Encore Fundraiser

Hello Parents,

We are excited to kick off our Music Department Fundraiser through Encore! Your child should have brought home a packet yesterday. The products are great and the prizes available to your child are even better!! These funds are used for a multitude of things, but most importantly for us in Orchestra, we use these funds for string clinicians to help differentiate and individualize instruction for your child. These small group clinics/sectionals are crucial for their success in Orchestra. Here are the fundraiser details:

Dates: The fundraiser runs from now until September 14th!

Handling Money: All customers should write a check to you (the parent), and you will then write one check to Durham Middle School. (this helps immensely with bookkeeping!)

Delivery: Items from Encore will be delivered to Durham on the week of November 7th, when you will need to pick up the items to hand back to customers. 

(All of the items come frozen, so pickup on pickup day will be very important! The items stay good in the freezer for 6 months.)

Please email me if you have any questions! Thank you for your support of the Durham Music Department!

Jennifer Aikey

Beginning of the Year Info

Hello Orchestra Parents,

Please fill out the form below this blog post if you have not done so already!

Here is important information for each grade level:

8th Grade: If your child is planning to perform and attend the Braves game, please make sure their Blanket Permission form, ticket order forms, and polo forms are turned in by August 25th. They should have the National Anthem mostly memorized by the next rehearsal, which is this coming Monday at 8am in the theater. Any student who missed this week's rehearsal should come to the make-up rehearsal tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 8:15am. The Braves game price for students and chaperones has been changed to $40 and will occur on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. Parent and family tickets are $25. Students who attend the field trip must ride the bus to and from Durham and stay with the group through the duration of the trip. The 8th Grade also has a playing test that was assigned today that is due on August 19th. These tests will be done in class; it is a short, 8 measure test...between the National Anthem and the playing test, you should be hearing some practicing at home! :)

7th Grade: Everyone in 7th Grade should have their Essential Elements Book 2 by the end of this week. I have extended the deadline as some stores have ran out of books. Please call ahead before going to a store to obtain the books. We are working on note reading review and are getting started with the books in class! All students should have turned in a blanket permission form. We will be handing out information about Formal Uniforms tomorrow. Please be on the lookout for those forms, as they will be due soon. Boys uniforms will be a little different than in the past, with the students wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a black tie. Girls uniforms will be the same as previous years (a black dress), so if you have obtained an Orchestra dress through a neighbor or friend, then you are good to go. Boys uniforms will be $68 and Girls uniforms are $64. Students must order through us so they will have matching uniforms. Please keep their polo shirt as it may be needed for other events. 

6th Grade: Please come to the Music Night Open House on Thursday from 7-8:30; this is a drop-in event, so come anytime that is convenient for you in that period to meet the music teachers and for your child to try the instruments one more time! We will get everyone signed up for classes on Friday and students will have their first official day in Orchestra on Monday of next week.

Small Groups: Cello Choir will have its' first official rehearsal on next Tuesday and Fiddlers will have a rehearsal for new and returning members next Thursday. Returning members from Fiddlers have a meeting this Thursday at 8:15am.

Please email me if you have any questions! jennifer.aikey@cobbk12.org Thank you!

---Jennifer Aikey

Parents, please fill out this form for the new school year and be sure to click SUBMIT! Thanks :)

Spring Concert Info

6th Grade Orchestra, Fiddlers, and Cello Choir

When: Monday, May 9^th, 2016

Time: Students Report by 6:30 PM, Concert is at 7:00 PM

Where: Durham Theater
Uniform for 6^th Grade: DMS White Polo shirt, Black Dress Pants/Floor Length Skirt, Black Dress Shoes
Fiddlers: Wear Green Fiddlers T-Shirt and Jeans

Cello Choir: Formalwear/Uniforms

7th Grade Orchestra and 8th Grade Orchestra

When: Tuesday, May 10^th, 2016

Tine: Students Report by 6:30 PM, Concert is at 7:00 PM

Where: Durham Theater
Uniform: Tuxedos and Black Gowns, Black Dress Shoes

7th Grade Playing Tests

7th Grade,

Make sure you can get into the Charms system using the following login, and let Mrs. Aikey know if you can't get into the system.

School Code: DurhamOrch
Id/Password: Your lunch code/Student ID

The Charms system will then prompt you to make a new password. You do not have to do this if you don't want to, though you definitely can if you would like to. On the right hand side of the app, you will see a menu dropdown. Tap on it to see the menu. Tap "Recording Studio." Then, click the second tab on the bottom that looks like a sheet of paper; this is the Assignments tab. You can then choose which playing test you want to record. It's that easy! You can choose to re-record as well if you don't like what you hear back. Once you submit the playing test though, it is locked and you cannot go back, so make sure your recording is the way you want it before you submit it. Here is what you are expected to play:


Zydeco Two Step Test (Due 3/22):

Violins- Measures 9-16
Violas- Measures 18-25 (no repeat)
Cellos and Basses- Measures 34-49

Cellos and Basses who do not have their own instrument or students who do not have a smartphone or tablet can record their playing tests before school on any morning before school (8:15) OR they can record their playing test during class this week.


Let Mrs. Aikey know if you have any issues or questions!

Jamboree Details

Hello 6th Grade Parents,

I wanted to make sure you all had a copy of the itinerary and important information for the Jamboree concert this Thursday. Please make sure your child wears their polo shirt and jeans (khakis or black pants are fine if they do not have jeans) to school on Thursday. Students also need to bring their labeled folding music stand to school by Thursday if they have one. The itinerary is as follows:

Dismissal/After school- Students leave on school buses to Harrison

5:00-5:15 - Set-up/Schools begin arriving at Harrison

5:15-5:30 - Tuning

5:30-6:30 - Rehearsal (approx.7 minutes/piece)

6:30-7:20 - Pizza/Dinner break

7:20-7:25 - Students back in place

7:30-8:00 - Concert in Harrison Gym

8:00 - Concert ends/clean-up

We encourage you to support your child and attend the concert at 7:30pm. All students need to be picked up by 8pm. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Thank you!

6th Grade Playing Tests

6th Grade,

Make sure you can get into the Charms system using the following login, and let Mrs. Aikey know if you can't get into the system.

School Code: DurhamOrch
Id/Password: Your lunch code/Student ID

The Charms system will then prompt you to make a new password. You do not have to do this if you don't want to, though you definitely can if you would like to. On the right hand side of the app, you will see a menu dropdown. Tap on it to see the menu. Tap "Recording Studio." Then, click the second tab on the bottom that looks like a sheet of paper; this is the Assignments tab. You can then choose which playing test you want to record. It's that easy! You can choose to re-record as well if you don't like what you hear back. Once you submit the playing test though, it is locked and you cannot go back, so make sure your recording is the way you want it before you submit it. Here is what you are expected to play:

Alpha Beta Alpha test: (Due 3/15)
Violins- letter C to letter D
Violas- letter A to letter B
Cellos AND Basses- letter C to letter D

Dragon Slayer test: (Due 3/18)
Violins AND Violas- mm. 11-18
Cellos AND Basses- mm. 19-26

Cellos and Basses who do not have their own instrument or students who do not have a smartphone or tablet can record their playing tests before school on any morning before school (8:15) OR they can record their playing test during class on 3/14 and 3/18.

Let Mrs. Aikey know if you have any issues or questions!