2024 String Spectacular
2024 String Spectacular
Wednesday, March 27th from 7 - 8 PM in the Watertown Middle School Gym
The 2024 String Spectacular is quickly approaching! This newsletter holds everything you need to know about this event.
The address for the middle school is 68 Waverley Ave, Watertown, MA 02472.
*Note, on the flyer sent home, there was a spot on the back where it was written that the concert would be held at the high school. This was an error. The concert will be at Watertown Middle School.*
Floor plans and diagrams for where to enter and where the kids will be storing cases are pictured below if a visual is helpful for you!
2024 String Spectucular
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024, 07:00 PM
68 Waverley Avenue, Watertown, MA, USA
Adult Helpers/Volunteers
I've heard from some folks about helping with various items for this concert. If you are willing to volunteer with us during the dress rehearsal, concert, or both, please fill out the form below.
4th and 5th Grade Strings
4th and 5th grade strings will start the concert off with two combined songs. At the end of the concert, they will perform an additional two songs with everyone in 4th - 12th grade.
There are approximately 145 elementary string players and so in order to make sure all students know where to go and know what it sounds like to play together, we will be having a practice from 4:00 - 5:00 PM on Wednesday, March 27th in the WMS Gymnasium.
Our elementary string players will be unpacking in the WMS band room (5th grade) and music room (4th grade). A diagram has been added below. For the dress rehearsal, kids can enter through the main entrance doors off of Waverley.
We hope to have as many students as possible attend this, but do understand that because we cannot provide transportation at this time, some students will have to miss the rehearsal. Please let me know if I can help with facilitating carpooling. There will be a check-in and check-out process.
4th and 5th grade students will leave their instruments at the middle school after the dress rehearsal to be tuned.
ELEMENTARY BASS PLAYERS: if you can bring your bass from home, that would be ideal. If you are unable to do so, please let me know and we'll make it work!
Students should arrive back to WMS by ~6:30 to do any final tuning and get seated for the 7:00 PM concert.
Middle and High School Orchestras
The middle and high school orchestras will perform a total of six songs before joining the elementary school students for our final two selections.
There are approximately 90 middle and high school students performing in this concert, and so we will be having a dress rehearsal from 5:30 - 6:30 PM on Wednesday, March 27th to make sure everyone is comfortable with where they are meant to go and what it sounds like to play together, in the gym. Ideally all MS and HS students will attend this dress rehearsal. Please arrive a few minutes early so we're ready to start at 5:30.
Middle and high school students will unpack on stage in the auditorium. There is a meeting happening from 6:30 - 7:30 in the auditorium, so any students arriving late or needing to get items from the auditorium during this time will need to do so quietly.
MS & HS BASS PLAYERS: do not need to bring their instruments from home unless desired
MS & HS CELLISTS: must bring their instrument from home if it's not already at school
Logistics for String Spectacular Concert
- Please enter through the doors behind the middle school, through the parking lot on Bemis Street (see diagram linked below).
- We may be able to use the bleachers! We will still have chairs placed on the floor for additional seating.
- Though we are in a gymnasium for this performance (a less formal space than typical), we do ask that adults attending are cognizant of the families and friends who are there to see their children perform and refrain from chatting/whispering during the performances. Even if your student is not playing in that moment, please be respectful of those around you whose children may be.
- This performance will be, at most, an hour. The last two years I believe we've finished up around 7:45 or 7:50 and should maintain that timeframe this year, as well.
- We would welcome any help in tearing down at the end of the concert. Many hands makes light work :)
Other Things To Know
- This performance will be filmed but not live streamed (there is rarely a reliable connection).
- The Friends of Watertown Music will be there collecting donations for our Jack Hahn scholarship.
- Students should stay through the entire performance since they will perform all together at the end
- Concert dress is Watertown Performing Arts Shirt (or a black shirt/sweater) and then dark pants/skirt on bottom
- Draft of the program
- JPEG you can share about the concert added here
How to Enter the Gym for the Performance
Floor Plan: No Bleachers for 2024 String Spectacular
Floor Plan: Bleachers Available
UPDATE: We may be able to use the bleachers! In which case, please see the very similar seating diagram below. If bleachers are out, please utilize these seats and leave floor seating open for guests who may need more accessible seating.
Thank you!