Why orchestra?
Want to learn something NEW & UNIQUE?
Want to MAKE FRIENDS & FUN MEMORIES?
Want to join an award-winning team and be part of one of the fastest growing programs in LISD?
JOIN THE SRMS ORCHESTRA!!!
Learn how to play an instrument & read music - NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!
Being in Orchestra is much more than just taking a class: it means playing on a team, dedication and practice, and of course making AWESOME music together! There are four different kinds of stringed instruments to choose from in Orchestra (Violin, Viola, Cello, & Double Bass) and the coolest part about Orchestra is that ANYBODY can learn how to play one of these instruments because they come in all sizes!
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ORCHESTRA CLASS DURING YOUR 6TH GRADE YEAR. If you wait until 7th grade, you will be in a class of students a year younger and will have a more difficult time catching up to their level. There are many things to look forward to in Orchestra in high school but you won't be able to start playing an instrument in high school, so NOW is the time to join Orchestra! This might be your only chance to ever try out a string instrument, and you never know what you might be good at or what you might enjoy until you try!!!
Want to MAKE FRIENDS & FUN MEMORIES?
Want to join an award-winning team and be part of one of the fastest growing programs in LISD?
JOIN THE SRMS ORCHESTRA!!!
Learn how to play an instrument & read music - NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!
Being in Orchestra is much more than just taking a class: it means playing on a team, dedication and practice, and of course making AWESOME music together! There are four different kinds of stringed instruments to choose from in Orchestra (Violin, Viola, Cello, & Double Bass) and the coolest part about Orchestra is that ANYBODY can learn how to play one of these instruments because they come in all sizes!
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ORCHESTRA CLASS DURING YOUR 6TH GRADE YEAR. If you wait until 7th grade, you will be in a class of students a year younger and will have a more difficult time catching up to their level. There are many things to look forward to in Orchestra in high school but you won't be able to start playing an instrument in high school, so NOW is the time to join Orchestra! This might be your only chance to ever try out a string instrument, and you never know what you might be good at or what you might enjoy until you try!!!
Some other benefits of joining Orchestra include:
- Opens Doors to Other Opportunities
Orchestra is much more than just practicing and performing. You can take private lessons, earn extra honors and awards throughout the year, go to fun parties and social events, participate in our annual Orchestra Camp, and more!! When you are a 7th or 8th grader in Orchestra, the opportunities are endless - you can join the Rockestra, be a Student Aide, earn community service hours, design the official Orchestra t-shirt, become a Practice Partner, go to Six Flags, and so much more!
Learning to play an instrument can help you develop a hobby that will last you a lifetime - even if you don't become a professional musician you can still play in the college Orchestra (and get scholarships!), teach private lessons, get paid to perform at local events, or just make music with your family and friends! Click HERE to read about even more opportunities music can offer you in the future!
- Time Management & Organization Skills
By learning how to organize all your Orchestra supplies throughout the year and how to manage your practice time every week, you will be able to stay organized in your other classes too! - Goal-Setting & Achievement
You will learn how to set goals in your practice to make the most of your time, and if you practice consistently you will see yourself improve every day. By the end of the year you will be amazed by all your achievements and all the songs you will know how to play! - Coordination & Motor Skills
Playing a string instrument requires simultaneous use of both hands, so you will improve your coordination, flexibility, and motor skills. We start with posture and instrument position, before plucking the instrument and slowly adding in the bow. By doing everything in small steps, you will see yourself improve every day! - Self-Discipline & Responsibility
Learning an instrument takes patience and perseverance. You will learn how to be responsible and you will practice self-discipline which you will also need in your other classes, at home, and for the rest of your life! - Involves Higher Thinking & Problem Solving Skills
When you read music and play an instrument, your brain is doing several things at once: you are reading symbols, interpreting the symbols into fingerings/bowings/sounds, performing the music, and analyzing your performance all at the same time! You will learn how to solve problems in your own practice at home and you will be able to teach yourself new music all on your own!
- Improves Memorization, Cognition, Concentration, & Focus
Do you ever hum along to a song you've heard before? By playing in class every day, some tunes will become familiar to you because of a special skill we have called muscle memory! This is only one of the ways Orchestra helps improve your memorization and cognition. Practicing an instrument daily also helps improve your concentration and focus on details in your music! - Builds Performance Skills & Self-Confidence
Whether you're playing at a concert or you're giving a presentation in Social Studies, performance is a part of life! Being in Orchestra gives you TONS of performance opportunities and will help you get rid of stage fright because you are - Teamwork & Cooperation
Being in ORCHESTRA means being on a TEAM - we practice together, we work hard, and we have fun! Every Spring we even perform together at a fun contest called Sandy Lake Funfest! You will also find many of your lifelong friends in Orchestra because joining Orchestra is like joining one big family!
Did you know...
Besides learning how to make music, meeting new friends, and starting a hobby that can last you a lifetime, there are some other very important reasons to join Orchestra in 6th Grade:
See what students and parents are saying about Orchestra:
"My favorite thing about Orchestra is learning a new instrument with friends" - Aron Hernandez, Cello
"I get to play fun and challenging music in Orchestra" - Lily Thomas, Violin
"My favorite thing about Orchestra is playing super fun songs with my friends every day!" - Samantha Paxton, Viola
"My favorite thing about Orchestra is all the fun I've had learning an instrument" - Ria Sood, Violin
"We have AMAZING concerts in Orchestra!" - Sydney Richard, Cello
Besides learning how to make music, meeting new friends, and starting a hobby that can last you a lifetime, there are some other very important reasons to join Orchestra in 6th Grade:
- Research has shown that students who are involved in Orchestra receive higher SAT/ACT scores and average overall higher grades than other students in school. The average score of the 2016 Texas All-State String Orchestra was 2143 and the 2014 FMHS Valedictorian was a violinist and a 4-year Orchestra member! It is a fact that universities select students who are committed to an activity throughout middle school and high school, including students involved in a music program. You can even get college scholarships for music and you don’t even have to major in it! Remember, there are more string instruments in an Orchestra, therefore more money to give away to Orchestra students!
- Skilled musicians have an area of the brain that is up to 25% larger than those who have never played an instrument, and music is one of the few activities proven to use both sides of your brain all at once!
- Making music in Orchestra has something for everyone:
- Music is MATH: Reading music requires counting notes and rhythms and can help your math skills. Also, learning music theory includes many mathematical aspects.
- Music is LANGUAGE: Music is the universal language! Reading music is also like learning another language because each musical symbol has a meaning. Musicians have to interpret the music on the page into sound using their instruments, and many musical terms are also in other languages like Italian!
- Music is SCIENCE: It is exact and specific. A conductor's score is a graph that shows frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody and harmony all at once. While technology continues to change and improve our lives daily, acoustic string instruments have been around for thousands of years and still look/sound/function the same way (without electricity!)
- Music is HISTORY: Music reflects the culture, environment and time period of its creation. Each piece of music has a background and tells a story. You will learn all kinds of music in Orchestra, from American folk songs to Irish fiddle tunes! Music itself is history and can further your appreciation of other cultures.
- Music is ART: Music is the one unique thing that connects EVERY culture from EVERY time period. After learning the musical basics, you will be able to use your imagination to make up your own music and express yourself in your music!
See what students and parents are saying about Orchestra:
"My favorite thing about Orchestra is learning a new instrument with friends" - Aron Hernandez, Cello
"I get to play fun and challenging music in Orchestra" - Lily Thomas, Violin
"My favorite thing about Orchestra is playing super fun songs with my friends every day!" - Samantha Paxton, Viola
"My favorite thing about Orchestra is all the fun I've had learning an instrument" - Ria Sood, Violin
"We have AMAZING concerts in Orchestra!" - Sydney Richard, Cello