School Concert and Winter Break

We are having a school concert (during the day for students and staff) on Tuesday, December 21st in the morning. Please remember to take your instruments home after school that day. Symphony will not be performing.
Please remember to bring instruments home during break even if you will be traveling. Everyone who is in town should be practicing during break. Our concert in on Wednesday, January 26th at 7:00 p.m. This will come fast and we need to be prepared.

7/8 Orchestra Festival

On Thursday, November 18, the 7/8 grade orchestra will have rehearsal at Vernon Hills High School. We will leave in the morning by bus and return after lunch. The high school is providing pizza for the students after rehearsal. If any parents are available to help serve the kids, please email me and let me know. The concert is that evening at 7:30 in the auditorium at VHHS. A permission form for the morning rehearsal will be going home soon.

Congratulations!

The following students made the IMEA Festival Orchestra:

1st violin-Haesu Lee (8), Elissa Chah (8)

2nd violin-Emily Lee (7), Oliver Leung (6)

Cello-Kalina Yang (8), Stephen Chah (7)

They will play in a concert on November 6th at Wauconda High School.

Symphony Orchestra

We will try to do symphony instead of chamber again this year. Take a form and return it to Mrs. Greenwell. It starts on Tuesday, September 14th. Be there ready to play by 7 a.m. The weekly schedule for symphony will be on this site to the left.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school! Read the announcements on the left and get ready to play again! Handbooks and rental contracts (school instruments) will be going home. Auditions are next week (8/30-9/3). Times are posted in our room. You will receive a packet to practice. Be prepared! This is your first grade in orchestra. This schedule is very similar to what your lesson schedule will look like. If you're on facebook, join our group called Hawthorn Middle North Orchestra. Parents and students are welcome!

7/8 Orchestra!

I couldn't fit everyone into one picture.

7th Graders!

8th Graders!

The Justins and Eric finally took a picture!

Mentors!

Today some of the 8th grade 1st violinists shared a lesson with some of the 6th grade 1st violins and helped them with shifting. Here are some pictures:

Great Job and Summer is close!

The concert went very well. Now let's concentrate on the school concert and learning new skills. I've passed out new music and exercises so keep practicing.

You can still sign up for orchestra camp. Get a form from our room or email Mrs. Kocal (kocaln@hawthorn73.org) or myself if you have any questions. Incoming freshman are free but still have to turn in the form. Taking private lessons is also a great way to keep playing over the summer. Let me know if you need information. The Music Institute of Chicago has many locations and some great teachers. The link is on the left of this page.

Open House Concert

Our next concert will be on Thursday, May 13th. The tentative schedule is:

6:45-Choruses

7:15-Orchestras (6th, Symphony, 7/8)

8:00-Bands

Orchestra students in chorus should get tuned early and set their instruments in the back of the gym. Symphony winds will need to arrive at 7:00 and warm up. All string kids need to arrive by 6:30 to get tuned and warm up. We will go in the gym when chorus is finished performing. You are welcome to stay and hear the band but it's not mandatory. Orchestra students need to stay for the entire orchestra program then can leave. Please consider helping to clean up when the program is finished. PRACTICE A LOT! We don't have a lot of time left. Let's be awesome!

Symphony Cancelled Thursday, April 22nd

Due to the International Fair and Take Your Child to Work days, symphony rehearsal is cancelled.

Orchestra on Facebook

I started a facebook page for orchestra members (including symphony winds) and parents. You can post on it and comment but keep it appropriate. It is Hawthorn Middle North Orchestra group. Share ideas, links, and ask questions.

Congratulations 7/8 Orchestra!

On Friday night the 7/8 Orchestra performed at the IGSMA Organizational Contest in Northbrook and received a 1 rating.  We were one point away from a perfect score!  Great job everyone!

Organizational Contest

Organizational Contest for 7/8 orchestra in on Friday, March 12th.  The performance time is 8:40 p.m.  We will be meeting at Middle North to take a bus over to Wood Oaks Jr. High in Northbrook earlier that evening.  A form will be sent home soon with all the details.  Parents should plan on attending the performance and driving their student home afterwards.  There will be NO bus going back to Hawthorn.  I need a few volunteers to chaperone.  Please let me know if you are interested.  We love a big audience so invite as many people as you can. Let me know if you have any questions.

Concert Next Week!

The 6th grade, 7/8 grade, and symphony orchestras will perform on Tuesday, January 26th in the Middle North Gym.  Students should arrive no later than 6:15.  We will meet in the band room to tune and warm up.  All belongings (case, coat, etc.) should be kept in cubbies or tucked away in the back of the room.  Band students in symphony should arrive around 6:30 to warm up.  The concert begins at 7 p.m.