Elementary Strings
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IMPORTANT LINKS
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Established in 1998, Elementary Strings (ES) is an after-school program for violin, viola, and cello presented by SFYSA at area elementary schools. ES is open to all children in the Santa Fe area. The curriculum is inspired by the Suzuki Method, and adapted to serve students in a group-class rather than in a private-lesson setting. While parents are encouraged to support their students in a variety of ways - from attending class as a volunteer, to support of practice - parental expectations have been modified significantly from the standard Suzuki model. The program is designed as a feeder not only to SFYSA's Orchestras, Mariachi and Jazz programs, but also to the middle and high school orchestras of Santa Fe Public Schools.
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the elementary strings programStudents move through three levels of classes within Elementary Strings. Levels I and II are structured as group classes, whose enrollment may range from 8 to 12 students. Level III is the Prelude String Orchestra, which serves as a transition to the more traditional orchestra-and-private-lesson format. Students may attend the same level of class as many years as necessary to master the skills and techniques learned at each stage. The pieces learned will change from year to year allowing students to stay challenged while fine-tuning their playing. After graduating from PSO, students may go on to join the SFYSA Intermezzo String Orchestra, Mariachi, or Jazz programs. ES graduates who are old enough and enrolled in a Santa Fe Public School also join their school orchestra.
LEVEL I: BEGINNING STRINGS Level I is open to students in grades 2 – 4 who have never studied a string instrument and to those who are still building their fundamental skills. At this level of instruction, students learn basic playing posture and fundamental right-hand and left-hand technique through building-block songs culminating in “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Students also develop basic aural skills through listening to recordings of their music and through singing the repertory songs in class. Additional skills like stage presence, performance etiquette, introduction to the family of stringed instruments, working and performing together as an ensemble, introduction to note-reading, and the importance of home practice are also cultivated. Parents are encouraged to attend classes with their children and to supervise practice at home. Students may repeat this level until all beginning skills are mastered. If needed, please contact Haley (contact information is above) for a detailed list of all techniques covered. LEVEL II: PRE-ORCHESTRA Level II is available to all students who have completed Level I (to be determined by the instructor). In this level students master more of the foundational techniques of their instrument: different finger patterns/placements, longer piece length and structure, and more challenging bow technique like speed and distribution changes. Slightly more challenging skills continue to be developed: following a leader, changing tempo, dynamics, and contrasting musical styles. Ear training continues to be developed through listening and singing. Note-reading skills are now developed more fully on the instrument. When students are ready to graduate Level II, they are comfortable with high and low 2nd fingers, can play pieces with eighth, quarter, and half notes, know at least one 2-octave scale, and know the names of all notes in first position, both on their instrument and on sheet-music. The playing level is equivalent to “Etude” or “Rigadoon” from the Suzuki Method books. A student may remain in this level until all skills are mastered. If needed, please contact Haley (contact information is above) for a detailed list of all techniques covered. LEVEL III: PRELUDE STRING ORCHESTRA & PRIVATE LESSONS* Prelude String Orchestra The Prelude String Orchestra is the most advanced level of SFYSA's Elementary Strings program and rehearses once per week. In addition to the full rehearsal, each week the students participate in either a 30-minute semi-private lesson that is taught by one of our instructors OR they arrange their own private lesson with a teacher of their choice and which is arranged outside the SFYSA program. During rehearsal students will play in a mixed-instrument setting consisting of violins, violas, cellos, and basses, and learn to follow a conductor while listening to members of their own section as well as those in other instrument-sections. Music reading skills are strengthened as students are challenged with sheet music to work from and prepare at home and in semi-private or private lessons. When students can easily work through the pieces given for orchestra rehearsal, the instructors will supplement their education with solos to prepare them for auditions into more advanced programs. Click here for the PSO page. |
2018-2019
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Violin I & II
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Tuesday & Thursday
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Atalaya Elementary
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Viola I & II
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Tuesday & Thursday
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Carlos Gilbert Elementary
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Cello I
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Monday & Wednesday
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El Camino Real Academy
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Violin I & II
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Monday & Wednesday
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Nava Elementary
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Violin I
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Tuesday & Thursday
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Piñon Elementary
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Viola I
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Monday & Wednesday
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Wood Gormley Elementary
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Cello I
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Monday & Wednesday
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*SEMI-PRIVATE & PRIVATE LESSONS
The Prelude String Orchestra pulls a fair number of students from surrounding private studios, where the students have prepared all of the skills learned in our level I and II classes and are ready for a larger group playing experience. For these students that join us from outside our program, we allow students to study with their own teacher while participating in PSO. Likewise, ES students who have completed level II occasionally choose to pursue having their own private teacher as well. For some students, that structure doesn’t fit their lives, and they prefer to stay with our program for the semi-private lesson option. This option pairs the student with a peer that is at approximately the same playing level and they share a 30-minute lesson once per week, on the weeks in which PSO rehearses. There are two different tuition options for PSO to accommodate both in and out-of-program lesson options.
Often, for the first year or two in PSO, students focus solely on the orchestra material as it is challenging enough to require all their attention. When it becomes more easily mastered the instructor supplements their practice with pieces to round out and polish any skills needed to audition to move on to more advanced programs and performing groups. Auditions for Intermezzo String Orchestra, Mariachi, and Jazz are held each May.
