SOGO Newsletter March 2010

SOGO So Y’Know Newsletter

Feeding Your Soul!

S T U D E N T ORCHESTRAS OF GREATER O L Y M P I A 1629 22nd ave se olympia wa 98501

The theme of the March concert seems to be clear; The SOGO musicians are providing the music and the audience can help by providing food donations for the Thurston County Food Bank Sunday, March 28, 4 p.m. at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

Orchestras Feeding America

Last year, there were more than 250 orchestras participating, including SOGO, representing all 50 states. The Orchestras Feeding America event was the single largest orchestra project serving communities nationwide, collecting over 200,000 pounds of food for local communities. The aim this year of the League of American Orchestras is to double the number of orchestras participating and the amount of food collected for this critically important cause.

2010 SEASON CALENDAR March 28 - Season Concert Olympia Federal

May 10,11,13 - Auditions 16 - Season Concert 25,26 New memeber auditions

CONCERT TICKETS Box Office: 753.8586.

Tickets: $7-$19 / 8 and under free* (plus $2.50 Center surcharge).

Avoid long lines, purchase early!

Don’t forget to bring nonperishable food items to the March concert.

The goal is to raise 500lbs of food for the Food Bank.

SPONSOR Olympia Federal Savings

March 2010 is Orchestras Feeding America month and the need in our communities has never been greater. The New York Times cited a recent Department of Agriculture study, saying, “The number of Americans who lived in households that lacked consistent access to adequate food soared last year to 49 million.”

With the number of hungry Americans growing daily, we hope that you will join with the ranks of orchestras making a difference in their communities.

2010

studentorchestras.org studentorchestras@gmail.com 360.561.2080

April 4 - No Rehearsal 24 - Instrument Zoo Small Ensembles 25 - Parent Mtg.

March 2010 Vol. 10 No. 4

The Conservatory Orchestras under the direction of Maestro John Welsh will be performing works spanning 200 years. They will open their portion of the concert with Mozart’s Impresario Overture from his opera. The work was written in just 16 days for a festival honoring the Governor General of the Netherlands. Highly motivated, Mozart wanted to outdo his rival, Salieri, who was also composing an opera for the same occasion.

The Conservatory will also be performing a suite of works from Strauss’ opera, Der Rosenkavalier. After the violent and harrowing opera Elektra, Richard Strauss and his librettist Hoffmanstahl chose a vastly different story for their next opera, setting it among the aristocracy of 18th century Vienna. A total turnaround for the composer; the creepy dissonances of Elektra and its grim, oppressive atmosphere are replaced with Viennese elegance, and hummable waltz tunes in Der Rosenkavalier!

Dillon Welch, the Conservatory Concert Master, will be performming Chausson’s Poeme for violin. A 10 year veteran of SOGO, Dillon will be graduating from Timberline H.S. and continuing his music studies at a university. continued on page 2...

SOGO is taking part, once again, to help out the Thurston County Food Bank by collecting non-perishable food items during the month of March. Our goal is to collect 500 lbs.

If we reach our goal, there will be a drawing with a very special prize - a chance to “pie” Mr. Allison. For every 2 lbs of food that you donate, you will receive a ticket for the drawing.

MOST NEEDED FOOD: Dry Soup, Rice, Powdered / Canned Milk, Macaroni & Cheese, Cereal, Peanut Butter, Beans, Canned Fruit and Vegetables, Tuna, Canned Meats, Stew, Soup, Pasta, Fruit Juices / Sip-sized Juices PARTICIPATING WESTCOAST ORCHESTRAS as of 3/2010: California Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra New Century Chamber Orchestra Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Riverside County Philharmonic San Bernardino Symphony San Luis Obispo Symphony Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra Santa Cecilia Orchestra Stockton Symphony Youth Orchestras of Fresno

Oregon Oregon Mozart Players Salem Chamber Orchestra

Washington Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia

To see the entire list of participating orchestras and further information, visit www.americanorchestras.org and click on “Orchestras Feeding America 2010”.

Feeding your soul...cont.

The Brass Choir will be performing fanfares with special guests Dan Lundberg, Keith Holder, Scott Pierson, Rick Leffler, and our own Dawn Stremel and Greg Allison. These local trumpet players will also play Leroy Anderson’s all-time favorite of audiences, Bugler’s Holiday with the Academy Orchestra and special guest Charles Schooler, who will be conducting. Also appearing on the concert is the Debut Orchestra highlighting English composer Gustav Holst’s popular Planets.

Many thanks go to our sponsor Olympia Federal Savings. Sandy DeBernardo, a representitive of the bank says...“Olympia Federal Savings’ commitment to philanthropy continues to grow each year and we are proud to continue our support of Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia. SOGO being a student led organization provides young musicians a great opportunity to enhance their skills. The students learn to express themselves creatively within a diverse group of musicians from over 20 schools in the area. Their energy, enthusiasm and talent is an inspiration to us all! We’re delighted that our friends at SOGO call us Oly Fed!”

SOMETHING NEW COMING! What if you, a SOGO parent, could have all the answers to your SOGO questions at your fingertips?

Question about rehearsal? Want to know how to help your musician get the most out of their practice? Coming up for next season is the all new, ultra helpful, SOGO Handbook!

Your SOGO Board of Directors has put together a comprehensive handbook to help you and your musician get the most out of your SOGO experience.

The Executive Student Board has even included some helpful tips to help your student practice effectively.

All contact information is also included, so if the handbook can’t answer your question, you’ll be able to contact us.

So, be on the lookout at the beginning of next season for a new guide to help you navigate this great music experience we call SOGO!

e-LEARNING FOR FREE Did you ever want to learn to play an instrument, speak a new language or just teach your dog to behave? Now you can learn just about anything without attending class! The Internet paved the way for learning online at a cost. Now, if you are not interested in the credit, there are plenty of online classes you can take without spending any money.

Below are a number of sites to explore. If you want to stay on top of newest offerings, go to www.openculture.com.  iTunesU. Apple has been providing an online “university” filled with 100,000 educational video and audio files from top universities.  YouTube. The video giant includes an education “channel” called YouTubeEDU, with content for top universities and other institutions.  ResearchChannel. Musicians can find Milton Masciadri, professor of double bass at the University of Georgia, discuss the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument of the symphony orchestra. There are more than 3,500 videos produced by researchers.  The Harvard@home site features more than 60 multimedia-rich programs on topics ranging from stem cells to Beethoven (look up “An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma”).

OTHER WEBSITES INCLUDE:  HOW-TO…HP Learning Center, WonderHowTo, Howcast  DEEP THINKING…TEDTalks (check out Jose Abreu on kids transformed by music), Nobel Prize winners, Forum National Network  ARTS AND SCIENCES…BBC Languages (for all those SOGO members going to Italy!), LibriVox, NPR Jazz Profiles, History.com, WebMD

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Thank you to all our wonderful advertisers during the 2009-2010 Anniversary Season!

Cabinets by Trivonna Cooper Dental Arts Center David Stone Violins Group/7 Inc. Real Estate Heritage Bank Insight Geologic Inc. Liz’s Indoor Sun Marvin Rd Golf & Batting Range Music 6000 Music Centers, Inc. NOVA School Old School Pizzeria Olympics West Salon Salon Schuback Violin Shop, Inc. South Sound Music Center South Sound Womens Center Tanasse Chiropractic, Inc. The Guardsman Westside Music Center Reminder: SOGO earns 1% on your grocery shopping at Thriftway or Bayview when you use your Community Rebate Card. We also earn a % from every purchase made through our website when using the Amazon.com button.

SUMMER MUSIC

There are a number of places that you can continue your enjoyment of music during the summer.

SUMMER MUSIC 2010

at Saint Martin’s University If you are looking for a local day experience, sign-up for classes through the Summer Music 2010 at Saint Martin’s University. Elementary through middle school students are encouraged to explore learning a new instrument, composition, guitar, flute ensemble, drum-line, or hone your skills in the regular orchestra and band classes offered. There are over 15 classes to choose from. The $75 fee includes the weekday, one-hour instruction from June 28 – July 9, a tee-shirt, and concert. Discounts for multiple classes.

Summer Music 2010 brochures will be available April 1, at SOGO rehearsals.

LAKE SAMISH MUSIC CAMP

Are you looking for an over-night camp experience? The 2010 Lake Samish Music Camp for Middle School is held July 4-10 and High School July 11-17. The camp includes band and orchestra at the Lutherwood Camp and Retreat Center in Bellingham. The daily schedule includes: Breakfast, Morning Rehearsal, All-Camp Choir, Lunch, Electives, Free Time, Dinner, Evening Rehearsal, Evening Activity, Snack.

Recreational activities available to campers include hiking, canoeing, swimming, mountain biking, beach volleyball, archery and more.

The cost of camp is $495 and $520 after June 1.

Visit LakeSamishMusicCamp.org

OLYMPIA SYMPHONY GUILD

The Olympia Symphony Guild is providing a scholarship for a graduating senior involved in symphonic instrumental music. The sum of $1,500 will be applied toward tuition at the institution of the winner’s choice. Other scholarships may be available for qualified students according to judges’ discretion.

Auditions will be held Saturday, March 20 at The United churches of Olympia. Prepare a musical selection, not to exceed 10 minutes in length.

Memorization is recommended. Applicants must provide their own accompanists.

MUSICALLY SPEAKING Dillon Welch, violin

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RACTICE: we all must do it to become better musicians.

Some of us love it, while others hate it. Whatever your feelings on practice are, you must know that your musicianship will go nowhere without it. But how can you practice smart? There are certainly many ways to practice, and not everyone’s practice methods are the same, but I’m here to give some tips on improving your methods and becoming a better musician.

F

IRST OFF: Where are you practicing? If you are practicing in a place with a lot of activity, like the kitchen, living room, etc. then you should not be in there. Find a place that is quiet where you can practice uninterrupted and unhindered by distractions. This is key, for focus is essential in practice.

Also, perhaps most importantly, how are you practicing? I used to go into my room, run through my pieces and come out finished (I wasn’t very good at practicing back then). It’s not a bad thing to run through your music, but you must also take it “Some of us enter the world with greater gifts than others. apart and work on separate aspects of the piece, Although we cannot create more like bowing techniques, vibrato, intonation, etc. If talent than we have been given, you work on these aspects separately, when you we can improve and refine the put the whole piece together, it will sound one gifts that we do have. Musicians usually do this by an activity hundred times better (I guarantee it!). known as practice,” Thomas Ridenour

Are you getting tired when you practice? Take breaks. I do this myself, because it’s hard to practice for a long period of time while still retaining my best ability to play.

If you are in Debut or Academy, you should be practicing at least thirty minutes five to six days a week. And if you are in the Conservatory Orchestra, you should try to practice an hour every day. If this amount of playing bums you out, don’t worry. Take a break, and then come back a little while later.

And, of course, there are ways of practicing that do not include playing your instrument. Whenever you are playing a piece, it’s a great idea to also have a recording of that piece. That way you can hear how a professional plays it, how all the parts fit “A habit is the intersection between knowledge, skill, and together, and I personally find that it inspires me desire...knowledge, the theoretito practice more in order to sound more like the cal component is “what to do,” recording. If practice is hard for you, try listening and the “why to do.” Skill, the practical component is the “how to a recording, or classical music in general (at to do.” Desire is the motivational 98.1 FM and online at www.king.org). It might component, the “want to do.” In just motivate you to joyfully pick up that instruthe absence of any of the three components, the habit of effective ment. Music is a wonderful thing. practice is non-existent.”

Steven Covey

Please call 943.7322 for more information or an application.

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I hope all these tips help your practice routine, and until next time, keep on playing and listening!

2009-2010 SPONSORS Construct, Inc Olympia Federal Savings Olympic Dermatology & Laser Clinic R.L. Ray Violin Shop Washington Center for the Performing Arts Washington State Arts Commission Alan Wertjes and Mike Morgan, Attorneys at Law

1629 22nd Ave SE Olympia WA 98501 Return Service Requested

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID OLYMPIA WA PERMIT NO. 358 SOGO Executive Board Soo Myong Chung, President Colleen Welch, Vice President Peter Despot, Secretary John Fleckenstein, Treasurer SOGO Board Joan Armstrong Christy Behanzon Susan Hill Dana Phelps Farrell Presnell Dale Smith Jason Stahl Tom Ward Joel Williams SOGO Student Board Dakota McRostie, violin Hannah Robinson, flute Rachel Scholes, French horn Dillon Welch, violin Music Director John Welsh Artistic Director Greg Allison Administrative Staff Krina Allison, Ex. Dir. Pat Kabler, Finance Dir. Mary Jo Rydholm, Librarian

INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO Kids of all ages are invited to the SOGO Instrument Petting Zoo Saturday, April 24, 1-4 p.m. A free event at the Washington Center, come and learn to blow, bow, or buzz an instrument! You will also have the opportunity to hear SOGO Musicians performing in their ensembles during the afternoon event.

SOGO musicians, watch for sign-up to be a zoo helper. Members are needed to demonstrate the instruments during the Instrument Petting Zoo (please sign-up for one of the 2 ½ hour sessions). Parents, can also come and help while your son/daughter is helping with demonstrations.

Sponsors ~ SOGO & Washington Center