Elementary Strings Newsletter

Welcome back to a new year!

A couple of changes to the schedule coming up:

• Hosmer: Monday students will meet on Wednesday next week (1/18)
• All City Orchestra is back on Tuesdays at WMS (4:30 - 5:30) starting 1/17!

Looking Ahead: String Spectacular!

DATE CHANGE ** Tuesday, April 4, 2023 ** DATE CHANGE

The String Spectacular is our district-wide string concert, featuring all students from grades 4 - 12. It is currently scheduled (and will remain scheduled, barring anything crazy happening) for Tuesday, April 4th, 2023, beginning at 7:00 PM. This concert will be an hour or less.

We will likely have our dress rehearsal on Tuesday, April 4th, after school (more finite details to be communicated as we get closer!). I know some students will need help getting to WHS, and I can help coordinate some carpooling options.

Materials

• TSHIRTS: If you did not have a chance to purchase a Tshirt in the fall, we have a new order set up. This will close on February 1st. TSHIRT ORDER FORM. Please make note of your child's name and school when purchasing the shirt (there is a comment box at checkout).
  
  

• Students have been given one large pencil and a new binder specifically for orchesrta class. The binder is for all paper and materials related to their instrument playing. The goal is to use this binder for orchestra items for as long as possible. We do not have extras to give out, so if lost, students will need to get a new one on their own.

BOWS!

• We are working on our bow holds in 4th grade!
• Here is a Quiet Coyote Bow Hold video for students to reference
• Once students are prepared to play their instrument with their bow, they will receive their bow license : )
• Students will get their bow license in class soon, but you can see the tasks needed to completely sign off in the picture below

Click the links for concert performance videos:

• Cunniff
• Lowell
• Hosmer

Practice Club: Mr. Frontz

Mr. Frontz leads our morning "practice club," an opportunity to practice your instrument, learn new music, and receive some individual instruction. This is not mandatory, as it is not a replacement for your regular school day lesson; however, it is a great opportunity to get some more time playing your instrument at school. Students must sign up in order to participate in this free practice club.

Hosmer students should enter through the doors leading into the cafeteria from outside. The door faces Mt. Auburn street. Students at Lowell W and Cunniff can enter through the main doors of the building.

• Hosmer: Monday or Wednesday 7:45 - 8:15 AM in the caf (only the day of your lesson)
• Lowell: Tuesdays 7:45 - 8:15 AM in the music room (you can join even if your regular lesson is on Fridays)
• Cunniff: Thursdays 7:45 - 8:15 AM music practice room

All City Orchestra: Ms. Byham

All City Orchestra is an after-school group that meets on Tuesdays from 4:25 - 5:30. We meet in the Watertown Middle School auditorium. All students who are in 4th and 5th grade are welcome to join! There is no cost to be a part of this group. Sign up by clicking the button below!

Being near the city we have lots of amazing orchestras performing all of the time! These groups are made up of community members; all musicians, but not all musicians in a professional sense. It's always amazing to see the Boston Symphony, but our local groups showcase how we can continue being musicians as a hobby throughout our lives, while still working in our chosen fields.

• Check back in future newsletters! Many groups are currently on winter break.

If your child is really enjoying playing their instrument and wants some additional play and instruction time outside of the school day, we recommend looking to private or small group lessons.

Here is a link to private teachers in the area

You can also check out Attacca School of Music in Belmont (at the Trapelo/Bartlett intersection near CVS) or Powers Music School in Belmont (on Concord Street near Belmont Center).

Practice Page

Mr. Frontz put together a really helpful practice page for our students, especially our beginners. This page is basically how we start our class each lesson. We've given a copy to each student, but in case they lose it or want to look on their computer, here are the PDFs:

• Practice Page Folder

Friends of Watertown Music

The Friends of Watertown Music is a parent organization that has been a major supporter of the fine arts program in Watertown for over ten years. FoWM is beginning to plan for our first MusicFest since 2019 and invites all parents who would like to help in any way. Email HelloWatertownMusic@gmail.com or call Chris Lowry at 617-923-0502 to learn more.

Practicing

We recommend students play their instrument 3+ times a week for at least 10 - 15 minutes each time to build muscle memory and reinforce habits taught in lessons. You can see what we worked on in lessons and what students should be practicing by clicking the button below.

• Tuning your instrument at home: follow this YouTube tutorial
• Here is a tutorial on how to hold the bow
  
• Here is a list of private teachers in the area
  
• Rhythm Packet #1
• Rhythm Packet #2
• Sight Singing Packet #1
• Sight Singing Packet #2
• Ms. Byham's favorite metronome app for iPhone
• Ms. Byham's favorite metronome app for Android

Our lessons are grouped by classroom teacher. The schedule is as follows:

• Mondays (Hosmer) are Spillane/Thiemann, Doherty, Bellis, and Twomey's classes
• Tuesdays (Lowell West) are Corcoran, Spatz, and Burton's classes
• Wednesdays (Hosmer) are Mattson, Stone, O'Leary, Psychoghios/Hogan, and Gill's classes
• Thursdays (Cunniff) are all classrooms
• Fridays (Lowell) are Antonellis, Sudbay, and Brodeur's classes

Our lessons take place in the first part of the school day, between 8:30 and 10 AM.

I'm Mr. Frontz, and I'm happy to be co-teaching elementary school strings in Watertown this year. In the last two years, I've graduated with my Masters degree in Music Education and my Bachelor's degree in Cello Performance from Boston University. I am a cellist as well as a general strings specialist, and I worked with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras for several years as a Cello Coach. I'm excited to teach students how to play their instruments, and hope to teach them to play songs they love as well as develop their technique.

Culley Byham is one of our two string and orchestra teachers in the district. She grew up in Pennsylvania and began playing the viola in the third grade. She played in school and youth orchestras through elementary, middle, and high school before attending Penn State to study Music Education. Ms. Byham taught middle school music and orchestra in South Carolina for five years before moving to Watertown, where she is now in her tenth year of teaching music.

In addition to teaching, Ms. Byham has continued playing viola in community orchestras. She is currently a member of the Rivers Symphony and the Brookline Symphony here in the Boston area. She also enjoys taking long bike rides, walking her dog, and practicing photography.

Her absolute favorite thing about teaching string and orchestra classes is watching her students go from having no idea about the instrument, to being able to play with ease and confidence. She loves that she gets to work with the students for so long, seeing them grow and learn over the course of many years, making friends, and building community along the way.

Our string program in Watertown is open to all students in grades 4 - 12. Though we begin our program in the fourth grade, students can join in at any level - it's never too late! It is not necessary for students to know anything about music or playing an instrument in order to sign up, we'll teach them everything they need to know.

Website: https://tinyurl.com/watertownorchestra
Phone: 617.564.1713
Facebook: facebook.com/WatertownFineArts