Our Titan Orchestra students have had an incredible year returning to in-person orchestra! Students have refined many fundamental skills, tackled new and more advanced skills, and built teamwork and accountability as an orchestra and program. Some of the curricular goals we have for students this quarter are:

Cover Song Project

Students choose their groups and a favorite pop or theme song to arrange for their ensemble and learn together. This helps them build collaboration, creativity, aural skills, and gives them a chance to practice student-led learning. All groups are competing for a coveted place on the Spring Concert to showcase their Cover Song Project. We can't wait to hear their final performances the week of April 18th!

Spring Concert Music

Our students love sharing the growth and excitement for their music that they have with family and friends at the end of the year Spring Concert. Students will learn two new pieces of music that push their musicianship and technique to the next level and we can't wait to share that music with you!

End of Year Assessments

All students have the opportunity to show off their growth this year through end-of-the-year auditions for returning students, or an exit assessment for non-returning or graduating students. The selections made for this assessment allow students to demonstrate critical thinking skills, goal-setting, fundamentals of their instrument, and efficacy of practice strategies.

With only seven weeks left, our students are sure to dazzle you with their incredible music, motivation, and mindset! We hope you hear some of these things at home when they practice!

Please continue reading for celebrations, registrations, and all things you need to know about Titan Orchestra for the final quarter of our 2021-2022 school year!

We are so pleased to share the success of our students as they finished UIL Concert & Sight-reading this past week. The assessment includes a rubric for performance mastery based on our TEKS and power standards on a prepared program of three pieces as well as a sight-reading assessment where students and directors work together to learn a piece in under 10 minutes without making a sound, and then perform that piece for a panel of judges. All 200 students in the orchestra program work towards this assessment through sectionals, practice assignments, and pass-offs to demonstrate individual mastery of the music and we were pleased to have almost 100% participation this year! It has been an incredible journey to bring our kids back from playing alone in their room behind a computer screen, to collaborating, reacting, and experiencing music together again.

Due to the ice days in February, three of our five orchestras were postponed for a full month before they were able to perform. Our Virtuosi (Symphony), and Philharmonic Orchestras performed in February and our Concertante, Camerata, and Symphonic Orchestras all performed last Thursday and Friday. We have been so proud of their tenacity to push their performance skills to the highest level together and for some orchestras, continue to work on the same content for almost three months while we added new music for upcoming performances to their repertoire. They came to every class ready to improve and really showed a team effort and growth mindset for this process. We couldn't be prouder!

Some specific shoutouts include:

• Camerata Orchestra (D) and Concertante Orchestra (E) achieved all superior ratings from all 6 judges for the first time in Titan Orchestra history!
• For the first time since 2017 and only the fifth time overall at Centennial, our Varsity students had the incredible experience of collaborating with our symphony band and percussion colleagues to perform with a Full-Orchestra at UIL. This opportunity for our students to perform together and receive feedback from judges is so valuable and we are so fortunate to have such strong fine arts programs here at Centennial

Below are the ratings each orchestra achieved

Full Orchestra (Varsity)

Superior Ratings in Concert and Sight-reading

Philharmonic Orchestra (Non-Varsity)

Excellent Ratings in Concert and Superior Ratings in Sight-reading

Symphonic Orchestra

Superior Ratings in Concert and Sight-reading

Camerata Orchestra

Superior Ratings in Concert and Sight-reading

Concertante Orchestra

Superior Ratings in Concert and Sight-reading

As an orchestra team, our students poured their time, energy, and heart into our music and each other and walked away with both success and unforgettable memories. Thank you to parents who were able to attend our UIL performances and our booster team for making sure our students were fed!

Thank you to all parents and families for supporting your student's musical journey, they are creating memories together that will be with them for the rest of their lives!

• Grade 1 Solo from memory and earned a 1 on that performance
• Grade 1 ensemble and earned a 1 on that performance

Eligible students have already received this information directly through e-mail

Titan Orchestra Concert Uniforms will be turned in the week of April 25th - April 29th. There is no need to pre-dry-clean your uniform. The yearly orchestra free covers end-of-year cleaning and repairs. Returning students will have the opportunity to check out the same uniform next year to preserve any alterations that may have been made for your student.

Cost of uniforms if lost or damaged beyond repair

Tuxedo Jacket - $60

Bow Tie - $3

Dress - $60

Rising Stars Division - June 9th-19th

- For more advanced students who are currently at the end of the Suzuki books or who are working on Concerto repertoire

-10 day overnight camp

Faculty members include:

Violin: Vadim Gluzman (Peabody Conservatory), Mimi Zweig (Indiana University), Pasha Sabouri (San Francisco Conservatory)

Viola: Suzann LeFevre (University of Houston)

Cello: Emilio Colon (Indiana University)

- Rising Stars Competition to be showcased during camp

- Performances will include-Solo, Chamber Music, Chamber Orchestra

- Daily Schedule will include: Choir, Private Practice, Private Lessons, Chamber Music, Chamber Orchestra

Young Artist Division - June 19th-26th

- For students who are currently in Suzuki book 2 through book 6 or can be book 1 with orchestral experience

- 7 day, commuter day camp

- From 9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Faculty Members include:

Violin: Amy Harris, Alex Caplis-Tuttle

Viola: Sara Driver

Cello: Rylie Harrod (Also Camp Director)

- Rising Stars Competition to be showcased during camp

- Performances will include-Solo, Chamber Music, Chamber Orchestra

- Daily Schedule will include: Choir, Private Practice, Private Lessons, Chamber Music, Chamber Orchestra

Parents, we need you!

Volunteering and support can look different for each person depending on the time and/or resources they are able to contribute to make our program the very best place it can be for our students.

Current needs for our program are

• Shopping - picking up and dropping off supplies for events to CHS (all year)
• Decorating - Monthly room decoration, concerts, banquet, etc (all year)
• Chaperones - Social Trips (Medieval Times/Six Flags) UIL, Spring Trip
• Event Support - Concert Receptions, Student Wrangling, meals for students (all year)
• Uniforms - Sizing, Collection, Pick-up, and drop-off for end of year maintenance (beginning and end of the year)

• Food supplies, plates, cups, napkins, bottled water, utensils
• Decorations - year round holidays and events, string lights, etc

If you as a parent are able to help in any of the ways listed above, or in another way that you are passionate about, please take a moment to complete the linked google form below.

All volunteers who may interact with students or be on campus during the school day will need to fill out the FISD required background check which can be accessed here

https://www.friscoisd.org/about/resources-and-information/background-checks

Winter means hoodie season! Our hoodie has two colors to choose from, red or navy. (see the design below) Get yours before the break! Click the Orchestra Store link down below!

Students renting a school instrument can pay their school rental fee through OSF.

All other fees can be paid through our Titan Orchestra store by clicking the button below

• Yearly Orchestra Activity Fee (all)
• All-Region
• Solo & Ensemble
• Medieval Times
• Six Flags
• Poinsettia Fundraiser
• Spring Trip
• Miscellaneous Supplies - tuners, strings, etc.

Each student has been issued a concert uniform

• Black dress ($60 value if lost or damaged)

• Removable sewn hems are permitted for dresses, but permanent alterations should not be made.

• Tuxedo jacket ($60 value if lost or damaged) and bowtie ($3 value if lost or damaged).

Students were fitted for their uniform during class and are responsible for their uniform for the entire school year.

What you are expected to provide

Dress Uniform

• Black dress shoes (Close-toed, no more than 2” heels)

Tuxedo Uniform

• Black dress shoes

• Black socks

• Black dress pants

• Formal, long-sleeved white tuxedo shirt

Routine care of uniform

After each performance, it is strongly recommended that the black dress or tuxedo jacket be taken to the cleaners and dry-cleaned. Do not iron the dress or tuxedo.

Collection of Uniforms

Any student who does not return the gown or tux by the announced date at the end of the year will have an “unclear record” form submitted to the office, and he/she will be unable to receive grades or register for the next semester until this obligation is met.

We are so excited to see so many of you coming in regularly to practice either before or after school! With your busy schedule, it's easy to come in for 20-30 minutes right before or after school to get in your daily practice! Students who need a practice space can always come practice in the orchestra room!

To get one-on-one support and feedback please make sure to sign up for tutorials moving forward. We want to make sure you are getting the time with a Director that you need! If you need practice support or need to replay a pass-off, please sign up for a tutorial time by clicking the Orchestra Tutorial Link here and it can always be found in the Titan Orchestra Resources. This will allow us to make sure we are available when you have time.

When you come in for a tutorial you should:

• Unpack
• Tune
• Warm up on a scale appropriate for your passoff
• Review the comments and rubric found in Canvas
• Practice those skills
• Wait for a director to work with you

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