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March 30, 2006

Here is a check list for good left hand, right hand position and posture on your instrument. Click here, then choose your instrument. Print the list out and refer to it as you practice.

Posted by Doemel at 04:58 PM

March 28, 2006

Please check the Mabry Orchestra Calendar for Spring Concert and practice record dates.

Posted by Doemel at 05:54 PM

Congratulations to the Mabry Eighth Grade Orchestra. Their performance at the Cobb Orchestra Directors Association Performance Evaluation was awesome. This most important performance of their MS orchestra "career" couldn't have gone better. You received "Superior" (I's) from all judges including sight reading. Of the 28 sub-categories you received I's in 25. I got great comments from all the judges. Here are a few:

"The best intonation I've ever heard in a middle school orchestra!"
"You guys are awesome!"
"Great tone quality. Warm, rich, vibrant"
"Awesome phrasing in Fantasia"
"Great music being made"
"More vibrato from Violins and Viola's"
"EXAGGERATE your dynamics"
"Good job on attention to details in bowing, rhythms, intonation. Take expression, vibrato, and dynamics to that same level. "

Thanks Eighth Graders for three years of hard work. I'm proud of you. Now go do the same thing in the LHS Orchestra!

Posted by Doemel at 05:29 PM

March 15, 2006

Click here to view, print and return the permission form by Monday, March 20th.

Parents, you must arrange transportation home for your student following the concert.

The Mabry Sixth Grade Orchestra will participate in the Cobb County String Jamboree on Tuesday, March 21st at Wheeler High School. Sixth grade students from Mabry, Dickerson, Dodgen, East Cobb, Hightower Trail, and Simpson Middle Schools will combine for this fun and exciting performance.

After school that day, students will have a pizza dinner at Mabry then travel by school bus to Wheeler H.S. The rehearsal with all six schools combined will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. Parents should arrive by 6:45 for the 7:00 concert. In the past there has been a large crowd so arrive early for a good seat. The overflow parking is across the street at East Cobb MS. For this concert students will wear nice blue jeans (no holes) and a nice, solid white shirt (not an undershirt). Bring your cool shades for Happy Blues!!

Each Student will need to bring:
1. A folding stand, labeled with your name and school.
2. Your instrument, rock stop and bass stool if necessary (If your child will use a school instrument it must be returned to school by 9:00 on Wednesday, March 22nd).
3. Your music.

We also need several chaperones. Any parent that would be willing to help serve pizza and clean-up after the dinner and/or ride the bus to Wheeler with us, please indicate below. We also need help transporting the cellos and basses. We look forward to a great String Jamboree and hope you will be there.

Posted by Doemel at 10:32 PM

The author of the bill, Senator Joseph Carter has agreed to amend the bill so as to remove the requirement for prescribed amounts of physical education instruction for elementary and middle school students. As you know, this was the basis for our opposition to the bill since that would have the effect of drastically reducing the amount of instruction time available for music, especially in middle schools. This change satisfies our concerns about the bill. The House Education Committee was unanimously opposed to the bill in its original form. It must still be considered in its amended form by both houses and possibly by a joint committee of both house. If you receive information about the bill, please let me know.

I heard from many Mabry parents regarding this issue and I want to thank you for the support you gave to our position and our efforts to influence this legislation. I also want to thank you for the positive and professional manner in which you did this. According to GMEA Benny Ferguson the members of the legislature were appreciative of the manner as well as the magnitude of our efforts.

It is important now that each of us who asked for and received help and support from our elected representatives take the time to thank them for that support and for their support of music education in general. Please do this right away.

Posted by Doemel at 10:15 PM

March 13, 2006

The Mabry Orchestra will head to the Woodruff Arts Center tomorrrow at 9AM to hear a performance by the Atlanta Symphony Today in class we studied materials sent by the ASO Education Department. The theme of the program is "Music = Patterns". The materials were interesting and informative and we're looking forward to a great performance. Certainly the program chosen by ASO Conductor Lauara Jackson will be an exciting one. Works by Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, Holst, Borodin and Bizet make up the prorgam and help show how patterns influence rhythms, harmonies and form in music.

Before we head back to school we'll stop for lunch at the Colony Square food court.

Posted by Doemel at 10:46 PM

March 07, 2006

Congratulations to the Seventh Grade Orchestra. Their performance at the Cobb Orchestra Directors Association Performance Evaluation last night was awesome. Their hard work and conscientious preparation really paid off. I received enthusiastic comments from lots of people. Here are a few of the comments from the judges score forms:

”Nice rich tone, now add vibrato!
“This orchestra can become World Class”
“Great Job, Great Orchestra”
“Best tone quality heard so far”.
“Well prepared/Very musical”
“Great Full sound”
“Quite unusual for a 7th grade group”
“Articulations are the strongest point in your performance”
“Fantastic”

Thanks Seventh Graders for continuing the tradition of excellence we have established in the Mabry Orchestra!

Posted by Doemel at 11:21 AM