October Update

These first weeks of school have been great! I have loved getting to know the students. This month the 3rd and 4th graders are gearing up to play recorders and the 1st and 2nd graders will learn more about the instruments in an orchestra. The choirs are starting to prepare for the Veteran's Day Assembly while the band and orchestra are making strides as they learn new notes and practice their rhythms.

The most exciting thing happening this month by far is the clothing drive. I encourage all who can to participate. Prizes will go to the students who bring in at least 5 bags, but any bit helps.  I have had questions about how we will get the money from the clothing drive. The company will send us a semi-trailer next week which we will fill with the bags of clothes. They then haul away the trailer to weigh it and will give us $0.15 per pound. The clothes will then be sold or re-purposed. This is a trusted company and I know other music teachers who also go through them. Several local stores have donated prizes for those who bring in the most bags and the money we earn will go to music and instruments.

Please contact me if you have any other concerns or questions about the drive.

Thanks to those who have stopped by during Parent/Teacher Conferences! I don't have many opportunities to meet you face to face and I love the chance to get to know you a little bit. Here's to a great month and year!

The Beginning of a New School Year

Hello! I hope you enjoyed your summer as much as me. The new school year is upon us and as much as we'd like to keep having fun in the sun, it's time to dust off that violin and your vocal chords and get ready to make music!

Let me introduce myself a little since I am new to CGA. My name is Rebekah Ormsby. I graduated from BYU in music education, and my instrument of choice is the bassoon.

The start of the year will bring fun and challenges for the students. These first couple of weeks will be a time of getting to know the students and their skills. The beginning instrumentalists will be making some of the first sounds on their new instruments while the more experienced ones will focus on the fundamentals along with the beginners. We will be using two time-tested methods books--Accent on Achievement and String Explorer--to give them a foundation from which we will jump into great music. In choir we will concentrate on ear-training and vocal technique in order to help them feel comfortable with their voices. With time the music will flow through them without strain.

I am excited to get to know these young musicians. It will be a great year for all!

Also, if any parents would like to volunteer and/or help start a parent organization for the music program, please contact me, and let me know your skills in music, if any. We will need all the help we can get to help this program climb to new heights!
     Type of help needed: piano player for choir concerts, help with the clothing drive fundraiser and setting up for concerts, volunteer in the class


Additional information for grades 5-8: 

Instrumental rentals can be made at Summerhays in Orem. Link is on the left to their website.

Music classes start Tuesday the 18th of August. If possible, please have orchestra and band students bring their instruments to school this first week so we can get started! 7th and 8th graders will need them Tuesdays and Thursdays; 5th and 6th graders will need them Mondays and Wednesdays starting the 19th.

Here is the list of materials they should have in class:

Choir

·         Pencil

·         Spiral-bound notebook and pocket folder

Band

·         Pencil

·         Instrument (with reeds, swab, valve oil or slide oil as applicable)

·         Your music folder (will be provided)

·         Method book: Accent on Achievement

o   5^th/6^th book 1

o   7^th/8^th book 1 and 2 (if far enough, will purchase book 3 before end of year; I will let them know when to start bringing book 2 so they do not need it right away)

Orchestra

·         Pencil

·         Instrument (with bow, cleaning cloth, rosin, chin and shoulder rest as applicable)

·         Your music folder (will be provided)

·         Method book: String Explorer

o   5^th/6^th book 1

o   7^th/8^th book 1 and 2