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As 6th graders, you will have more performance opportunities than you did last year! We are going to want to show off all of the skills, technique, and talent that you have acquired with everyone, so be ready for an awesome year full of concerts and competitions!

This year the Intermediate schools in Conroe will be having our third annual 6th grade honor orchestra event. In order for students to participate in this fun event, the 6th grade students will go through an audition process very similar to the ones they will attend in Jr. High and High School region and all state auditions. If they play well, they will be selected to perform with all of the top 6th grade players from Bozman, Cryar and Travis in a concert at Conroe High School. For this concert they will get the opportunity to meet other students in orchestra at other schools, learn from other teachers and professional musicians and perform with our guest conductor. This is a great experience for any young musician, and I strongly encourage each of my students to participate in this event to strengthen their musical abilities.

6th graders will also have the opportunity to participate in the Conroe ISD 6th grade solo and ensemble contest in the spring semester. Students will prepare a solo piece of music to be played for a judge with piano accompaniment (provided). All students are strongly urged to participate in this event as it will help the students advance in their performance level and begin to get them ready for junior high orchestra. This event is also a UIL event and that means that the students who participate must be passing all of their classes to attend the competition. I hope all of the 6th grade orchestra students choose to take advantage of this opportunity.

5th Grade Orchestra:

This year as fifth graders you will be learning how to play one of four instruments from the string family:

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass

You will learn playing technique for these instruments, maintenance of a string instrument, how to read music and perform it, and so much more! It will take a lot of work and dedication to master your instrument, but we will have so much fun doing it that it won't feel like work at all!

Thank you again for choosing orchestra and I am looking forward to working with you all!

All students:

You will need to have an instrument to participate in performances and there are two ways in which you can obtain one:

1. Rent a used instrument from the school for a fee of $40 per year. Please note that these instruments have been used by many students from the past and are not in optimal condition, but are good for the purposes of beginner orchestra.

2. Rent or purchase an instrument from a music store (a list will be provided at the beginning of the year with addresses and phone numbers of all local music providers, and is also in the attachment below). The cost to rent from a store starts at about $10 per month. I recommend that you rent from these stores rather than purchase as a first instrument as you will probably grow and need a larger instrument not too far in the future.

Music Vendors 11-12.doc

For concerts during the year the students will be asked to wear a fine arts polo shirt which they can purchase for the low cost of $13.50. 6th graders who already have a shirt from last year DO NOT need to purchase a new one this year unless you require a different size.

Other supplies:

Essential Elements 2000 book 1 (5th grade)

Essential Elements 2000 book 2 (6th grade)

shoulder sponge (violin/viola only)

rock stop (cello/bass only)

rosin

cloth (for cleaning rosin off the instrument)

Pencil

Folder

I am looking forward to an awesome year with all the talented students of Travis. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me by email or calling the school!

Lorraine Plunkett

Orchestra Director

Travis Intermediate

The Conroe Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding these non-discrimination policies:

Title IX Coordinator, 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936)-709-7752 and the Section 504/ADA Coordinator, 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936) 709-7752.

El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Conroe no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nación de procedencia, sexo, discapacidad o edad, de sus programas y actividades y ofrece acceso igualitario a los programas de Escultismo (Boy Scouts) y otros grupos juveniles autorizados. Las personas siguientes han sido designadas para atender las preguntas relacionadas con estas políticas antidiscriminatorias:

Coordinador del Título IX, cito en el 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936) 709-7752 y Coordinador de la Sección 504/ADA, cito en el 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936) 709-7752.