and the fourth grade mallet students, too. As we get closer to the concert, please be on the lookout for more updates and details.
Please make sure the annual Spartan Strings Festival is on your calendars, too. It is Monday, March 5, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., at White Station Middle School. The concert will feature the strings class and orchestra from all three White Station schools including a Grand Finale with ALL of the students performing together. More details about that concert will be coming in the February update.
Please note that I have modified the webpage for my Elementary Strings classes. The new website is www.Drpalmerstrings.weebly.com.
Sincerely,
Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
January Update Number Two! Change of Date:
The Side-by-Side Concert with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 6, has been moved to Thursday, April 19. There will be a 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. dress rehearsal, followed by a 5:30 p.m. performance.
This change means that our focus now turns to the Spartan Strings Festival, which is on Monday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m., at White Station Middle School. We will reprise Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. New pieces will include #70, Hot Cross Buns (which we worked on today), #71, Au Claire de la Lune, #80, Grandparent’s Day, #88, Frere Jacques, and a selection that will involve ALL of the orchestras in a grand finale. I’ll introduce the grand finale on Friday.
Hello, WSE Strings Parents- Due to the All-West Tennesee Honors Orchestra Clinic, there will be no Strings class at White Station on Friday, February 9. I will be chaperoning my White Station High orchestra students. This only affects our class on February 9.
Please have your child continue to practice Hot Cross Buns, At Pierrot's Door, and Frere Jacques from the Essential Elements book. They also have a copy of the Grand Finale, Rhumba for SSF, in sheet music form.
Thank you for your time and support of the WSE Strings program!
Dr. Palmer White Station Elementary Strings Instructor
February 16, 2018 Hello, WSE Strings Parents!
We continue to progress in Strings at WSE, despite the snow days and classroom flooding displacement! Below, please read about one schedule change and a lot of information about the Spartan Strings Festival on March 5. A reply is requested within that information. Thank you in advance!
1. There will be no Strings class on Tuesday, February 20, 2018.
2. The Seventeenth Annual Spartan Strings Festival is Monday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m., at White Station Middle School. This concert involves all six orchestras from White Station Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. Students should arrive at White Station Middle School by 6:00 p.m. for tuning, warm-up, and instructions. Since we are first on the concert, we will practice on stage for a few minutes before the concert starts. Concert attire will be school uniform shirt and dark pants or skirts. Please 1) reply to this email OR, 2) Print it, complete the information slip at the bottom of the page, and return it to me, no later than Tuesday, February 27, 2018. We will be playing the following pieces from Essential Elements. Please encourage your students to improve their performance skills by practicing these pieces at home!
#43, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star #57, Tribal Lament #70, Hot Cross Buns #78, At Pierrot’s Door #80, Grandparent’s Day #88, Frere Jacques The Grand Finale, Rhumba for SSF, will include ALL of the orchestras from the three White Station Schools. It is a separate piece of sheet music. Students should have it in their Essential Elements book. If you have any questions, please feel free to send a note or call the school and leave a message. You can always email me at [email protected]. I look forward to seeing you at the Spartan Strings Festival.
Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PLEASE EMAIL YOUR RESPONSE OR RETURN THIS SHEET BY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018 My child (Name) _______________________________________________ ______ will be performing in the Strings concert on March 5 at 6:30 p.m at White Station Middle School. I understand that he/she needs to arrive by 6:00 p.m.
______ will not be able to perform at White Station Middle on March 5.
Signed ____________________________________ Date___________________
White Station Elementary Strings March 19, 2018 Hello, WSE Strings Parents!
Welcome back from Spring Break! This also gives me an opportunity to thank everyone who participated in our Spartan Strings Festival on March 5. I was happy with how the elementary kids played, and glad that they got to play in the Grand Finale, too. The fourth quarter is always a busy one, so here are some highlights, schedule changes, and other information you need to know.
1. Our first class back from Spring Break is Tuesday, March 20.
2. There will be no Strings class on: Friday, March 23 (WSHS trip to Boston), Friday, March 30 (No school that day), and Friday, April 13 (All-State Orchestra).
3. We will be playing on the WSE/Memphis Symphony Orchestra Side-by-Side concert, which was rescheduled from February to April 19. The rehearsal is at 4:00 p.m., and the concert is from 5:30-6:30.
4. The annual Shelby County Schools ARTSFEST will be Saturday, May 11 at Colonial Middle School. A large elementary Strings ensemble is one of the featured groups, and I can nominate up to three students per school. Last year, the rehearsal was around noon with an early afternoon performance. I will be talking about this with the students in class. The deadline for nominations is March 29, so please check your calendars if you see a nomination form come home (or in an email).
5. We will be performing on the WSE fifth grade promotion in May.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send a note or call the school and leave a message. You can always email me at [email protected]
Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- PLEASE EMAIL YOUR RESPONSE OR RETURN THIS SHEET BY TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018
My child (Name) _______________________________________________
______ will be performing in the WSE/Memphis Symphony Side-by-Side Concert at 5:30 p.m on April 19 at White Station Elementary. I understand that he/she will be there for the 4:00 rehearsal, too. ______ will not be able to perform at White Station Elementary on April 19.
Signed ____________________________________ Date___________________
April 19, 2018 Hello, WSE Strings Parents! A few quick updates: 1. We are playing in the Memphis Symphony Concert this evening. Rehearsal at 3:50. I’ll see you at the 5:30 concert! 2. There will be no Strings class on Friday, April 20 (Tomorrow!!) and Tuesday, April 24. I am a Peer Reviewer for the Fine Arts Teacher Portfolio Assessments, and we have training and scoring on those days. 3. The annual Shelby County Schools ARTSFEST will be Saturday, May 11 at Colonial Middle School. Selected students should be practicing Twinkle (#41) Ode to Joy (#86), and French Folk Song (#106). 4. We will be performing on the WSE fifth grade promotion in May 24. If you have any questions, please feel free to send a note or call the school and leave a message. You can always email me at [email protected] Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
Hello, WSE Strings Parents! May 4, 2018
All of our students left their SCS instruments for the auditors to complete their inventory. Thank you! There will be no Strings class on Tuesday, May 8.
We will have class on Friday, May 11, before I go to the high school ArtsFest rehearsal. Students will be allowed to take their SCS instruments home after class. The annual Shelby County Schools ARTSFEST will be Saturday, May 12 at Colonial Middle School. Twinkle (#41) Ode to Joy (#86), and French Folk Song (#106) are on the program.
I have been surveying the students on their middle school destinations. Almost every school they listed has an orchestra, so they will be able to continue playing next year! If you have any questions about their middle school's orchestra, please feel free to ask. We will have class on May 11, 15, 18, and 22, as we prepare for our performance on the 5th grade honors program. Students will leave their SCS instruments in our room on May 22, and retrieve them for the program.
It's been a great year at White Station Elementary. The students have practiced at home, come prepared, and are always ready to learn something new. I have truly enjoyed teaching them, and hope they continue to grow and develop as musicians in the future. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected]
Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
To: Parents of the Riverwood Elementary Strings Students January 15, 2018 Happy New Year! Here are the highlights for the Riverwood Strings classes in January.
During our class on January 10, I noticed that quite a few students did not have their music book or pencils with them that day. Their materials were: “at home,” “in the classroom,” “I don’t know”, etc. It’s important that the students have ALL of their supplies with them at every class. Now that we are using rosin on the bow, they must also have their cleaning rag to wipe the rosin dust off of the strings and instrument.
We worked from the book on pages 14 & 15. We wrote the note names in the yellow box on page 14 (under the scale), practiced #40, Carolina Breeze, and started working on #43, A Mozart Melody (which is actually Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star). The students can teach themselves how to play Jingle Bells and Old MacDonald if they wish.
During our next class, we will finish page 15 (Key Signature of D Major) and work on playing with the bow on page 16. Please ask your student what “arco” means.
During the remainder of January, we will continue to refine the bow hold, bowing motions, and music reading skills. Page 18 is where all of the skills that have been introduced separately – Left Hand shape and placement; Right Hand shape and bowing motion; and music reading skills – all come together. This is the point where I no longer refer to the class as “Beginning Strings” but I see them as “First Year Players.”
Please note that I have modified the webpage for my Elementary Strings classes. The new website is www.Drpalmerstrings.weebly.com.
Sincerely,
Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
REMIND at “rmd.at/rwstring17” or text @rwstring17 to 81010 (or 901-881-9447).
www.drpalmerstrings.weebly.com
November 17, 2017 To: Parents of the Riverwood Elementary Strings Students
Our Strings students’ progress continues. We completed pages 10 & 11 on Wednesday, which complete the eight notes necessary to play the D major scale. Ask your child to play #31 & # 32 for you (they may even play it with their eyes closed!) There is no school on Wednesday, November 22, as it is the first day of Thanksgiving Break. When return from Thanksgiving, there are four Wednesdays before the semester break. My plan is to 1) introduce the bow hold on the bow, 2) teach the students how to loosen and tighten the bow hair, 3) rosin the bow (only when necessary!) and 4) play a couple of the tunes we already know with the bow, before the semester break. It is imperative that the students are in class and can participate with all of their supplies for us to reach this goal. If you’re looking for a Strings-related holiday gift for your student, a portable (sometimes called collapsable) music stand is a great idea. We use music stands in every class, and the promote correct playing position and good posture. All of the local music stores (and on the internet) carry them. Please note that I have modified the webpage for my Elementary Strings classes. The new website is www.Drpalmerstrings.weebly.com.
Sincerely,
Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
REMIND at “rmd.at/rwstring17” or text @rwstring17 to 81010 (or 901-881-9447).
www.drpalmerstring.weebly.com/elementary
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Riverwood Elementary Strings Hello, Riverwood Strings Parents! March 19, 2018
Welcome back from Spring Break! The fourth quarter is always a busy one, so here are some highlights, schedule changes, and other information you need to know.
1. Our first class back from Spring Break will be March 21. Please make sure your student has their instrument, book, and all of their supplies with them. Thank you!
2. There will be no Strings class on Wednesday, April 11 (All-State Orchestra).
3. We will be performing on the Arts Night at Riverwood on Thursday evening, May 10. When I know the exact time of the performance (and what time students need to be there for tuning and warm-up practice), I’ll let you know. Performance pieces will include Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Frere Jacques, Bile ‘em Cabbage Down, and French Folk.
4. The annual Shelby County Schools ARTSFEST will be Saturday, May 11 at Colonial Middle School. A large elementary Strings ensemble is one of the featured groups, and I can nominate up to three students per school. Last year, the rehearsal was around noon with an early afternoon performance. I will be talking about this with the students in class. The deadline for nominations is March 29, so please check your calendars if you see a nomination form come home (or in an email).
If you have any questions, please feel free to send a note or call the school and leave a message. You can always email me at [email protected]
Sincerely,
Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
Riverwood Strings Parents-
Ready or not, here comes the end!
YES! We WILL have Strings on Wednesday, May 2. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. Please be on time. We will also have class on Wednesday, May 9 and May 16.
We are performing as part of the Arts Night Celebration at Riverwood on May 10 Strings need to be at the school by 4:00 p.m. for tuning, warm-up, and last minute instructions. We are scheduled to perform at 4:30 p.m. We will be done by 5:00 p.m.
Students should be practicing the following pieces: #43, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; #70 Hot Cross Buns; #78 At Pierrot's Door (with #5); #88 Frere Jacques; #106 French Folk Song; and Bile 'em Cabbage Down (thev're written this one in their book). Our last class meeting will be Wednesday, May 16.
Thank you for your support of the program!
Dr. Palmer
November 17, 2017 Students and Parents of the Grahamwood Strings Class: Our Strings students’ progress continues. We completed pages 10 & 11, which complete the eight notes necessary to play the D major scale. Ask your child to play #31 & # 32 for you (they may even play it with their eyes closed!). They should also be reviewing #19, #36, and #43. We are also using the bow, rosin, and rag every day in class. They are making a really warm, full sound with their bows! From now on, they will need all of their supplies every day. We will have Strings on Monday, November 20 (before Thanksgiving break), and learn Jingle Bells (#41). When we return from Thanksgiving, there are three weeks before the Strings program (Dec. 18 at 9:00 a.m.). We will continue to work on proper bowing techniques, and apply the bow to some, if not all, of the concert music. I have note yet received the information slip from everyone. Please send it in as soon as possible. If you’re looking for a Strings-related holiday gift for your student, a portable (sometimes called collapsible) music stand is a great idea. We use music stands in every class, and they promote correct playing position and good posture. All of the local music stores (and on the internet) carry them. Please note that I have modified the webpage for my Elementary Strings classes. The new website is www.Drpalmerstrings.weebly.com.
Please Cut and Return this portion to Dr. Palmer by Thursday, December 7, 2017.
I am aware that my child (fill in name) ____________________________ will be performing on the holiday programs at Grahamwood Elementary on Monday, December 18, and will make sure that he/she has the instrument and all necessary supplies at school on that day.
Parent Signature __________________________ Date _________
February 1, 2018 Students and Parents of the Grahamwood Strings Class:
Hello, and a belated Happy New Year! Between the late start in January, one holiday, and a bunch of snow days, we still managed to have five class meetings during the month.
It was so good to see the Grahamwood students at the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concert on January 26. If you didn’t know, I performed on the concert, and visited with some of them after it was over. During our next class, we had a Q&A about the concert, and I shared copies of my music with them.
The students are now playing with the bow for the majority of the class (and should be at home, too). We’ve worked on the steps to take to learn a new piece of music (page 18), and introduced eighth notes (page 20) and half notes (page 22). Today, we played our first “Duet,” playing At Pierrot’s Door melody (#78) with the accompaniment (#5). Listen for Ode to Joy and Frere Jacques in the coming weeks.
We will not have class on Thursday, February 8. I will be at the Cannon Center with some of my high school students who are participating in the All-West Tennessee Regional Honors Orchestras. This only affects Thursday, February 8
Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
Our REMIND code is @gwstring17 Text it to 81010 to get REMIND updates!
www.DrPalmerStrings.weebly.com
Grahamwood Elementary Strings March 19, 2018 Hello, Grahamwood Strings Parents!
Welcome back from Spring Break! The fourth quarter is always a busy one, so here are some highlights, schedule changes, and other information you need to know.
1. Our first class back from Spring Break was this morning, March 19.
2. There will be no Strings class on: Thursday, March 22 (WSHS trip to Boston) and Thursday, April 12 (All-State Orchestra).
3. We will be performing two programs on Thursday, May 10. The programs will be at 9:00 for parents and 1:30 for Grahamwood students (and parents who can’t make the 9:00 performance). Pieces will include Ode to Joy, Frere Jacques, Bile ‘em Cabbage Down, Lightly Row, French Folk Song (started it today), and Rhumba (on sheet music).
4. The annual Shelby County Schools ARTSFEST will be Saturday, May 11 at Colonial Middle School. A large elementary Strings ensemble is one of the featured groups, and I can nominate up to three students per school. Last year, the rehearsal was around noon with an early afternoon performance. I will be talking about this with the students in class. The deadline for nominations is March 29, so please check your calendars if you see a nomination form come home (or in an email).
If you have any questions, please feel free to send a note or call the school and leave a message. You can always email me at [email protected]
Sincerely,
Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist
Hello, Grahamwood Strings Parents!
The end of the year is upon us! It has been a very successful year in Grahamwood Strings! I have been surveying the students on their middle school destinations. Almost every school they listed has an orchestra, so they will be able to continue playing next year! If you have any questions about their middle school's orchestra, please feel free to ask.
We will be performing two programs on Thursday, May 10.The programs will be at 9:00 a.m. for parents and 1:30 p.m. for Grahamwood students (and parents who can’t make the 9:00 performance).Pieces will include Ode to Joy, Frere Jacques, Bile ‘em Cabbage Down, Lightly Row, French Folk Song, and Rhumba (on sheet music).
We will have class on Monday, May 7, and Thursday, May 10. May 10 will also be our final class meeting of the year. After our 1:30 performance, students will leave the school instruments in the cafeteria for me to inventory and store for the summer.
The annual Shelby County Schools ARTSFEST will be Saturday, May 12 at Colonial Middle School. Students who need their SCS instrument for ARTSFEST will keep their instrument on May 10 and return it to Ms. Harris the following week
It's been a great year at Grahamwood. The students have practiced at home, come prepared, and are always ready to learn something new. I have truly enjoyed teaching them, and hope they continue to grow and develop as musicians in the future.