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Summer Camps!

fdhscgwaorchestra

New this year! We will be having two summer camps for all incoming and current FDHS Orchestra students.

Session #1: Ensemble Focus (“4th of July” Concert) June 28th-July 2nd

Session #2: Technical Skills Focus (Small ensembles) August 2nd-6th

E-mail Mrs. Payne for more information!

2020-2021 KMEA Featured Performers!

fdhscgwaorchestra

The FDHS Chamber Orchestra has been selected as the featured high school orchestra performing ensemble for the 2020-2021 Kentucky Music Educators Association “Virtual” Conference. Multiple high school orchestras across the state applied by submitting a recording, and our Chamber Orchestra was chosen as the best of all applicants submitted. This is the equivalent of winning a “state championship,” so congratulations to these students!

Instrument and Material Distribution

Michael Payne

Hello FDHS Orchestra families,

FDHS will be distributing materials to students starting August 20th. You will receive your school instrument (if you need one) and your method book/music at this time. In order for me to have these items prepared for you, please complete the survey below. If you do not complete the survey by August 18th you may not receive an instrument and/or method book, and will be responsible for obtaining these items on your own for NTI work. If you have your own personal instrument, please still complete the survey, as there are questions about your method book as well.

If you are unsure what size instrument you need, I will be measuring instrument sizes at the CGWA entrance of the building on August 20th and August 21st from 8:30-10:30am and 1:30-3:30pm. If these times do not work for you, please contact me to arrange a meeting time. I can also tune and/or tape your instruments at this time. Once again, if you’re not available during these times, please contact me so we can arrange a time to tune/tape your instrument.

Please be aware that there is a $25 class fee for all students (new and returning) that covers the cost of your method book and music. There is an additional $25 rental fee for any student using a school-owned instrument. We are not collecting these fees at this time; they will be collected at a later date once we return to in person instruction. Please make arrangements to have these fees available when the time comes; families with financial concerns may contact me.

Students will need to have:

  1. An instrument in excellent playing condition
    1. Violins/Violas – required shoulder rest (school instruments come with these)
    2. Cellos/basses – rock stop recommended (school instruments come with these)
    3. Rosin (school instruments come with this)
  1. Method Book
    1. General Orchestra – Will be provided to you
    2. Symphonic Orchestra – New students will be provided a book; returning students will utilize the same book as last year.
    3. Chamber Orchestra – New students will be provided a book; returning students will utilize the same book as last year.
  1. Highly recommended for NTI work:
    1. A Music stand (can be purchased very inexpensively on-line or at a music store)
    2. A metronome (free App’s on your phone and Chromebooks)
    3. A Tuner (free App’s on your phone and Chromebooks)

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Thank you!

Sarah Payne

Director of Orchestras

Frederick Douglass High School

Carter G Woodson Academy

Dixie Elementary School

Gifted and Talented Certified

sarah.payne@fayette.kyschools.us

Student Survey

Michael Payne

Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year!

I know many were disappointed and others relieved to hear that we will not be meeting in person to start the school year. I would like to take this opportunity to improve upon our NTI experience from the end of the school year. I have compiled a survey for you to complete asking for your opinion as to what you would like to learn this fall semester, as well as what you did or did not like about NTI in the spring. Please be honest, I want to know what will help you the most and what will keep you the most engaged and participating in the class. Do not be embarrassed to say that you did not enjoy the previous NTI experience; I know that it was not the best, which is why I’m looking for ways to improve the experience for you. For those of you that are incoming from the middle school, please share your middle school NTI experience.
I know there are still many questions including how to get instruments, how to get instruments tuned, how to get music, etc. Please be aware that I am working on all of these items and will have answers for you as soon as possible. I will continue communicating with you via your school email addresses, and also through the remind app. If you are not signed up for the remind app, please make sure to sign up today. To avoid email overload, I will only email once a week unless there is a very important message that must be sent out immediately. I will update our Facebook page and our webpage on a daily basis, so please bookmark and like these pages. Once school starts, Canvas will be our main form of communication/assignments.
Survey Link:
Remind App Link:
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or just want to reach out to me to share your thoughts or ideas, please email me at any time. I hope to see you are safely soon,
Sarah Payne
Director of Orchestras
Frederick Douglass High School
Carter G Woodson Academy
Dixie Elementary School
Gifted and Talented Certified
sarah.payne@fayette.kyschools.us

2019-2020 Awards

Michael Payne

In honor of today being our “final concert” that we never got to have, I would like to recognize the following students who would’ve received awards at our Awards Ceremony. ALL 2019-2020 FDHS orchestra students would have received a pin, letter, etc. for participation. We will have a make-up award ceremony around the same time as the make-up graduation, so all 2019-2020 orchestra students can attend to receive their awards in person.

Award descriptions:
Most Outstanding – the student who demonstrated the most dedication to not only the FDHS orchestra program, but their own personal improvement as a musician.

Most Improved – the student who demonstrated the most improvement from the beginning to the “end” of the school year.

100% Award – the student(s) who always demonstrated 100% effort in orchestra both in and outside of the orchestra classroom.

Lexington Philharmonic Guild Award: Awarded to one deserving senior a year. This student has demonstrated above and beyond dedication to the Arts.

National School Orchestra Award: Awarded to one deserving senior a year. This student has demonstrated above and beyond dedication to the Orchestra Program as well as their own personal improvement as a musician.

CONCERT ORCHESTRA:
Most Outstanding: Prosperity Meade
Most Improved: Deen Hopper & Ashley Christi
100% Award: Blake Longworth, Prakriti Bhandari & Taylor Bell

SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA:
Most Outstanding: Kayleigh Schenk
Most Improved: Maimouna Mark
100% Award: Julianne Fisher, Logan Smith, Olivia Johnson, & Ali Hamza

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:
Most Outstanding: Navin Tantasook
Most Improved: Nathaniel Perri
100% Award: Alexandria Troth, Annika Maxey, JJ Vires, & Alexis Lewis (with honorable mention to: Liza Duarte, Evanna Marji, & Emma Anderson)

Lexington Phil Guild Award: Abbigail Grace Phelps

National School Orchestra Award: Phocheng Ly

March 12th Concert Cancelled

Michael Payne

Hello: Please be aware that after much debate and discussion, we came to the difficult decision to cancel the band and orchestra concert this evening. This was not mandated by the district, but was instead decided for the safety of the students and audience members. We have numerous students absent from school today due to illness, and have watched as other athletic and arts events have been cancelled across the state. We were expecting a large audience of over 300 this evening, and did not feel it would be a safe atmosphere. We are looking to either live-stream or re-schedule the concert after we know more about any possible school cancellations. Thank you.

January Updates

Michael Payne
  1. Mentoring will continue every Thursday at Crawford MS and Hayes MS. Please click here for the schedule. New mentors are welcome to join.
  2. North Star Orchestra (AKA Fiddle Club) will continue every Friday after-school until 5:00pm. New members are welcome to join: schedule
  3. Changes to schedules:
    1. NO mentoring January 30th
    2. YES mentoring February 20th
    3. Fiddle Club will end early 1/10 at 4:30pm
  4. Make sure you have the following dates marked in your calendars!
    1. Assessment Preview Concert, Thursday March 12th
    2. Assessment Wednesday, March 18th (Concert & Symphonic Orchestra during school; Chamber Orchestra after-school)
  5. Shirts are available for purchase! $14 – add $1 ($15 total) for a decal!