Orchestra

Handbook
Lake Elkhorn Middle School
2017-2018

Martin Vandenberge, principal
Jen Retterer, director
September, 2017

Dear Parent/Guardian/Student,

We are all about to embark on a fantastic musical journey into the 2017-2018
school year. I am thrilled to be a part of Lake Elkhorn Middle School and am
incredibly excited to work with my orchestra students and families this year as
we take this journey together.

Participating in the music program at LEMS requires a commitment to

excellence from everyone involved this includes the director, the students and
the families. Together, we will continue to have a strong music department that
our community can be proud of.

There are a lot of details to attend to in the first several weeks of school in
order to start the year off right. Please make sure your family is familiar with all
of the contents of this handbook. It is important to understand the expectations
of the program, as well as the materials needed for success. If you have any
questions about my expectations, please do not hesitate to contact me by email
or by calling the school. I also always welcome you to come see me in person
before or after school with any questions.

Please sign and return the last page of this handbook by Friday, September 8th.
Be aware that completion of this task is the first graded assignment for
Orchestra class!

I am looking forward to a great school year! Musically,

Mrs. Retterer
410-313-7600
jennifer_retterer@hcpss.org

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Calendar of Events_________________________________
Below are the major events of the school year. There are more events that students
will be required to perform at throughout the year which will be posted to the
calendar on the orchestra website as their those are determined. Please check the
calendar at mrsrettererstrings.weebly.com to stay up to date with the most current
version of the calendar.
Back to Music Night Thursday, October 5th, 2017
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String-a-palooza! (at Oakland Mills HS) November 14 2017 (More info to come
soon!)
Winter Concerts (at Oakland Mills HS) December 5th for Concert and 6th for
Symphonic at 7:00 pm (students must arrive at 6:30 pm).
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Middle School Orchestra Assessments March 6 for Symphonic, 7th for Concert.
Between 2:00pm and 9:00 pm (time to be determined).
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Music in the Parks (at Hershey Park) May 25 2017 time to be determined. This
will be an all-day trip.

Spring Concert (at Oakland Mills HS) May 15th for Concert and 16th for
Symphonic at 7:00 pm (students must arrive at 6:30 pm).

Course Objectives _________________________________
Students will:
Be present and on time for every class, remembering to bring all required
materials (instrument, pencil). If an instrument is in the shop for repair, the
student must bring a note from home in order for his or her grade to not be
affected.
Practice regularly (see section on practicing).
Take proper care for the instrument.
Produce a tone characteristic of the instrument.
Read and interpret musical symbols.
Practice proper hand and body positions as well as correct fingerings.
Perform with others as part of an ensemble.

Classroom Expectations____________________________
The following expectations are part of the daily classroom routine. Students should
be very familiar with this routine by the end of the first week of school.Students
will:
Arrive to class and unpack in an orderly fashion and find their assigned seats
before Mrs. Retterer steps on to the podium, about two minutes after the
class start time.
Always come prepared to their seats with their instruments and accessories
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 (pencil, music folder and agenda book) in working order.
Look to the board or projector screen to see the daily agenda and reminders. Take
out all of the music that will be rehearsed that day in the order listed.
NOT play until the start of tuning.
Be quiet and focused on teacher instruction while Mrs. Retterer is on the podium.
Participate in all musical instructions, making improvements and adjustments to
performance in response to Mrs. Retterers constructive feedback.
Demonstrate regular improvements on posture, tone production, intonation,
rhythm, phrasing and all other musical elements.

Performance Expectations and Etiquette_______
Throughout the year, the bands will perform many concerts. Please refer to the
calendar portion of this handbook and mrsrettererstrings.weebly.com to stay up to
date on the performance requirements of the class. During concerts, students are
expected to follow certain procedures. These include:
Arriving at 6:30 sharp in concert dress, with instrument fully assembled, ready to
rehearse in the orchestra room.
Wearing concert dress: LEMS Performance Polo Shirt (order form attached),
completely black dress pants (no jeans), completely black socks, completely black
dress shoes (no sneakers).
Remaining quiet and respectful towards all other performers.
Transitioning through the building, to and from the stage in a quiet and orderly
fashion.
Performing music to the best ability while watching the director, sitting with
superior posture, and sitting on stage professionally, in order to represent LEMS in
the best way possible.

Sectionals________________________________________
Every student will see Mrs. Retterer one additional time a week with the members
of their sections. For example, a member of the Symphonic Orchestra who plays the
viola would be pulled out of another class once a week to meet with Mrs. Retterer
and all other Symphonic Orchestra Violas. Mrs. Retterer uses the sectionals to
reinforce concepts learned in the classroom but also skills unique to the section.
Mrs. Retterer will also sometimes give playing assessments during sectionals. It is
for these reasons that it is necessary that all students attend every one.

The sectional schedule will be designed so that a student is missing a different class
every week, meaning that every student will miss each class once and no more than
twice per quarter. Mrs. Retterer collaborates with the other classroom teachers at
LEMS to ensure that individual student needs are accommodated. Responsibility on
the part of the student works both ways with sectionals. Students are held
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accountable for all work they miss from the classes they are pulled out from.
Likewise, if a sectional is missed, Mrs. Retterer will hold students accountable for
knowing what was missed and preparing the necessary music.

Practicing ________________________________________
All students are required to practice every day. In order to assess a students home
practice, a short assessment will be given on a Weekly Practice Task at every
sectional. This will count as an assessment grade. Daily practice, even if only for ten
minutes a day, is essential to growth in orchestra class. A lack of home practice will
not be taken lightly and will have a profound effect on student success both in class
and during performances.

For Parents:
1. Encourage regular practice. Practicing is another part of the work your child
has to do at home. Try to establish a regular time and place for your child to practice
every day without interruption. It is better to have your child practice a short period
every day, rather than for a long time the night before a lesson. Do not be too
concerned if you find yourself having to remind your child to practice. Children, like
adults, have other interests that can take priority for them. In these cases, kids just
need some gentle reminders. Give compliments freely, and reward with praise often
when your child is practicing.
2. Help motivate your child by directing his or her attention to musical programs
on the radio and television. Attend local concerts of bands and orchestras. If you
would like some suggestions on exposing your kids to local music and music in the
media, feel free to ask me!
4. Please dont allow your child to quit because Its too hard! There will be
times in your childs musical career where the going gets tough. Just like anything
worth striving for, the road can be difficult. Often, at times like these, a childs first
reaction is to want to quit. This is when your insistence that your child continue may
make a HUGE difference! Playing an instrument is never easy in the early years, but
once you get the hang of it, it can be extremely rewarding.
5. Never use practice as a punishment. Practice should be treated as a positive
experience.

Playing Assessments_______________________________
Howard County students have access to the helpful online features included in
Canvas. Throughout the year, Mrs. Retterer will assign Playing Assessments through
Canvas. Students will need to record video of themselves playing assignments and
upload those videos to Canvas for Mrs. Retterer to grade. If internet or video
capability is unavailable at home, the student must arrange a different method of
assessment with Mrs. Retterer.

Grading_________________________________________
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 Grading for Orchestra classes is broken down as follows:
Assessments 50% : Playing tests and written tests given during sectionals.
Performances should also be considered as exams that cannot be made-up.
An unexcused absence from a scheduled performance will effect this portion
of the students grade.
Classwork 40% : Rehearsal etiquette and attendance will be factored into
the classwork portion of the grade. Students receive 5 points a day toward a
weekly rehearsal grade of 25 points.
Homework 10% : Signed paperwork, theory worksheets.

Sheet Music ______________________________________
Students will receive copies of concert music for home practice. Students are not to
take home the school copies that remain in their folders. Home copies are to be
practiced nightly and should be disposed of at the end of the school year. If a student
home copy is lost, a new copy can be printed off of Canvas.

Instrument Storage Area__________________________
Each morning, students must bring instrument to the orchestra room and store
st
them in their designated areas before going to 1 period. Students may return to
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the orchestra room after 7 period each day to retrieve instruments before leaving
the building.

Private Lessons ___________________________________
Private lessons are not a requirement for participating in LEMS Orchestras, but they
are highly encouraged by Mrs. Retterer. One on one attention that a private teacher
gives a student is highly effective for improving skills. A list of local private
instructors can be found on www.mrsrettererstrings.weebly.com. You can also ask
Mrs. Retterer for a recommended private teacher at any time.

Required Supplies________________________________
Students will need to come to class prepared with the following supplies in addition
to instruments by the second week of the school year. ALL LEMS Orchestra
students need a 1 inch 3-ring binder!
Violin and Viola: Shoulder rest, rosin, soft cloth for wiping off rosin
Cello and Bass: Rock stop (chair strap is preferred), rosin, soft cloth for
wiping off rosin
Recommended (but not required) Accessories
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 Set of spare strings ask your music store for a full set of replacement strings.
Strings always tend to break at the most inopportune times, like right before a
concert. Be prepared!
Metronome A metronome is a highly effective tool for teaching children to play
correct rhythms while playing in time. Mrs. Retterer has also put a link to an online
metronome on the LEMS Orchestra website.
Tuner An electronic tuner can help students tune their own instruments at home.
This will help them train their ears to play in tune. Snark is a great brand!
Music Stand Stands are fairly inexpensive, and are very useful when your child is
practicing at home. They are adjustable in height and are collapsible for easy
storage.











Communication___________________________________
If you have questions about any aspect of Orchestra, please do not hesitate to
contact me.


Jen Retterer
Director of Orchestras Lake Elkhorn Middle School
410-313-7600
Jennifer_retterer@hcpss.org

For your convenience, important information (including this handbook), practice
tips and helpful music tools can be found at Mrs. Retterers website:
www.mrsrettererstrings.weebly.com

Follow us on Twitter! @LEMSmusic
Check out our YouTube channel: LEMS Music

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 September 8th, 2017













































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MUSIC PERFORMANCE POLO
Order Form

Please circle a shirt size (all sizes are ADULT):

S M L XL

Student Name:
_________________________________________
For cash or check orders:

____I have enclosed $10 for my childs polo shirt.

____I have added an additional $5 to help another student purchase

a shirt.

TOTAL: _______

****School administration is encouraging all parents to make

purchases ONLINE.

_____ I will order the polo shirt through Lake Elkhorns online
purchasing page (Please still mark your chosen size above).



*Please return this form no later than Friday, October 6, 2017 *
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