Newsletter #3 – 9/18/19

Fall Concert Reminder

Our Fall Concert is now less than a week away!  Please join us on Tuesday, September 24 at 6:30 PM in the AHS Auditorium.  We will be joined by our 8th grade orchestras from Hopewell MS and Webb Bridge MS. The concert is free and open to the public, so please invite friends and relatives.

Report time (for students not eating dinner) is 6:00 PM. The concert will proceed in the following order:

  1. 8th grade Orchestras
  2. Concert
  3. Philharmonia
  4. Sinfonia
  5. Chamber
  6. Symphony Strings

To receive a complete concert grade, students must:

  • Arrive at the required call time (6:00 PM)
  • Be in the full required uniform (see uniform information below)
  • Remain for the entire concert
  • Be a respectful audience member (Please, no talking and no phones out during performances)
  • Perform their best on stage
  • Stay after the concert to help clear the stage of all instruments and equipment
  • Sign out after all of the clean-up has been completed. (With everyone’s help it should take less than 10 minutes.)

After the concert we will listen to the concert recordings in class, discuss, and complete a formative self-evaluation form.

Uniforms

Please be sure your uniform is complete and ready to go for our concert!  Girls may need to have their dresses hemmed (or let out).  Boys should make sure they have a complete tuxedo — with cummerbund, bow tie, black long socks, and black dress shoes.  Please do not wear short socks, white socks, or sneakers (even if they are black).  We want to look as good as we will sound! 

RSVP for Pre-Concert Dinner

Our amazing AHSOA Hospitality has put together an incredible dinner menu for students before our Fall Concert. Students will begin eating around 5:15 PM.

Students wishing to eat MUST RSVP by the end of the school day this Friday, Sept. 29. Please RSVP using this link: https://bit.ly/32Lq073

Concert Cafe

The “Concert Cafe” is the name of our concession stand located in the box office area of the AHS Auditorium set up during concerts. Please consider helping us with the Concert Cafe — we need food and drink donations, and parent volunteers. 

Please sign up using this link. Please bring donations (or send with your child) to the AHS Box Office at 5:00 PM on the day of the concert.

We appreciate your donations, and volunteering is a great way to meet other orchestra parents!

AHSOA Fundraising Chairs
Chhavi Chhabra and Jennifer Taylor

Fingernails

We have been having some problems with long fingernails on both boys and girls.  Long fingernails hinder a player’s ability to accurately play in tune and with appropriate string technique. Students – please make sure your nails are trimmed so that you can play your best!

The graphic below will show correct hand positions and how long fingernails create problems.

long nails and string playing
Download the PDF of this document.

2019 Fulton County HS Honor Orchestra Event Information

AUDITION DATE:  Thursday, November 7, 2019

EVENT DATE:   November 18-19, 2019 

EVENT PLACE:  Centennial High School

EVENT SCHEDULE:   

  • Monday, November 18 (7:00pm-9:00pm)
  • Tuesday, November 19  (10:00am – 5:00pm), Concert at 7:00pm

Click below to view last year’s schedule:

GUEST ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR:  Dr. Soo Han

Auditions will consist of three parts:

1) Scales and Arpeggios

  • Violins: G Major and A Melodic Minor, three (3) octaves
  • Violas: C Major and D Melodic Minor, three (3) octaves
  • Cellos: C Major and D Melodic Minor, three (3) octaves
  • Bass: F Major and G Melodic Minor, two (2) octaves

2) Excerpts (coming soon)

  • Violin – TBA
  • Viola – TBA
  • Cello – TBA
  • String Bass – TBA

3) Sight Reading

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR AN AUDITION:

  1. To register with Dr. Laux for an audition, use this form.
  2. There is a non-refundable audition fee of $10 (check to AHSOA) or $10.50 (online payment).

Students must register with Dr. Laux and pay the audition fee by Wednesday, October 17.

Alpharetta High School Orchestra