Letter from Ms. Mary (10/12)

Hey Philharmonia West,

Thanks for your hard work and energy at our rehearsal.  Each week we are improving on our individual skills, as well as learning to listen to the different sections of the orchestra.  We get to work on so many skills each Monday, as well as make some great music.  Do you remember what the end of Raspberry Ramble sounded like when we all ended 100% together? It was awesome!

This week we focused on TIME SIGNATURES.  These are the numbers at the beginning of our pieces that inform us about tempo and rhythmic relationships.

Question of the week: Which of these is not a time signature-9/8, 7/2, 4/4, 2/4, 5/7, or 6/8?  In addition to answering the question, send me your favorite time signature to play in! Send those answers to mary@gtcys.org.

This week, we practiced by “chunking”- which is focusing on large chunks or sections of music, and then putting them together.  This week, I would like you to practice Prelude and Raspberry Ramble in chunks.  In both of these pieces, the sections are clearly marked by either letters or numbers.

Next week, we will work on more of the movements of Belvedere Suite, as well as continue our work on Raspberry Ramble.

Have a great week.  Work hard, play hard.