Fall Concert Recap
Our fall concert was spectacular! I am super proud of each of the Orchestra’s for they work they put in and the quality of the performances in a very short time. It is always a challenge starting a school year and putting together new ensembles, but I am very proud of everyone. Congratulations to each of you on a job well done, and I look forward to our continued pursuit for even more musical excellent this year.
Students are now able to access the audio recordings from the concert online for their formative self-assessment.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to our AHSOA board members for their service and dedication to the orchestra. In particular, I would like to thank our hospitality chairs, Esther Yoo and Sunhee Day, for the incredible pre-concert dinner. Feeding 200 people and amazing meal is a very difficult endeavor, and it was done exquisitely. Second, or fundraising chairs Jennifer Taylor and Chhavi Chhabra created a beautiful country café complete with flowers and treats for everyone to be able enjoy. We definitely could not have done this without each of our board member’s tremendous support!
Google Classroom Conversion
As Dr. Laux is always looking to improve the way he teaches and assesses students, Going forward he will be using Google Classroom (classroom.google.com) to distribute and collect quizzes, assignments, etc. It will allow students an easier way to see their submissions and any feedback. It will also make grading more formative and much faster.
KSU Orchestra Invitational
The Kennesaw State University Orchestra Invitational will be held on Friday, November 8, 2019. Philharmonia, Sinfonia, Symphony, and Chamber Orchestra are preparing programs to perform for this event. Our tentative itinerary is below:
Friday, November 8, 2019
- 9:00 AM – Leave AHS for Kennesaw State University
- 10:15 AM – Philharmonia warm-up
- 11:00 AM – Philharmonia performance
- 11:45 AM – Sinfonia warm-up
- 12:30 PM – Sinfonia performance
- 1:15 PM – Lunch at KSU dining facility, The Commons & Campus Tour
- 2:15 PM – Watch KSU Symphony Performance
- 3:30 PM – Symphony warm-up
- 4:15 PM – Symphony performance
- 5:15 PM – Leave KSU to AHS
- 6:30 PM – Arrive back at AHS
Students were handed a permission form last Thursday, and it is expected to be turned back in, signed by both parent and all teachers, by October 18.
In addition, we will be eating lunch on campus at the award-winning Ksu dining facility, The Commons. KSU has been recognized as one of the top culinary programs in the United States and I guarantee that everyone will absolutely love our lunch plans!
The cost of the lunch is $10. Included is a Las Vegas-style buffet with offerings for every appetite and dietary restriction. Students should pay the lunch fee via cash or check made payable to AHSOA and put in the Orchestra dropbox or it can be paid online at http://www.alpharettaorchestra.org/paypal. Please remit payment no later than October 18.
New Strings
Students: Are you playing on strings that are over a year old? Then it is time to change them! Old strings do not produce a good sound, and make it difficult to play correctly in tune. Dr. Luck’s can provide some recommendations for you based upon your instrument, experience, and budget. Please let him know if you need a recommendation.
Bow Quality
Did you know that a boat can make a tremendous difference in your sound? Sometimes a boat upgrade is all you need instead of upgrading the entire instrument. A nicer bow projects sound and facilitates certain techniques, like spiccato (bounce) bowing. Carbon fiber student bows start at around $75 and are a huge improvement over the inexpensive wood bows and fiberglass bows. Dr. Laux can help you with choosing a new bow that will fit your playing ability and budget.
Homecoming Court Nominations from our Orchestra!
Congrats to seniors Kamille Caldwell (Philharmonia violist) and Sarang Pujari (Chamber Orchestra violinist) who were nominated to the the AHS Homecoming court! Kamille was selected as this year’s homecoming queen and we are so proud of her!
Did you know that 3 of the last 4 years, the selected AHS Homecoming Queen was a member of the AHS Orchestra??
- 2016 – Alexis Forrest
- 2017 – Jenny Choi
- 2019 – Kamille Caldwell
I think this says so much about our students and how wonderful they are!