EDHS Orchestra and Sinfonia

Disneyland Concert

tcastle — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:29:18 +0000

We are in the process of putting together our application for the Disneyland performance in February. If anyone has video footage from last year’s performance, we would appreciate a copy of it. This is a critical component of our application. Thanks so much!

Scrip Orders - Week of 9/29/08

tcastle — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:52:58 +0000

Another scrip order will be placed on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Please have your order and payment in by tomorrow afternoon - you may drop them off to the orchestra room mailbox. There are many vendors to choose from, and our students benefit from your purchases. Thank you for your support!

Back to School Night, Fair Share, TShirt Orders

tcastle — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:45:06 +0000

A couple of reminders for this week:

1.) There will be no zero period for Back to School Night on Wednesday relative to orchestra/sinfonia;

2.) If you have not done so already, fair share payments and tshirt orders may be dropped off in the mailbox in the orchestra room. We would ask that these be turned in by this Friday, the 26th.

If you have any questions, just let us know. Thank you.

Schedule Update & Audition Results

tcastle — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:57:39 +0000

Dear Parents and Students,

Due to late start tomorrow, Mr. Hung will not be able to be on campus to hold zero period. He will, however, have audition results posted in the orchestra room after school and online in the website. The rehearsal schedule going forward will be as follows:

Monday

zero - everyone

5-6p.m. - orchestra

6-7p.m. - sinfonia

Tuesday/Thursday

zero - orchestra

Wednesday/Friday

zero - sinfonia

This schedule will also be posted in the calendar section of the website. Should you have any questions, just let us know.

Thank you to everyone who made a scrip purchase this week. We will keep you posted on the next order placement.

September 5th Schedule

tcastle — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:01:07 +0000

Dear Parents and Students,

Mr. Hung would like all students to attend zero period on Friday, September 5th. This is a change from the earlier schedule published on our website. The calendar is now updated with the correct schedule. Thank you.

2008-2009 Orchestra and Sinfonia

tcastle — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:22:21 +0000

Dear Orchestra Parents and Students,

As we quickly approach the new school year, we are excited to announce a new orchestra website! Please visit http://edhsorchestras.googlepages.com/home to view helpful information for the new year including audition material, calendar dates, and even a sample of our orchestra playing on You Tube! (Note: You can also access the website from the link posted on this blog page.)

Also, please mark your calendars for a very important parent meeting which will be held on Monday, September 8th, at 7:15 p.m. in the orchestra classroom (P34). We look forward to seeing you soon!

New Orchestra Director!

tcastle — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:52:16 +0000

We are excited to announce that we have a new director for our El Dorado orchestras! The following is a letter of introduction written by our new director, Gary Hung. We met with him Tuesday night and he is already enthusiastically preparing for the new school year.

Paula Parker & Christina Mueller

*************************************************************

Dear El Dorado Orchestra Students and Families,

I am pleased to introduce myself as the new Orchestra Director for El Dorado High School. My name is Gary Hung and I’m thrilled to be a part of El Dorado tradition and excited for the many opportunities that await the Orchestra music students at EDHS.

In 1998, I graduated from Rice University with a dual major in Bioscience and Violin Performance and in May 2002, I completed my Masters Degree in Violin Performance with a concentration in String Education/Pedagogy from California State University at Fullerton. As a violinist, I have performed in various concert venues through out United States, Europe, and Asia in both solo and chamber music capacities. Growing up as a product of K-12 orchestra program, I have held membership with local youth orchestras such as PYSO, CYMO, American Youth, and YMF Debut. These valuable ensemble experiences have helped me in my posts as second violin principal with the Galveston Symphony, section violinist with Woodland Symphony and a recent summer internship with the Cleveland Orchestra where I was chosen as one of the 10 violin finalists to receive the Josef Gingold Memorial Violin Fellowship Award.

For the past five years, I taught applied violin, music appreciation, strings method and directed chamber orchestra at both Santa Ana College and Cal State Fullerton. Functioning as the PYLUSD string specialist, I directed groups at Valencia High School and Bernardo Yorba Middle School. As the Recipient of Cal State Fullerton’s Teaching Grant for academic excellence, I frequently guest speak on string pedagogy seminars, guest conduct honor groups throughout Southern California and maintain a highly sought after violin studio where violin students continue to receive awards and accolades from SCSBOA, ASTA, SYMF, Junior Bach Festival and Certificate of Merit sponsored competition/examination annually.
Some of the specific strengths that I will be bringing to EDHS include expertise in training string players, selecting and directing quality orchestral music repertoire that piques the interest of students and gives them the most opportunity for musical growth. I am fully confident in my ability to program pieces that are well written and appropriately challenging. In selecting repertoire of varied genres and difficulties, I am skilled at sharing how to practice effectively while still providing students with a comprehensive musical curriculum that include, tone production, intonation, music theory, music history, musical sensitivity, and musicianship. In addition, I have always been an advocate at teaching my students about the importance of professionalism and maturity because the value of these lessons extends far beyond the music classroom.

I am very passionate about music and I truly love sharing this art with young musicians! I am very much looking forward to developing the EDHS Orchestral program and am committed to ensure that all participants in EDHS Orchestras have great technical skills, meaningful musical experiences, lasting memories, and above all, a great time!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions at ghung@pylusd.org I look forward to meeting all of you!

Sincerely Yours,
Gary Hung
Orchestra Director, El Dorado High School

Banquet Update

tcastle — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:55:48 +0000

Most of you have probably heard the sad news by now that this is Mr. McKinnell’s last year directing our orchestras. Over the years he has poured countless hours into our orchestra program while continuing to perform with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra as a professional musician, tutoring private students, and working in the Class Act program. He has certainly had his hands full, and as much as we hate to see him go, we can only be thankful for the wonderful gift he has given to our kids during their years learning from him.

This makes our time together at the banquet this Sunday all the more meaningful. We are thankful for a wonderful response so far of 197! I can increase our dinner order until Wednesday morning so call immediately if you still want to get tickets (714-854-9835). During the program this Sunday we will enjoy our last concert with Mr. McKinnell, we’ll eat a delicious dinner, we’ll honor our graduating seniors, student awards will be given, and of course we will be giving a tribute of our appreciation and a fond farewell to Mr. McKinnell. Don’t miss a minute of this wonderful evening!

If you would like to bring a card or note of appreciation to Mr. McKinnell, we will have a basket available to collect them on Sunday. Also, seniors, we would like to have a display of your pictures. We apologize for the short notice and ask if you can put a 5 x 7 or 4 x 6 photo in the orchestra mailbox by Friday. We will give the photos back to you on Sunday.

Thanks again for being a wonderful, supportive group of parents and students this year.

With appreciation,

Paula Parker & Christina Mueller

Banquet Orders Due!

tcastle — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:46:18 +0000

The deadline to order dinner tickets for our end of the year Orchestra/Sinfonia banquet is tomorrow, Friday, May 30th. Tickets are $15 each and need to be purchased for each student as well as family members. Currently we have only received orders from 30 students and still need to hear from 44 more! This is very concerning and we urge you to get your orders turned in by tomorrow. If you have any questions about whether we have received your order, call or email Paula Parker (714-854-9835; bkwrmbuddy@aol.com.)

This year we will be using tickets for this banquet. You will receive your tickets when you arrive at the banquet. We will collect them when you go through the dinner line. (This will take care of the problem in past years with people forgetting to bring their tickets.) Don’t be left out of this delicious dinner provided by Blue Agave! Order your dinner tickets by tomorrow!

See you at the concert tonight! It’s at 7:00 p.m. (6:30 call time) at Yorba Linda Friends Church.

End-of-Year Updates/School Board Meeting - Please Help

tcastle — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:56:43 +0000

Dear Parents & Students,

Many thanks to all of you who attended the district concert last Monday on a warm night in the VHS gym! Our orchestra did a great job and it was fun to hear the progress from elementary school through high school. As we quickly head toward the conclusion of this school year, here are some important reminders:

Our end-of-the-year concert and banquet is coming up on Sunday, June 8th at 5:30 p.m. If you have not yet ordered tickets, please do so as soon as possible. The banquet is mandatory for all students while family and friends are strongly encouraged to come. The deadline to get tickets ($15 per person) is next Friday, May 30th.

Students with a last name beginning with N-Z have been asked to contribute drinks and other items the banquet. You can begin bringing your donations in to the orchestra room any time now. Please be sure your name is on them so we can enter you in our drawing for pair of movie tickets.

We would love to have a display of photos from this year’s concerts at the banquet. Next year we need to recruit and official photographer for our events, but for now, if you have some pictures you can contribute to this display (or would even be willing to put together a simple display for us), please let us know. Your help in this would be greatly appreciated.

As you may have heard, due to budget cuts, our school board plans to cut the 4th grade strings program beginning next year. Because there has been so little response from parents, they have decided to make this cut permanent instead of temporary. This cut would impact middle school and high school orchestras for years to come (not to mention how it affects elementary students). Most likely, all of us have benefited from having our students in a 4th grade strings class and could confidently speak to the school board about how valuable it was in getting our kids started. We are urging, begging, pleading with orchestra parents and students to attend the school board meeting next Tuesday night, May 27th. If you feel comfortable speaking to the board that would be wonderful, but we also need to have as many people there as possible to support the program even if you choose not to speak. Please let us know if you can come!

Thanks again for your help and support! Our orchestra program can not reach its potential without YOU!

With appreciation,

Paula Parker & Christina Mueller