CHANGE OF VENUE FOR THE SPARTAN STRINGS FESTIVAL!!
Hello, WSE Strings Parents! February 18, 2019 The Eighteenth Annual Spartan Strings Festival on Monday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m., will now be held in the White Station HIGH School Auditorium. The high school is located at 514 S. Perkins Road, just north of Poplar Avenue. The auditorium parking lot is between the auditorium and the Walgreens store. Students should arrive at White Station HIGH 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. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected], or send a message through REMIND. I look forward to seeing you at the Spartan Strings Festival at White Station HIGH School! Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist Students and Parents of the White Station Elementary Strings Class: Thank you to all the students for a really nice performance with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra last week in the Side-by-Side Concert. I also appreciate all of the parents who came to hear the concert. They displayed a great deal of musicianship while transitioning to and from the performance space, by staying at attention while at rest position, and by following Mr. Murray’s conducting while playing. We’re getting ready for the WSE holiday performances on Tuesday, December 18. We’re working on Rolling Along (#19), Dreidel (#36), Jingle Bells (#41) and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (#43) from our method book. Some of the songs will be played with the bow (arco) and some will be plucked (pizzicato). Concert dress is nice school uniform. I have one correction to make to the October email update. There are TWO performances on the 18th, and we are playing on BOTH of them. The school performance is at 8:30 a.m., and the evening performance is at 6:00 p.m. We will have our regular class meeting at 7:30 a.m. that day, before the program. The students will need to be back at WSE by 5:40 p.m. for tuning and warm-up for the evening concert. If you have any questions regarding this performance or anything else concerning the Strings program, please feel free to send a note with your child or email me at: [email protected]. Thank you for your time and your support of the strings program at White Station Elementary. Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist Students and Parents of the White Station Elementary Strings Class: Oct 23, 2018
Our Strings students’ progress continues. We have finished 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!). Today, we learned the parts of the bow, and the students’ home practice time should include finding the balance point. We will begin using the bow, rosin, and rag every day in the coming weeks. From now on, they will need all of their supplies in class every day. Here are a few important dates to mark in your calendar: - Tuesday, Nov. 20: No Strings Class - Tuesday, Nov. 27: Regular Strings Class Meeting. Rehearsal with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra at noon. PERFORMANCE with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra at 1:30 p.m. *Parents are invited to the performance* - Tuesday, Dec. 18: Last class of the sememster Holiday PERFORMANCE at school at 8:30 a.m. *Parents are invited to the performance* Please complete the information slip and return it to me as soon as you are able. After the semester break, we will resume our classes on Tuesday, January 8, 2019. If you have any questions regarding this performance or anything else concerning the Strings program, please feel free to send a note with your child or email me at: [email protected]. Thank you for your time and your support of the strings program at White Station Elementary. Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist Other Notes: 1. Now that the weather is cooling off, it is important to remember that changing temperatures affect the tuning of the instruments. Please do not leave your instrument outside for long periods of time, especially in the car overnight! 2. Our REMIND code is @wsstring18. Text it to 81010 to get REMIND updates! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Please Cut and Return this portion to Dr. Palmer by Friday, November 16, 2018. I am aware that my child (fill in name) ____________________________ will be performing on the programs at White Station Elementary on November 27 AND December 18, and will make sure that he/she has the instrument and all necessary supplies at school on that day. Parent Signature __________________________ Date _________ To: Parents of the White Station Elementary Strings Students
Shoulder Rest Day was this week. The students were taught several important concepts concerning proper use of the shoulder rest. They’re excited about this step in their progress. Here’s a quick checklist that you should have your student review with you. Have them teach YOU how to do these steps. 1. How to prepare to attach the shoulder rest- hold the instrument face down, on their left side, pegs behind them. 2. How to attach one shoulder rest “foot” on the “chin rest lower bout” first, then pivot the shoulder rest and slide the other “foot” until the shoulder rest securely on the lower bouts. 3. When holding the instrument with the pegs toward the sky, the shoulder rest should curve in a “frown.” 4. How to place the instrument on their shoulder and collar bone, and then place their chin in the chin rest. 5. How to play open string pizzicato with their first finger (“thumbs down” on the side of the fingerboard). 6. How to place the left hand in playing position for notes on the D string. 7. How to remove the shoulder rest (rubber bands can stay on, but the sponge and shoulder rest must be removed). 8. How to store and carry the shoulder rest. Unless there is a specific compartment for the shoulder rest, it must be carried with the book, and not crammed next to, or on top of, the instrument in the case. Have your student practice attaching and removing the shoulder rest. They should experiment with the placement, the height of the individual “feet,” and make sure that the set-up is comfortable while using correct posture. For the cellists and bassists in class, we appreciate your patience. At this time, ALL students are expected to have an instrument and their supplies for every class. When they leave materials at home (or in their classroom), they are not able to fully participate in the day’s lesson, and that makes it harder to practice and review at home, too. It’s a great group of enthusiastic students. I’m looking forward to a lot of progress and growth this year! Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist REMIND: “rmd.at/wsstring18” or text @wsstring18 to 81010 (or 901-881-9447). WEBSITE: www.drpalmerstrings.weebly.com/ Dear Parent/Guardian: White Station Elementary
August 21, 2018 Welcome! You and your child have expressed an interest in beginning instruction in the Strings Music Education Program. I hope that it will be an exciting experience for your child, both now and in the years to come. I ask that you agree and commit to participation for the entire school year. There will be challenges that are not automatically solved, times of frustration, and "bumps" in the road. However, these are only minor difficulties when compared to the excitement of the first performance, the sound of applause, and the satisfaction of a job well done. We all have responsibilities in helping your child succeed in this class. I accept the responsibility for classroom instruction which will guide the students in both playing the instrument and in reading music. The student's responsibilities include practicing at home and having all of their supplies in class. Your responsibilities include supporting your child in home practice, properly caring for the instrument, and attending your child's concerts and programs. We will meet on Tuesday and Friday mornings, with class beginning at 7:30 a.m. Please enter White Station through the before-care doors at the cafeteria. We will meet in room A124. During the first lesson, we will discuss instrument selection(s) and size(s), the loan procedure for school instruments, and the parts of the instrument. Instruments may be rented from several music stores in Memphis. The rental fees and agreements vary from store to store, and school policy prohibits me from any specific recommendations. These stores will also carry the instruction books and supplies. I strongly recommend that you do not purchase an instrument from a pawn shop, thrift store, or super store, or online sites that are not Strings merchants. The “bargain” instrument you may find will certainly contain inferior parts/strings/bows that will require attention and repairs. If it is necessary to use a school instrument, you must have all supplies for that instrument before one will be issued. If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me through the school office. My e-mail address is [email protected]. I use REMIND.com to send occasional updates and reminders (including last-minute class cancellations), and you can contact me through this service. If you have not yet done so, please enroll in REMIND at “rmd.at/wsstring18” or by texting @wsstring18 to 81010 or 901-881-9447. My website is www.Drpalmerstrings.weebly.com. I’m looking forward to an exciting year of music-making with our strings class. Sincerely, Dr. Palmer, Strings Specialist Do you want to learn how to play the
Violin? Viola? Cello? String Bass? Beginning Strings class instruction is offered at White Station Elementary school as part of the Shelby County Schools curriculum for fifth grade students. This class will prepare your child for the Strings and Orchestra classes which are offered at the middle and high school levels in many of the Shelby County Schools. When is it taught? Class will meet twice each week, on Tuesday and Friday mornings, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. Our first official class will be Tuesday morning, August 21st. What does it cost? There are no instruction fees or lesson payments. You will need to purchase–at a local music store–your own method book and supplies, which will cost about $25. Renting an instrument from one of the local music stores will cost $100-$150 for the year. The school has a limited number of instruments for loan, based on need. A student must have their supplies to be eligible for a school instrument. So how do I enroll? Complete the online application at: https://drpalmerstrings.weebly.com/ You can also scan the QR code at the bottom of the page, which will take you to the site. Registration should be completed by Friday, August 17. What happens next? Dr. Palmer will collect the applications online, and distribute acceptance letters no later than August 20th. During the first official class (August 21), he will make recommendations concerning the specific instrument for your child. This recommedation form will also include the size of the instrument, a list of necessary supplies, a list of local music stores, and other important information. I use REMIND.com to send occasional updates and reminders, and you can contact me through this service. Please enroll in REMIND at “rmd.at/wsstring18” or by texting @wsstring18 to 81010 or 901-881-9447. |
AuthorDr. Andrew Palmer teaches Fifth Grade Beginning Strings at four Elementary Schools, directs the Honors Orchestras at White Station High School, and travels throughout the school district as a Double Bass Specialist. Archives
November 2019
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