Orchestra News
Oberlin School Orchestra Program Newsletter

Issue #003

February, 2005

Tri M Honor Society

Six Oberlin High School student musicians started  their Winter vacation by giving back to the Oberlin Community. Monday, December 20th was spent performing Holiday Music for residents at Welcome Nursing Home and Concord Manor, and patients at Allen Medical Center. Three Students went a step further and entertained patients at St John's Westshore Hospital in Westlake on Tuesday.  This is the first project of several to come this year for members of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

Membership criteria for the Tri-M Music Honor Society includes students in grades 10-12, recommendation of the school music director, membership in the OHS Band, Orchestra, or Choir with an "A" and maintaining at least a "B" average in all other academic subjects.  These students must demonstrate leadership, service, and character in their activities. Tri-M meets once each month  to discuss ways to improve the Music Education Program in the Oberlin Public Schools and plan activities. In the coming months the Tri M members will be assisting Mr. Nicholas Crowther -choral director, Mr. Len Grizak-band director, and Ms. Harriett Thomas-Orchestra Director and Tri-M advisor, with projects to get students excited about music. This will include sectionals at the high school and the mentoring of music students at Prospect Elementary and Langston Middle Schools.

Tri-M members attended and Artist Recital Concerts at Finney Chapel and will have the opportunity to attend the Cleveland Orchestra Concert in February.

There are currently seven active members in Tri-M. Selection of additional members took place at the January 23rd meeting. All new members will be included in the Tri -M activities, but will not gain full membership status until the official induction Ceremony which takes place in March.

This ceremony will include a  Recital with musical selections performed by each new member to be inducted. 
Tri-M meetings are held the second  Monday of each month  from 2:45-3:45pm in the Oberlin High School Music Room.
 

Langston Middle Honors Orchestra

Langston Honors Orchestra now has thirty-one members. These students meet on Wednesday afternoons from 2:45-3:45pm in the LMS Orchestra Room.  This is the third year the Orchestra  has been in existence. Admission  into this group is by invitation of the director. Students must be able to play all assigned class music before being considered. This group has been the answer for the advanced string player in grades 5 thru 8 and students that want more music challenge. Acceptance into Honors Orchestra has become a major goal for many younger players.  The Orchestra performed two selections on the Prospect and Langston MS Winter Concert. The two selections to be performed on the Spring Concert are both challenging and signal the raising of the performance levels of the Oberlin School Orchestra Program. Both selections are advance level pieces. The "Prelude" by Grieg  has been performed by past High School Orchestras. The second selection, Music from "The Lion King" was requested by the Orchestra members.  It has a High School Grading level.

One goal that is stressed in Honors Orchestra, as well as every other class, is the quality of the musical performance. Students are asked to examine the musical quality of their performance. Any music group can play the notes. The goal to make it sound like "good" music. This takes hard work and much time on the part of the students and the director. This is also what keeps rehearsals and performances from being "boring". Students learn  "There is no such thing as  boring music"-just boring students who must not be allowed to carry that attitude over to  the music or the performance. The Honors Orchestra proves this every  week as they give their time and effort to make beautiful music together.

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