As Fine, Applied and Performing Arts Educators, it is our mission to inspire and guide every student to be active participants in the Arts through the use of a sequential, academic, and creative curriculum that nurtures the human spirit and promotes cultural relevance.

This website has everything you might need for help with tuning, finding a private lesson teacher or youth orchestra program, and more! There are some demonstration videos linked there, as well as YouTube playlists with fun play along songs for our elementary students.

Para traducir este boletín, haga clic en él y luego use el enlace a la derecha.

لترجمة هذه الرسالة من المدرسة ، اضغط عليها ثم استخدم الرابط الموجود على اليمين.

Այս տեղեկագիրը թարգմանելու համար կտտացրեք այն, ապա օգտագործեք աջ կողմում գտնվող հղումը:

Чтобы перевести этот бюллетень, нажмите на него, затем воспользуйтесь ссылкой справа.

Bu bülteni çevirmek için üzerine tıklayın ve ardından sağdaki bağlantıyı kullanın.

If you rent your instrument from the company Music & Arts, fill out this form to size your instrument up or swap it!

Our fourth and fifth grade students have been working hard on new skills, techniques, and songs!

4th Grade

4th Grade has been perfecting Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had A Little Lamb, and starting open string Jingle Bells. We're working on holding our instruments correctly, remembering how to play the note on the string, and learning how to read notes on the staff.

5th Grade

Fifth grade has been really honing in on their bow work to make sure that we're starting to play with beautiful tone. To do this, we run through our bow warm ups (in their book 1 packet) before every class, like they should during practice time. Aside from bows, we've been working on French Folk Song, and some classes have been perfecting Carol of the Bells!

Class Playlist

All elementary students are learning about string players who are doing innovative work to make this historically more classical mode of music making more accessible. They are often classically trained musicians who write and play pop arrangements, create string loops for producers to use in music, or who write their own music, fusing their classical training with ideas from modern music.

So far, we've listened and learned to the groups "Black Violin," "2Cellos," and violinist Ezinma.

• A-Flat (Black Violin)
• Impossible is Possible (Black Violin)
• Stereotypes (Black Violin)
• Spring (Black Violin)
• Seven Nation Army (2Cellos)
• Thunderstruck (2Cellos)
• Doo Wop (Ezinma)
• Czardas (Ezinma)

Concerts are coming up in two weeks!

Students should wear their Watertown Performing Arts tshirt (the black one). Students who ordered one this fall should be receiving it next week or the week of the concert. Students can wear whatever they prefer on bottom (jeans, slacks, skirts, etc).

Families are welcome to attend the performances and must sign in with the front office of each school. The dates and times for the performances are listed below:

• Hosmer: Wednesday, December 13 from 9 - 10 AM
• We will have a dress rehearsal for our classmates on Tuesday, December 12th. Wednesday students should bring their instruments on Tuesday AND Wednesday that week.
• Cunniff: Thursday, December 14 from 9 - 10 AM
• Lowell: Friday, December 15 from 8:45 - 9:30 AM

Powers Music School in Belmont offers an array of small ensembles, from chamber music to guitar ensemble to youth choir, and more! These groups start up in the spring. Chamber music has auditions coming up on December 8th and 9th. I'm assuming the auditions are mostly for placing groups. Let me know if you have any questions!

All students (including our fifth graders) will be receiving a copy of Watertown Strings Book 1. This book has been compiled specifically for our students with what we anticipate they will learn and be able to do by the end of their first year in string lessons.

Fifth grade students have done much of what is in this book, but there are some helpful materials that it may be helpful for them to have. Book 2 will be coming for them soon!

Here is a PDF of book 1 for reference. The bass book is not yet finished but will be very soon!

I will always add links to specific events and lessons to the newsletters; however, in order to add these to your personal calendar, you must subscribe to the FAPA calendar (linked above). You can hide the FAPA calendar so your personal cal is not clogged by superfluous events, while only adding the orchestra events to your cal when the links are shared in the newsletters. Let me know if you have any questions about this!

Lesson Days (Click to add to calendar)

• Lowell, Monday: Corcoran, Spatz, Burton
• Hosmer, Tuesday: Mattson, Doherty, Bellis, Twomey
• Hosmer, Wednesday: Spillane, Stone, Psychoghios, Gill, Cassaza
• Cunniff, Thursday: all Cunniff classrooms
• Lowell, Friday: Antonellis, Sudbay, Brodeur
  
  

Winter Concerts

• Hosmer Winter: Wednesday, December 13th (9:00 - 10:00 AM)** Time Change
• Hosmer Spring: Wednesday, June 5th (9:00 - 10:00 AM)** Time Change

• Cunniff Winter: Thursday, December 14th (9 - 10AM)

• Cunniff Spring: Thursday, June 6th (9 - 10AM)

• Lowell Winter: Friday, December 15th (8:30 - 9:30AM)

• Lowell Spring: Friday, June 7th (8:30 - 9:30AM)

String Spectacular (all strings grades 4 - 12 in Watertown)

• Wednesday, March 27, 2024
• Dress rehearsal 4 - 5
• Concert 7 - 8
• Click for calendar link

The most frequently asked question in lessons is "When are we using our bows??!"

We'll be starting to work on bow hold using pencils and baby bows soon, and will move into playing with the bow in December or January.

Playing a string instrument requires building up muscle memory in two different hands and doing different things with those hands at the same time. It's a rub the tummy/pat the head situation. I want to make sure that everyone is very comfortable with left hand set up (this hand handles the notes) before adding in the right hand component (the bow).

If students want to start learning the bow hold here is a video explaining how to do so. I recommend starting with a pencil, as the bow is heavier than their hand is ready for. I don't recommend playing with the bow yet, unless they're receiving instruction from a private instructor or string-playing family member or friend who is helping to make sure they're building good technique and habits.

If you have not had a chance to rent an instrument, please check click HERE for local vendors and directions on how to rent. There are a number of vendors in our area from whom you can rent to own your child's instrument!

If you need assistance with rental, please let me know by emailing me: macullen.byham@watertown.k12.ma.us

Most music shops will carry these items, or you can order online.

Here's an Amazon list with the items listed

You can also check out Shar Music for these items

• Instrument
• Cellos: Button stop or strap (button/rock stop is more versatile)
• Violin/Viola: Shoulder rest (3/4 - 4/4 violin or 15 - 16" viola only)
• Music stand (for home practice)
• Extra rosin
• Extra strings (Prelude is a great quality brand at a reasonable cost)
• Pencil
• Binder (1/2" - 1" is great!)

As our upper string (viola/violin) players start to move up into the full-size instruments, they should be looking into getting a shoulder rest. These are items that hook onto the lower bout of the instrument to help players support the instrument in their shoulder vs. with their arm and hand, allowing for more flexible motion in the wrist and fingers. You can get them for any size instrument, but they typically make adjustable sizes for 3/4 - 4/4 violins and 15 - 16" violas. All upper-string players should be using a shoulder rest by the time they get to the full-size violin (4/4) or 15" viola to help with posture and avoid back/neck pain.

I recommend Everest (pictured) or Kun (both under or very close to $30), but there are many options. Let me know if you have any questions!

Being near the city we have lots of amazing orchestras performing all of the time! These groups are made up of community members; all musicians, but not all musicians in a professional sense. It's always amazing to see the Boston Symphony, but our local groups showcase how we can continue being musicians as a hobby throughout our lives, while still working in our chosen fields.

• Firebird Pops (all pops, all the time!): Keep an eye out for upcoming events
• Kendall Square Orchestra: Fri. Dec 15 @ 7:30 PM/Kresge Auditorium, Cambridge, MA
• Lexington Symphony: Dec. 8 & 10, Holiday Pops!/Cary Hall, Lexington, MA
• Brookline Symphony: Sat, Dec 16 @ 8PM/All Saints Parish, Brookline, MA
• Longwood Symphony: Sat, Dec 2 @ 8PM/Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
• Waltham Philharmonic: Sun, Nov 5 @ 3PM/Waltham Gov't Center, Waltham, MA
• Rivers Symphony Orchestra: Sun, Nov 12 @ 3PM/Needham Town Hall
• Boston Civic Symphony: Sun, Mar 3, 2024 @ 3PM/Jordan Hall, Boston, MA

If your child is really enjoying playing their instrument and wants some additional play and instruction time outside of the school day, we recommend looking to private or small group lessons.

Here is a link to private teachers in the area

You can also check out Attacca School of Music in Belmont (at the Trapelo/Bartlett intersection near CVS) or Powers Music School in Belmont (on Concord Street near Belmont Center).

Friends of Watertown Music

The Friends of Watertown Music is a parent organization that has been a major supporter of the fine arts program in Watertown for over ten years. FoWM is beginning to plan for our first MusicFest since 2019 and invites all parents who would like to help in any way. Email HelloWatertownMusic@gmail.com or call Chris Lowry at 617-923-0502 to learn more.

Practicing

We recommend students play their instrument 3+ times a week for at least 10 - 15 minutes each time to build muscle memory and reinforce habits taught in lessons. You can see what we worked on in lessons and what students should be practicing by clicking the button below.

Note Reading Game

• Staff Wars is an interactive app-based game to help students learn how to read the notes on their staff. It is $0.99. Absolutely not required, but a fun learning tool if interested.
• Apple devices
• Android devices

Helpful Links and Resources

• Tuning your instrument at home: follow this YouTube tutorial
• Here is a tutorial on how to hold the bow
  
• Here is a list of private teachers in the area
  
• Rhythm Packet #1
• Rhythm Packet #2
• Sight Singing Packet #1
• Sight Singing Packet #2
• Ms. Byham's favorite metronome app for iPhone
• Ms. Byham's favorite metronome app for Android

Our lessons are grouped by classroom teacher:

• Mondays (Lowell W): Corcoran, Spatz, Burton
• Tuesdays (Hosmer): Spillane, Doherty, Bellis, Twomey
• Wednesdays (Hosmer): Mattson, Stone, Psychoghios, Gill, Cassaza
• Thursdays (Cunniff) all Cunniff classrooms
• Fridays (Lowell W): Antonellis, Sudbay, Brodeur

Our lessons take place in the first part of the school day, between 8:30 and 10 AM.

Culley Byham (rhymes with Sulley) is our string and orchestra teacher from grades 4 - 12 in Watertown. She grew up in Pennsylvania and began playing the viola in the third grade. She played in school and youth orchestras through elementary, middle, and high school before attending Penn State to study Music Education. Ms. Byham taught middle school music and orchestra in South Carolina for five years before moving to Watertown, where she is now in her eleventh year of teaching music.

In addition to teaching, Ms. Byham has continued playing viola in community orchestras. She is currently a member of the Brookline Symphony here in the Boston area. She also enjoys taking long bike rides, walking her dog, hiking, and practicing photography.

Her absolute favorite thing about teaching string and orchestra classes is watching her students go from having no idea about the instrument, to being able to play with ease and confidence. She loves that she gets to work with the students for so long, seeing them grow and learn over the course of many years, making friends, and building community along the way.

We are being joined by our new strings teacher, Mr. Louis Stringer! Mr. Stringer is a bass player who will be an immense help to our lower string students. He will be starting with us on Monday, October 30th.

Louis is an internationally touring bassist and composer. Although based in the United States, Louis has crafted an internationally diverse portfolio with artists from Africa, the USA, Europe, South America and Japan. Performance highlights include: Panama Jazz Festival (2023), The Berklee Global Jazz Summit (2022) and EFG London Jazz Festival (2021).

As an educator Louis has led music masterclasses at Oxford University (UK) and the Fundación Danilo Pérez (Panama). He has spent the last 5 years teaching upright bass and bass guitar lessons as well as composition, music theory and harmony. He has also spent time as part of music focused community outreach programs such as the LEAP ensemble and On the Edge Fusion Orchestra, both based in Birmingham, UK.

Our string program in Watertown is open to all students in grades 4 - 12. Though we begin our program in the fourth grade, students can join in at any level - it's never too late! It is not necessary for students to know anything about music or playing an instrument in order to sign up, we'll teach them everything they need to know.

Check us out on Instagram: @watertownorchestras