MRHS Orchestra Newsletter

Hello Parents and Students! Thank you all for an incredible Fall Concert, this was the best quality Fall Concert we have ever had here at MRHS. Our students are developing musically at a faster rate this school year.

Thank you for hanging in there, our Fall (w/MDJH) and Winter (w/MRJH) Cluster concerts are lengthy - that is not uncommon for any Orchestra cluster concert in Katy ISD. As our program grows we have more students and ensembles to hear. We want to feature all of our hard working students; they are working several months to prepare these concerts. Each group will peform a minimum of two selections.

For the Winter Concert on Thursday, 12/12 all students will need to be in their formal attire (same attire for picture day).

Parents, please make sure your student has black formal shoes (ladies, flats and closed toed shoes only). Guys will need to purchase a button down white collared shirt. Mariachi will have their Trajes ready to change into in the back stage dressings rooms and are required to wear their formal Orchestra attire for their ensemble performance.

Winter Concert Formatting

-Call times TBD

MRJH Orchestras will start their concert at 6pm and MRHS Orchestras will start their concert at 7pm. The high school portion will start with Symphony Orchestra (this year that is Sinfonia only), followed by all HS string ensembles (Chamber White, Chamber Purple, Camerata, and Sinfonia) and then all Mariachi groups (JH and HS). Hopefully we can end the concert between 8:30-8:45pm.

• Wednesday, 11/6 Picture Day in all classes during the school day
• Sunday, 11/10 HS and JH Orchestra Skate Night! 5:30-7:30pm Mason Rd. SKate Center, $21 at door for skates and dinner
• Wednesday, 11/20 Orchestra Friendsgiving 6-8pm in 9th grade cafeteria

Chamber Purple

• Wednesday, 11/20 3-3:45pm

Camerata

• Wednesday, 11/20 3:45-4:30pm

Sinfonia

• Monday, 11/4 3-4:30pm
• Monday, 11/11 3-4:30pm
• Monday, 11/18 3-4:30pm

Musical (select students from Sinfonia and Camerata)

• Thursday, 11/7 3-4pm
• Thursday, 11/14 3-4pm
• Thursday, 11/21 3-4pm

Symphony Orchestra

• Sinfonia will combine w/Band Fridays during 1st period and Focus

Mark your calendar for the Winter Orchestra Concert on Thursday, 12/12 at 7pm! Call times TBD.

• Sunday, 11/10 HS and JH Orchestra Skate Night! 5:30-7:30pm at Mason Road Skate Center
• Students can pay $21 at the door for skate rentals, pizza and a drink

• Wednesday, 11/20 Orchestra Friendsgiving 6-8pm in 9th grade cafeteria
• Officers will schedule activities. This will be a fun and relaxing event where students can spend time with each other before the Thanksgiving break and enjoy a tasty dinner! Please sign up to bring a side dish, dessert or drink! All Orchestra and Mariachi students are welcome!

Sign Up Genius for Friendsgiving, please bring a side dish/drinks/dessert

Orchestra picture day is coming up Wednesday, 11/6 during all classes. That is the only day we will be taking photos and there are no makeups scheduled. Hard copies of picture day forms were given to all students.

The easiest way to purchase photos is through the Visual Services of Texas online store https://tinyurl.com/3k7mhzpu

Just enter your email and student’s name in the online link and the information will populate. If you want to bring in the paper form with cash, check or credit card info on the sheet please make sure your student brings that next Wednesday and gives directly to the photographer.

Please make sure guys have a button down collared shirt, black socks and formal black shoes. Ladies should have black flat shoes and hosiery to cover up their legs. Don’t forget your formal attire next Wednesday. I will send out Reminds, but we do not have all students on the required remind

Students will take both an individual photo with their instrument and a group photo with their ensemble. All Mariachi will come in their concert attire during 5th period. Mr. Roca will write passes to students.

Every student in the program should have a solo by now! I will hear half of the solo during Report Card 3 RC3, and then all students will submit their entire solo for their Final Exam.

If a student is exmpeting the Final Exam then they will still submit their solo for a Major Grade.

UIL Solo and Ensemble is Saturday, February 1st at Katy HS. A student can enter into up to two events; it can be a solo or ensemble, two solos, two ensembles, etc...Students should be free that day of other commitments, I will not recieve a schedule until two weeks prior.

Solos are where students can make the most improvement! I attempt to choose solos that will push the student level but not too hard where it causes stress on the student. If the solo is way above the student's playing level it can be detrimental to their growth on their instrument.

In addition, if a student is performing a Class 1 Solo (must be memorized) or Class 1 Ensemble, they can qualify for State (Katy Young Artist Competition) KYAC is on Saturday, 4/26.

All music is on the Texas Prescribed Music List and most requires a pianist. We cannot issue refunds if a student changes their mind after the entry date is closed, or if a student is failing a course and inelegible, or they are sick and do not show the day of Contest. Even if the student did not practice with the pianist yet (last two weeks of January piano rehearsals will be scheduled) the pianist needs to be paid because they must practice and prepare all the piano parts.

Online Entry Form

Payment Contract

Letter jackets are a great way to motivate students to go beyond what the classroom has to offer.

Please look at the letter jacket point sheet in order to earn a letter jacket a student will need to aquire 15 points. Once you have 15 points hand Mr. Katz the sheet filled out and signed. I will review and then submit if you have the points. For Solo and Ensemble you can only count the points if you scored a Division 1 ranking (earned the medal). For All-Region points it is both Orchestra and Mariachi - 5 points.

Please ask me questions if you have them.

Mariachi Live Performance Calendar (also located on Orchestra Website)

We celebrate our 5 Mariachi members that made it to Region including the big historic achievement of having our guitar student Carlos Albornett as a first chair in the City of Houston.

The Mariachi Department had a successful first concert of the year and we are now preparing for our Winter Concert this will take place on December the 12th. We only have 6 weeks to learn the new songs students must be present in each rehearsal as this is the shortest period we have to prepare for a performance. Please keep in mind that Mariachi only meets once a week for one hour so attendance is extremely important in order to succeed and memorize the music.

Junior High meets on Mondays 5-6 pm

Mariachi Torito on Tuesdays 3-4 pm

Mariachi Luna on Tuesdays 4-5 pm

Private lessons are highly encouraged for all students we have two amazing armonia and trumpet Mariachi teachers please ask for information.

Here are the songs for the next concert:

Mariachi Torito Bravo:

Si nos dejan

El Jarabe tapatio

Mariachi Luna:

El siete mares

Costumbres

The new Mariachi female members must purchase a hair bow I will be collecting $21 dollars please bring in the next following days.

Mariachi Luna has two events in November:

November 7th

6:00-7:30

El Asador Restaurant

3750 S Mason Rd, Katy, TX 77450

November 21st

5:30-7:30

MRJH Cook out dinner

Morton Ranch JH

Mariachi El Torito Bravo may participate at el Asador playing their two songs from the first concert and the songs from last year that will be included. The students will be fed and transportation by bus will be offered. The playing time is one hour and a half.

Thank you for your support I am looking forward to an exciting November!

Students can use the 30 minute daily advisory Tuesday-Friday to come into practice (by the time they get down to the room if they move quickly it could be 25 minutes added to your daily practice time).

Sinfonia has sectionals: Monday 1st Violin, Tuesday 2nd Violin, Wednesday Viola, Thursday Cello and Bass. For Sinfonia students this is a chance where the section can have a close look at some difficult spots and make improvements. Also, sometimes we have guest clincians in, we want your student to stay and work during the 30 minute Focus.

I explained to all Sinfonia students if they have work they must complete they should come talk to me, or if a teacher wrote them a pass they need to go see that teacher. On the flip side, I have given students tons of notice for the sectionals. Sinfonia students can ask if requested by a teacher if they could go another day; but, I have also instructed Sinfonia students to NOT tell teachers that my sectionals are required, because they are not. If a teacher really needs to see the student, that student must go see the teacher.

In summary, Sinfonia students with teacher requests are required to go see that teacher. We have had issues with students not going to see their teacher after I asked them to go and Sinfonia students need to follow protocol for Focus. They should not leave the Orchestra room without a pass or they risk getting written up by admin.

We are super excited to start rehearsing for our musical Sister Act! Parents, please look at the roster (Sinfonia and Camerata students only) and if you see your student on the roster PLEASE look at the schedule. The schedule is very busy the last two weeks of January and first weekend of February.

Sister Act Student Roster

Sister Act Calendar