SACRED HEART CATHOLIC SCHOOL
STRING ORCHESTRA
Join Sacred Heart Strings!
String orchestra is open to 5th – 12th grade students and their parents!
This is a year-round program with 3 trimesters: January – April; May- August; and September-December. Violin, viola, cello, and bass are instructed in a group setting. Students may bring their own instrument or an instrument will be provided, funded by a generous benefactor.
Schedule
Beginner rehearsals are held at Sacred Heart Catholic School from 6:00-6:45 PM Tuesday evenings, led by Cathy Strabala. Intermediate students also meet Tuesday evenings from 6:45-8:15 PM.
Students
Students are accepted from the 5th grade and above. Parents are welcome to take instruction with their students. Adult students, including parents, will be accepted with safe environment training on record.
Practice
Class meetings are mandatory for success unless the student is out of school for illness or another approved absence. Additionally, successful students should plan to commit additional practice of 45 minutes or more per week.
Curriculum
All for Strings (provided)
Performances
The group will join community celebrations, serenade residents of local elder facilities, and play for family and friends throughout the year.
Copies
Photocopying copyrighted music is illegal. Please do not share music by photocopying. The Sacred Heart Strings Program is committed to obtaining only properly licensed music for practice and performance.
Costs
Students: $75 per trimester with a 1-year commitment
Adults: $100 per trimester with a 1-year commitment
Once a player purchases their own private instrument, a discount of $25 per trimester is offered. Scholarships are available.
Progress
Setting appropriate expectations is important in starting a stringed instrument. Families should make a joint commitment to playing one year at a time. Frustrations can ebb and flow as students develop the tiny finger and arm muscles necessary for playing. Listening to professional recordings should be set in context as the fruit borne after a lifetime of play. You can start today and join the Parish liturgical music groups 5 years from now OR you can never start and never play. School musicians go on to major in music in college and play professionally; play solo and in groups for fun for a lifetime; or become the audiences that assure another lifetime of appreciation for professional musicians. The beauty of music enhances our lives even if we never play Carnegie Hall.
Which instrument should I choose?
Perhaps you want to follow in Great Uncle George’s footsteps and choose the violin. Maybe you enjoy the deep, bass tones of the cello during Mass. Are you a trailblazer and want to do something just a little different, choosing the viola? Choosing an instrument takes some listening, some thought, and a commitment. Whether you take your time or know immediately which instrument is for you, your selection, coupled with a commitment to stick with it, can bring you a lifetime of joy.
Instruments, College, and Your Brain
Playing an instrument all through elementary and high school demonstrates tenacity and dedication, something that stands out in the college application process. Playing an instrument in college can earn scholarship funds, even if you aren’t a music major: college orchestras always need instrumentalists. Teaching your instrument to others can earn a few dollars during high school, college and beyond.
Can playing an instrument make you smarter? There are studies that show music builds confidence, raises IQ, improves memory, and makes you happier. It encourages cooperation and helps you to find and create beauty.