Dear Lassiter Orchestra Parents and Students,
As we wrap up 2015, we would like to take a moment to reflect on our first semester of 2015. We have seen the orchestra program grow to 5 orchestras this year with continued growth in both middle school programs; with the 6th grade orchestras at Simpson starting 110+ and Mabry at nearly 140 students. We are fortunate at Lassiter to have such a supportive principal as Dr. Richie, who understands the growth and direction of the Lassiter Orchestra Program and hired Koji Mori as our full-time Assistant Director. The addition of Mr. Mori has enabled our organization to expand and offer more opportunities to our young musicians. There are many accomplishments of the orchestra program from this fall alone and they include:
- 9 students in the Cobb County Honor Symphony Orchestra
- 20 students selected for the rigorous state-level All-State Audition held at the Westminster School
- Hosting the Cobb County Honor Symphony Orchestra Event at Lassiter
- Preparation for solos and ensembles for the GMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival
- The Lassiter High School Orchestra Association funded the Lassiter Orchestra Fall Camp for our 5 orchestras providing fabulous instruction from our staff of professional string educators
- Hosting the National Youth Orchestra of Uruguay, a spectacular performance and meaningful cultural exchange for our students
- Hosting and Organizing the 1st Annual “Spooktacular” String Clinic for our new 6th Grade students, providing beginning string instruction on each individual instrument and culminating with a “Spooktacular Informance”
- Administering 2 extensive skill evaluations for orchestra students with feedback from numerous metro-Atlanta string professionals.
- Concert Performances: the fall concert, “Music from Around the World”, the Lassiter Nexus Concert (joint performances with our middle school programs), and Lassiter Orchestra’s “A Night of Classics”. -In addition, the orchestra members of the Tri-M Music Honor Society prepared additional performances that included the: fall recital, performance for their peers in the Lassiter Skylight, and a Holiday Concert for the residents of the Canton Nursing Home.
- And finally, as we leave 2015, the Orchestra Room renovation nears completion. All of the
painting along with state-of-the-art acoustic treatment is completed. Additionally, we will now be using our new 80” HDTV in class. We are ready for the new year!
Now we look to 2016. Our first big event is the Orchestra Large Group Performance Evaluation Camp on January 22 and 23. The LGPE Camp is similar to our Fall Camp but with a focus toward our yearly Georgia Music Educators Association Performance Evaluation. Camp includes professional coaching on each instrument, in depth study of the orchestral literature being prepared for the evaluation, exposure to fantastic guest conductors, a staff and student recital, and a concluding social event on Saturday evening.
LGPE Camp is included in your LHSOA Membership. The LGPE Camp cost is $35 payable to LHSOA for all others. All students must participate in camp in order to reach their highest level of potential with their ensemble. Please email Ms. Doemel/ Mr. Mori immediately with any conflicts or financial issues @ LassiterOrchestras@Gmail.com.
In March, we will be representing Lassiter High School at the Heritage Music Festival in New York City. The itinerary is packed with wonderful performances and sightseeing opportunities. This trip will create memories for our students that will last a lifetime. Our final NYC Trip Meeting is Tuesday, January 12th at 7pm in the Lassiter Orchestra Room. St. Patrick’s Day is special this year as we will honor our Lassiter Orchestra Seniors at our annual LHSO Senior Breakfast. We are so proud of our 2016 Senior Class!
In April, the Internationally acclaimed Canadian string troupe, Barrage, will be performing with our students. This is one of those incredible events where our young musicians can interact with young professionals in the touring profession. Please check them out at Barrage8.com. Also in April, the former Senior Director of Army Music for Great Britain, Colonel Graham Jones, will be visiting the Lassiter Orchestra. Colonel Jones held the highest British Army Music position, working closely with the Royal Family during his tenure. Col Jones was involved in ceremonies, such as Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher’s funerals, State visits with President Obama and President Bush, and the incredible Armistice Day celebrations, among many other events. His presentation is amazing! As he is a personal friend, we were able to secure him for this special presentation. Our year will wrap up with Lassiter Orchestra’s big community event, “A Night at the Movies!” presenting film clips and musical scores from Hollywood’s blockbuster hits!
And finally in May, we honor all of our Orchestra students at our 30th Annual Lassiter Orchestra Awards Banquet. This event is a wonderful tribute to our graduating class, a time to honor all of our Award/ Letter recipients, and a great opportunity for our young musicians to show appreciation of one another in the glow of an amazing LHSO year!
In closing, please take a moment to reflect on what we “feed” our children every day. Life is full of “checking the boxes,” making sure we attempt to give our children everything they need to be successful in life. The study of music is an incredibly special gift that grows exponentially. It spills over into how we lead our lives; how we interpret situations day-to-day; how we find meaning in interacting with others; how we “create” wordlessly; how we emotionally deal with life’s struggles. Music does all of this and more for our children. It is a world that grounds us each day, giving us a space to create meaningful friendships and memories that we may not find elsewhere. Let us treasure this journey and those bonds and experiences we are blessed with through the study of music for our wonderful children.
Happy New Year!
Carol Doemel, Director of Orchestras
Koji Mori, Assistant Director of Orchestras