Goals of Bolton String Curriculum

A detailed strings curriculum at Bolton Academy is available at the PTA office. This is what students will be able to demonstrate by May 2014: 1. Students will be able to demonstrate instrument holding position. A. Students will be able to demonstrate the posture needed to play a string instrument. B. Students will be able to demonstrate proper holding position for a stringed instrument. C. Students will be able to demonstrate proper left-hand shape for a stringed instrument. 2. Students will be able to demonstrate left-hand skills. A. Students will be able to play, with correct inntonation and fingerings, a one octave D major scale and pieces and exercises in G major. B. Students will be able to play, with correct intonation and fingerings, a one octave G major scale and pieces and exercises in G major. C. Students will be able to play, with correct inntonation and fingerings, a one octave C major scale and pieces and exercises in C major. 3. Students will be able to demonstrate right-arm skills. A. Students will be able to play pizzicato with a full tone. B. Students will be able to demonstrate proper bow hold for their instrument. C. Students will be able to play arco with a full tone. D. Students will be able to play with a straight bow. E. Students will be able to play with a detache bow stroke. F. Students will be able to play with a staccato bow stroke. G. Students will be able to play with a legato bow stroke. H. Students will be able to play separate bows. I. Students will be able to play one, two, and three note slurs. 4. Students will be able to demonstrate musical skills. (piano/forte) (accel/ritard) (andante/allegro)

Strings Class at Bolton 2013-14

The Bolton Owl orchestra will meet from 7:15 until 8:00am every day, Monday through Friday! I will meet with all returning students on day one. New students will begin after Labor Day. The curriculum is written for students in grades 4&5 (there are pre and post tests required by the State of Georgia that begin at grade 4) but is open to all children who can handle the extremely challenging curriculm. There will be assesments every week and once a child is signed up for the program, they are committed for the entire year and will be graded for the entire year. Application forms will go to all grade 4 and 5 students (and returning grade 2 and 3 students) next week. New students and parents in grades 1, 2 and 3 will have to supply their own instrument as the school system offers instruction at grade 4 (state assesment standards for strings) but Bolton offers strings instruction to students starting at earlier grades, dependent upon student having their own violin in grades 1, 2 and 3. APS provides violins that are limited in number, most are on the repair waiting list, and were purchaced with older children in mind (grades 4 and 5). It is highly recommended that new students "sit in" on orchestra class to see if it is a good fit for them. This is not an exposure class. Owl orchestra is a comprehensive program that meets five days a week for 45 minutes a day, first thing in the morning. It is my personal goal to have the best elementary orchestra in APS. It will be a lot of fun and a lot of work. The PTA office will have a notebook with very detailed information about the orchestra including lesson plans and performances. The power point "Strings at Bolton" is available upon request. My e mail is jpickett@atlanta.k12.ga.us