Instruments Home for Break

Please be sure that instruments are brought home for break; students need to be practicing when they have down time between holiday parties, travel, etc.  If you do not see an instrument home tonight please be certain it comes home tomorrow.  We will not be playing tomorrow, instead doing station/games with the band and choir students so they will not need instruments.

No Holiday Strings Friday Morning

I am very sorry, but there will be no Holiday Strings on Friday, December 16th.  My son is ill and I will need to be home with him.

Quote of the Week 12/15

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear." ~ Buddy the Elf

6th Grade Concert Seating

1^st Violin                                2^nd Violin                               Viola                           Cello

Sindhu                                   Jacqui                                    Peyton                       Logan

Kiersten                                 Adali                                      Sophia                       Megan

Annah                                    Revanth                                Adam                        

Kennede                               Shanku                                  Madison       

Anoushka                             Rahul                                     Logan

Rose                                       Santana                                 Atley                          Bass

Johanna                                Anah                                      Cati                             Sam

Nachi                                     Cassidy                                  Alaina                       

                                                                                                Rahul

                                                                                                Vishva

                                                                                                Tarun

                                                                                                Katie

7th Grade Concert Seating

1^st Violin                                2^nd Violin                               Viola                           Cello

Ethan                                     Sami                                       Haley                         Nick

Nadia                                     Kayla                                      Shivanni                    Joceline

Shriya                                    Reetam                                  Michael                     Logan

Ian                                          Trey                                        Alexis                         Maddy

Brock                                     Quincy                                   Kiyana                       Madison

Joseph                                   Jordan                                   Derek                         Jakiah

Madison                                Sai                  

Julia                                        Alyssa

Kathryn                                 Rohith

Amanda

8th Grade Concert Seating

1^st Violin                                2^nd Violin                               Viola                           Cello

Christian                               Megan                                   Arden                        Virginia

Matt                                       Ashley                                    Autumn                    

Justin                                     Austin                                   

Nathan                                  Vishva

Emma                                     Jake

Radiance                               Olivia

Katelin

Quote of the Week 12/5

"It was like being in the eye of a hurricane. You'd wake up in a concert and think, Wow, how did I get here? " ~John Lennon

Concert Reception Donations Needed!

A note went home today regarding our concert on December 12th, you can find a copy of that note HERE !  It has information on the call and concert time, concert dress, location and the reception.  At this time we are looking for adult volunteers for serving at the reception and clean-up, as well as donations of cookies (store bought only, sorry!) and/or money to offset the reception cost.  Please return form if you can help in any way. Thanks ~Mrs. Boyd

6th Grade Combined Rehearsals

At this point all 6th grade students have been given a handout regarding after school/before school combined orchestra rehearsals.  Since we have two different orchestra classes this is our only chance to rehearse our concert music together, which is SO important.  The two rehearsals are Wednesday, December 7th from 3-345 p.m. and Friday, December 9th from 7-740 a.m.  I am requiring the students to attend at LEAST one of the two, but will award extra credit to all students who can attend both.  Please feel free to email me with questions or concerns.

Volunteers Needed

I am in need of a few students to volunteer next week, Monday evening to give tours of Evans.  We will be hosting the Unit 5 Music Parents meeting here at EJHS and I would like to have students lead the attendees on a school tour.  I would need the volunteers from approximately 645-730 p.m.  Please let me know if you/your student are available. Thanks ~ Mrs. Boyd

New Recordings

New links are up with recordings of our concert music that we will play on our winter concert December 12th.

Nice Performance!

Our second performance of the year went very well last night!  Congrats to our 7th & 8th grade orchestras on their performance at the Unit 5 Music Parent's Spaghetti Supper.  Also a big thank you to all the families who either bought tickets and/or donated dessert money for the event.

Spaghetti Supper TONIGHT!!!

Tonight is the Spaghetti Supper fundraiser at Normal Community High School.  Call time is 440 p.m. with a performance at 520 p.m.  All performances are free.  A meal will be served for those with tickets (or $8 at the door,) the meal consists of spaghetti, bread, salad, drink and dessert.
Orchestra students should where their concert dress (EJHS Music Polo and black pants.)

Quote of the Week 11/14

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel." ~Unknown

Spaghetti Supper Seating

1^st Violins
Christian, Matt, Justin, Radiance, Nathan, Katelin, Emma, Ethan, Nadia, Shriya, Ian, Joseph, Brock, Kathryn, Julia, Madison, Amanda 
Cello
Virginia, Joceline, Logan, Madison, Maddy, Nick, JaKiah

2^nd Violins

Ashley, Megan, Jake, Austin, Vishva, Olivia, Sami, Reetam, Naren, Sai, Kayla, Quincy, Jordan, Rohith, Trey. Shreyans, Alyssa

Viola

Arden, Autumn, Alexis, Haley, Kiyana, Michael, Shivaani, Derek

Quote of the Week 11/7

"If you haven't all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you don't want." ~ Unknown

Spaghetti News....

Just found out that they WILL NOT be offering marinara sauce at the Spaghetti Supper on Monday night.  Instead they will be offering buttered noodles to those who do not want the meat sauce.  I am sorry for this confusion and inconvenience.

Extra Credit!!!!

Attention 7th & 8th Grade Orchestras:
There will be an extra credit rehearsal on Tuesday, November 8th from 3-4 p.m. in the orchestra room.  Please consider coming, not only for the extra credit but also for a great opportunity to rehearse with both orchestras together.  Hope to see you there!!! ~ Mrs. Boyd

6th Grader - New Book

The 6th graders are VERY close to needing their new book, Essential Elements 2000 Book 2, please be sure to purchase this and send to school within the next week.
Thanks - Mrs. Boyd

IMEA Festival Participants

This week I sent home an information sheet AND a lunch order form.  Please make sure you see these and return the lunch order form next week!!!

Quote of the Week 10/31

Dear Great Pumpkin, I am looking forward to your arrival on Halloween night. I hope you will bring me lots of presents. You must get discouraged because more people believe in Santa Claus than in you. Well, let's face it; Santa Claus has had more publicity, but being #2, perhaps you try harder.  Everyone tells me you are a fake, but I believe in you. Love, Linus
P.S.: If you really are a fake, don't tell me. I don't wanna know.
(from "It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown")

Hauntcert TONIGHT!!!

Tonight both Normal Community High School and Normal West will present their annual Hauntcert. Every year the high school orchestras put together a family friendly pops concert (with a theme) and promote it throughout the schools and community. This year's theme is animals, so all the music is somehow linked to animals, for example "Baby Elephant Walk," or the "Chicken Dance." Both schools start their concert at 7 p.m. in the auditorium, kids are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes and in turn can sign up to win prizes:) Check out the flyer HERE!

Spaghetti Supper Tickets

Order forms for Spaghetti Supper tickets are due TOMORROW, Wednesday 10/16, please don't forget.  This is for ALL 7th and 8th grade orchestra students.

Quote of the Week 10/24

"Though no one can go band and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." ~Unknown

Encouraging Practice

The biggest thing I will tell parents that I meet with today (during Parent-Teacher Conferences) is to encourage your child.  Be interested and supportive in their music education.  We are very fortunate that our schools here have orchestra, we need not take that for granted.  Here is a link to a short article on practicing and encouragement, enjoy!!!!
http://www.essential-music-practice.com/encourage-practice.html

Grade Sheets

Grade sheets came home with ALL EJHS Orchestra students this week, it showed their first quarter grade breakdown.  This sheet needs to be signed by a parent and returned.  Thanks~ Mrs. Boyd

Don't Forget

Want to support EJHS Orchestras AND get out of cooking dinner????

 
http://www.monicalspizza.com/assets/eventdocument/EJHSOrchestra101811.pdf

Spaghetti Supper

Today forms will go home with the 7th/8th grade orchestra students with some information on purchasing tickets for the Spaghetti Supper.  This event will take place on Monday, November 14th at Normal Community High School.  All performances are free to attend, but there is an optional dinner sponsored by the Unit 5 Music Parents (a booster organization.)  This is the Music Parents fundraiser for the year, it is a well run family friendly meal.  Tickets are $7 in advance and $8 at the door.  We are also collecting donations for desserts (which are served with the meal); we are asking for a donation of $5/family to cover dessert costs.  Junior High parents provide the desserts and High School parents work serving the food and cleaning the cafeteria.  Please consider donating to this wonderful organization and purchasing dinner tickets for your family.
Here is a link to the form that I am sending home with the students today: https://docs.google.com/document/d/136lXZPdTE0tYu0-gi75vFvg7iKldx8aY3wg5d5I3Xhg/edit?hl=en_US

"Don't lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality.”
Ralph Marston

Monical's Fundraiser

We will be having our first fundraiser for EJHS Orchestras on Tuesday October 18th - visit any Monical's in Bloomington-Normal and take this form: http://www.monicalspizza.com/assets/eventdocument/EJHSOrchestra101811.pdf and 20% of your total bill will be donated right back to EJHS Orchestra!

Congrats to IMEA Students

We had 8 orchestra students audition for IMEA Orchestra this past Monday (yes, while everyone else was sleeping in these dedicated students were auditioning!!!)  I am proud to announce that 4 of those 8 students have made the District III Orchestra, they are first violinist Christian B., second violinists Shriya C. and Brock M. and violist Michael C.  Congrats on getting in and congrats to all who worked so hard to audition! ~ Mrs. Boyd

Concert Seating

1^st Violins
Christian B
Matt H
Radiance

Shriya C
Nadia K.
Megan E
Nathan A
Brock M
Ethan S
Justin D
Katelin D
Joseph V
Soumya
Emma R
Vishva P
Ashley T
Austin H
Jacob N
Olivia W
2^nd Violins

Ian M

Sami B

Kathryn B

Sai R

Kayla H

Quincy T

Reetam M

Shreyans T

Amanda R

Trey S

Naren B

Jordan L

Alyssa N

Madison R

Julia R

Rohith K

Viola

Arden B

Haley T

Autumn H

Alexis B

Shivaani M

Kiyana M

Michael C

Derek R

Cello

Virginia D

Joceline A

Logan B

Nick T

Madison S

Maddy H

JaKiah J

Help Needed!

We are in need of some help for our upcoming concert.  There are a variety of things you could do to assist us in making this concert a BIG success!!!!  Here are a few areas we need covered:
Greeter (stand at the front door and direct to the gym)
Usher (pass out programs, help seat guests in the gym)
Reception Servers (keep line moving, fill glasses with punch)
Clean-Up Crew (for cafeteria and gym)
Donations (to cover the cost of the reception)
If you have any interest to help us out we will gladly accept.  Please email Mrs. Boyd - martink@unit5.org

Concert Info

The EJHS Inaugural Concert is NEXT week - Tuesday October 11th @ 7 p.m.  Information sheets are going home with the 7th & 8th graders today.  The 7th & 8th grade orchestras will combine to perform as one larger orchestra that evening.  The choir and band will also perform.  Please be sure to go over this information sheet with your student/parents.

Quote of the Week 10/3

"Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up." ~Unknown

Quote of the Week 9/26

"I will prepare and someday my chance will come." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Smart Music Orders

Please submit your Smart Music Orders no later than 3 p.m. tomorrow, Friday September 23rd.
Thank you!

Quote of the Week 9/19

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." ~Emile Zola

Smart Music

Just wanting you all to know, today in class I am giving all the orchestra students a letter of information and order form for Smart Music.  Smart Music is a program we have and will use at school, purchasing it at home is COMPLETELY optional.  It is a great tool to help with practicing and students who do have the program at home will be able to complete Smart Music Quizzes and Assignments at home instead of in class with time constraints.  Please visit the Smart Music Website for more information or feel free to email/call me if you have questions.  The only other point I would like to make is to be sure to use the students' log in we already created at school, do not create another log in for the student, that will just make it harder for them to retrieve their class assignments.

Quote of the Week 9/12

Great joys make us love the world.  Great Sadnesses make us understand the world. ~Kent Nerburn

IMEA Participation

If you or your son/daughter are wishing to participate in IMEA auditions in October I really need the forms signed and returned (with the $5 audition fee,) by Monday.  I have a handful here already but would really like to have everyones soon.  My deadline to register students is next week!

Practice Cards

The first "official" practice card was due today (usually on Mondays, but due to Labor Day that was pushed back to today.)  If you did not see a practice card come home (they are green and small pieces of paper) then please ask your student where it is at!
Also there is a handful of students who have not turned in their green practice card guidelines paper as well.  Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Quote of the Week 9/5

"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things." ~Theodore Roosevelt

Spaghetti Supper

We have our performance time now for Spaghetti Supper on November 14th at NCHS.  7th & 8th Grade Orchestras will perform together at 5:20 p.m.  I will have more details later as far as call time and location.
Don't forget all 7th & 8th graders will be required to purchase and wear the official EJHS Music Polo shirt for performances.  Thanks ~ Mrs. Boyd

Quote of the Week 8/29

"No great goal was ever easily achieved." ~Margart Thatcher

Polo Shirt Orders

Just a reminder that all 7th & 8th grade music students will be required to purchase a EJHS Music Polo shirt to wear for performances this year.  Polo's cost $12 and checks should be made payable to EJHS.  Order forms went home the first day of school!

Practice Cards start TODAY!

Just a note, practice cards start today.  Students all received a green practice card in class today, they should record all their practice minutes on this card and have their parents sign the sheet.  Each week on Monday the practice card is due and a new one should begin.

Photo Wavier & Practice Card Guidelines

There are two homework assignments due tomorrow, try not to forget!!!!

1. White, Photo Wavier sheet, signed by student and parents.
2. Green, Practice Card Guidelines, signed by student and parents.

Also tomorrow will be the big day when we begin to record our practice minutes!

Welcome Back!

Well back to school!  This year has been a bit of a rough start for me, so sorry that I haven't been the blogging fool that I normally am.... For those of you who don't know me yet I normally post every day or every other day so that you know what is going on in the orchestra classroom.  This year hasn't started off that way, but soon I will be in the swing of things.  Until then, "Welcome to Evans, its going to be a GREAT year!" ~Mrs. Boyd

Pool Party CANCELLED!

Summer Band and Strings Pool Party for tonight is CANCELLED due to the cold temperatures!!!

Summer Strings!

It has been nice meeting some of my new students this week at summer strings!!!  The summer strings concert will be tomorrow at 11:15 in the Kingsley Cafeteria!!!

Summer Strings

Summer Strings forms should have been emailed and/or handed out to you by your current orchestra teacher.  Please consider attending this one week Unit 5 camp held at Kingsley Jr. High from June 6th - 10th.  It is a great experience and an even better way to meet fellow Eagle Orchestra members!!!! Hope to see you there.

Welcome Future Eagles!!!!

Welcome to the blog for George L. Evans Jr. High School Orchestra Program!!!  I am excited for what our future together holds!!! ~ Mrs. Boyd