Morton Ranch HS Orchestra

Hello Parents and Students,

We are back into a routine and well on our way to perform a great Fall Concert for everyone on Wednesday, 10/23 at 7pm in the MRHS PAC! If you lose this link it will be posted on the MRHS Orchestra website landing page. This newsletter is your No. 1 source of information for the month of October.

Mariachi has been busy playing all around the Katy Community with great success! We had a fun Ice Cream Social and Grill and Chill BBQ this year at Mary Jo Peckham.

Our National Anthem performance was outstanding! We received many compliments! Great job, and congratulations on all the hard work - it paid off!

Please don't forget to follow us on all social media platforms - X, Instagram and Facebook! @MRHSOrch @MRHSMariachi

Please confirm your time by signing up here!

We ask that every student take an AM (8:30-11:30) or PM (11:30-2:30) shift. We will have a light breakfast and lunch for participating students. Parents, please sign up to volunteer for a shift, we always need more parents in the afternoon shift. If we do not have enough parent volunteers we will have to cancel the fundraiser event.

Students please wear clothing that can get wet (KISD appropriate) along with sunscreen and bug spray and a hat for sun protection. Students can submit volunteer hours for this event!

Important Dates

• Saturday, 10/5 9-2pm Orchestra Car Wash at Brookshire Brothers
  
• Monday, 10/7 6pm All-Region Mariachi Auditions, Klein Oak HS, Klein ISD
• Thursday, 10/10 7pm Hispanic Heritage Concert w/PHS and MRHS Mariachi, MRHS PAC
• Saturday, 10/12 9am All-Region Orchestra Audition, Kerr HS, Alief ISD
• Thursday, 10/17 6pm MRJH Fall Concert - Host at MRHS PAC (stage crew)
• Friday, 10/18 3-4:30pm Mariachi Fall Social
• Tuesday, 10/22 4:30pm All-State Mariachi Recording, HSPVA
• Wednesday, 10/23 Fall MRHS Orchestra Masquerade Concert w/MDJH and Mariachi
• Friday, 10/25 5pm Orchestra Area Elimination, Taylor HS
• Saturday, 10/26 Area Recording at Taylor HS, All Day
• Wednesday, 10/30 3-4:30pm Fall Orchestra Social!

After School Rehearsals

Sinfonia

• Monday, 10/7 3-4pm
• Tuesday, 10/15 3-4pm
• Monday, 10/21 3-4pm
• Monday, 10/28 3-4pm

Camerata

• Wednesday, 10/9 3:45-4:30pm
• Wednesday, 10/16 3:45-4:30pm
• Monday, 10/21 4-5pm

Chamber Purple

• Wednesday, 10/9 3-3:45pm
• Wednesday, 10/16 3-3:45pm

We have 9 students entered into Mariachi All-Region scheduled for Monday, 10/7 at Klein Oak HS. These auditions will begin at 6pm and students should be on that campus no later than 5:30pm for warmup and check in. MRHS Booster will provide a van to transport students to this event.

We have an additional 9 students entered for All-Region Orchestra auditions scheduled for Saturday, 10/12 at Kerr HS in Alief ISD. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation for this event. Auditions will begin at 9am, students should arrive no later than 8:15-8:30am. Late students will be asked to go home, our Region is very strict on starting on time.

Directors will review All-Region audition protocol with all students entering to ensure success. Good luck to all of our Mavs trying our for All-Region this school year!

We are excited to collaborate with Paetow HS Varsity Orchestra for our first ever Hispanic Heritage Concert! The concert will be in the MRHS PAC on Thursday, 10/10 at 7pm.

All students and parents are invited to come and watch this performance!

Sinfonia and our Varsity Mariachi Ensemble will participate on this concert.

Sinfonia student schedule on Thursday 10/10:

• after school get a smart snack
• 3-5pm rehearsal with PHS Varsity
• 5-6pm dinner provided by Booster Club
• 7pm concert

Concert attire:

• Formal and should look professional, think job interview or going to place of worship.
• No jeans or sneakers allowed. Ladies flat shoes only!
• We are looking for bright colors on the stage that represent Hispanic Heritage Month!
• Guys: Black, Blue or Khaki Pants, collared shirt (can be colored), tie, formal shoes
• Ladies: Pants and bright colored shirt, long skirt with colored shirt, or colorful dress, formal flat shoes

Our Fall Orchestra Masquerade Concert is Wednesday, October 23rd in the MRHS PAC at 7pm. Orchestra students are expected to stay for the entire duration of the concert, it is a part of their grade.

This is a fun concert where students can dress up in a KISD appropriate Halloween costume or students can wear their Orchestra t-shirt, jeans and sneakers - one of those options.

Students have been working hard to perform an exciting and musical show for you. This concert is free and open to the public!

Please invite small siblings, family members, community members, etc...any student who dresses up in costume who attends the concert can enter the Costume Contest towards the end to win prizes!

We can't wait to see you there!

Students are encouraged to come to our Fall Social on Wednesday, 10/30 from 3-4:30pm in the Orchestra room. Your Student Officer Team will plan fun events for our students. MRHS Orchestra Booster Club will provide light snacks. This is a curricular event; students are learning to work together in a team for their ensembles.

We also have House Points, our Officer Team will explain this to our students this month.

Your student has had several playing exams. Orchestra is unlike some of our other Fine Arts and Athletics, we do not practice everyday after school. Most ensembles rehearse once a week.

Playing Exams allow me to look and listen to our students to see if they are putting the practice time in outside of school required by each ensemble level. I can tell within 10-20 seconds if a student has put the work in outside of class.

I mentioned at our parent meeting that last school year I moved 23 students at the semester break into a different ensemble. This year will be no different. I plan on giving MRHS Counselors schedule changes for January. Both Band and Orchestra both make student ensemble changes needed for UIL at the semester break.

There is a reason I ask students to resubmit their playing exams if they score below a 90%. It is because they have not learned the skills needed for success in their ensemble. I have had very few students resubmit Playing Exams for a higher score this semester, and is concerning.

Students will record their assigned solo into Canvas by Friday, December 6th for their final exam grade. That is a hard deadline. Even if you are exempting the final exam (you will not need to attend the KISD scheduled final exam if you exempt) you will still need to submit a solo!

If your student has a private lesson teacher they should help them find a solo on the Prescribed Music List (PML). Look at the drop down menu to find your instrument, and there is drop down menu for Grade Level of music, 1 is the most difficult and 3 is the easiest.

I will distribute solos to students in October for those that do not have a private lesson teacher.

A solo is the No. 1 way a student can make improvement on their instrument! Students should always be working on a solo to help build their technique.

UIL Solo and Ensemble is an important part of your student's development and growth in Orchestra!

I'm looking for a big number of students to register for UIL Solo and Ensemble on Saturday, February 1st at Katy HS. This is a requirement for our Sinfonia students and highly encouraged by all other students in MRHS Orchestra Program! Your student will play for a judge and receive feedback and a score.

This year I will have registration fees and paperwork ready for you in November, all fees and required paperwork will be due no later than Friday, December 13th. Student entries must be put in before we leave for Winter Break.

I ask that students and parents think carefully before making a final decision on entering your student. Students must be conflict free on Saturday, February 1st (this event will be done before the musical performance that evening at 7pm). Students can enter into up to two events - one solo/one ensemble, two solos, etc...it's an individual event and the decision should be made by the student.

UIL Solo and Ensemble is a pathway to State Solo and Ensemble! If a student memorizes a Class 1 solo and scores a Division 1 ranking they qualify for State OR if they play with an ensemble and program a Class 1 piece of music and score a Division 1 ranking they will qualify for State. Students scoring a Division 1 ranking can also gain letter jacket points!

Since this is an individual event your student MUST be eligible and passing their courses during that time period. If a student is ineligible they will not be able to perform on 2/1/25. UIL is no pass no play.

BE CAREFUL, we cannot refund your student once they are entered and throughout the years I have encountered many issues with students and parents about this matter.

Once we enter your student before Winter Break we have to pay all the entry fees to the Region, we cannot ask for this money back. Also, most students will use a pianist - it is a requirement in the Prescribed Music List. That means I need to get the piano scores to our professional pianists. They spend time working and preparing the student's music and need to be paid regardless.

If a student is ineligible or does not want to follow through as we approach the Contest will not be able to refund any monies whatsoever. Thank you for understanding in advance.

Hello Parents and Students,

I can't believe is October already and for the Mariachi department this will be an exciting and busy month. Our groups are bigger and more solid, we are working towards memorization and Mariachi style.

Torito has currently 23 members, Luna de Jalisco 12 and our Junior High combined Vaquilla and Pantera 12 for a total of 47 members in the program.

We have 9 students competing for Mariachi Region on October the 7th at Klein Oak HS.

On October the 10th our advanced Mariachi Luna de Jalisco will perform with Paetow HS

All Mariachis will perform in the Masquerade concert on October the 23rd.

You can follow up the Luna events on this real time schedule please encourage your kids to look at this frequently as information changes on a daily basis. If you lose this link it is also always up on the MRHSO website under the Mariachi tab:

Mariachi Luna events 2024-25

We kindly ask parents to monitor student practice every day.

Our Social will be on October the 18th Please come and join us for a potluck event where we will see the Documentary Mariachi goes Varsity, in the documentary there is a brief appearance of Mr. Roca when he placed on TAME State contest in 2021 with HSPVA.

Looking forward to seeing you all in the concerts.

• Parents - we are bringing private lesson teachers to the Orchestra rm. on Monday evenings. Invest money and time into letting your student work one-on-one with an excellent lesson teacher! All of our teachers this year are either current or former music major students from the University of Houston! Turn in a lesson contract and I will match your student with a teacher, there are openings in every studio.
• Students should practice at home a minimum of 30 minutes per day outside of the school day
• Playing Exams may be resubmitted for a higher grade through my Canvas Inbox. I will accept resubmissions up until the Tuesday before the 2nd 6 weeks is over.
• For formal attire guys please purchase a collared button down white shirt, black socks and black formal shoes. Ladies, please purchase flat black shoes and black hosiery. We will distribute and sign out formal attire this month. Orchestra Handbook (look at table of contents for Concert Attire)
• Parents, I will make contact with you about student concerns by email. If you would like to follow up with an in-person meeting please respond and let me know!
• Make sure to pay your $50 KISD Orchestra Course Fee and $100 Instrument Usage (Cello and Bass only) and your $160 Booster "Fair Share." Booster and KISD payments are not made in the same place. If you have questions by email please contact me.
• Ensemble Reminds are required by your student, please look at the website landing page
• Students have been asked to try and use the restroom between class periods to minimize leaving in the middle of rehearsal, emergencies and students with doctor notes are always excused - Directors must write student E-Hall passes to see the nurse for emergencies
• Students are not permitted to use their phone in the Orchestra room during the course of the instructional school day - no exceptions will be made
• We ask that students refrain from talking or making noise during rehearsals. If a student has a question during a rehearsal they should raise their hand.
• MRHS provides smart snack for after school rehearsals. We ask that students eat out in the hallway, no food or drink in the Orchestra room.
• All Required Paperwork is past due! Please have your student turn in all documents ASAP
• Students are expected to keep their lockers neat and clean, they are not storage units for personal items. Students must use their provided padlock.
• If students want to practice during Focus they should ask me for a pass
• We have many student couples in Orchestra this year. Directors have warned student their should be absolutely no PDA's public displays of affection in or outside school during an Orchestra event. Students will be written up by Directors and admin will handle all consequences. This offense could get your student removed from the program as well as various other consequences decided by admin.
• Students should be using good judgement on Social Media. If we find that a student has made a poor decision, it will be reported to admin and they will decide the consequence.
• Please encourage your student to think before they talk! We want our students to speak nicely to each other - all the time, no exceptions. Let's use excellent etiquette in and outside of the Orchestra room.