Division:  Middle School

Department: Fine and Performing Arts:  Orchestra

Course Title/Code:  Intermediate Strings                     ARTIS400

7^th and 8^th Grade, 5 days/week, year-long)

Course Description:  Students begin to achieve comprehensive musicianship by further developing skills in the individual and ensemble practice and performance of their instrument. Continued emphasis is placed on developing technical skills on their instruments as well as skills in listening, valuing, creating and studying the elements of music and musicians from a variety of historical periods and musical genres. String players rehearse separately from woodwind, brass, and percussion players. Performances may include pieces for Full Orchestra as well as for Wind Ensemble and String Orchestra.

Goals 

Students in MS string orchestra will continue to develop their interest in orchestral music and to learn arranged orchestral masterpieces from world famous composers throughout music history. Students will also learn the musical styles with playing skills at the  intermediate levels in a string orchestra setting.  

Skills  

• Develop students’ listening skills from the beginning level during the class, including major minor scales, intervals, harmony progressing, and pitch recognizing. 
• Reinforce playing skills using the solo or solo part to challenge students and give  individual instructions for music phrase, dynamics, tempo and counting on different rhythms.
• Improve the students’ awareness and playing abilities of the tone quality and pitch adjustment in the string orchestra with a widely variety music and styles.
• Expand on student knowledge of playing music in string group and develop the relationship between their individual parts, sections and whole orchestra.
• Learn communication with the conductor and section leader during the playing including fingering, bowing, phrasing, dynamic, counting and the tempo changing.
• Develop students’ sight-reading skills at the beginning of each new song and some arranged music.

Activities 

• Two evening concerts will be played on campus.
• One music festival or competition during the year.
• Watch and listen to the advanced or professional orchestra open rehearsal once a year.

Assessment 

• Graded playing test including the site-reading once every other week.
• One theory (writing or listening) test during the year.

Students will be expected to purchase the designated performance outfit and to provide, either through rental or purchase, a stringed instrument.   

Resources: printed, internet & intranet sites, computer programs