Dear Strings Parents

By now, the Junior Strings, Concert String and Senior String students will have started to get back into routine with Ensemble rehearsals recommencing last week as well as tutorials for all our existing students.

Welcome new Training String students, you will have now been starting group tutorials and hopefully learning how to hold the bow and instrument.

Training String Ensemble rehearsals starts in Term 2.  This is so the students will have learnt the basics of caring for their instrument, posture and being able to play before any ensemble rehearsal commences.

Strings parents, please remember to check Newsflash regularly for upcoming events and important updates. We will publish advance dates as soon as we know them to help you plan your year.

To date all spots in Strings have been filled so please come back next year for the next intake.

Don’t forget to subscribe to SzApp for String Ensemble News. Found under Manage tab, choose the String Ensemble to keep in the loop with any alerts to upcoming events and updated news.

Update your child’s class details

Now that classes have been confirmed, please UPDATE your child’s class details on the parent portal. https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

Tutorials:

By now, parents will have received an email form the Tutor Coordinators (Jane and Rebecca) who have finalised group tutorials for our new training string students as well as individual in-school tutorials.

Parents will have been emailed tutorial details (including tutor name, tutorial time, tutorial day and location). Please look out for this important information in your email. Please check your spam/junk mail.

If you have a question regarding your child’s tutorial, please email your Tutor in the first instance. Alternatively, email tutorband@artarmonpandc.org.au regarding tutorials.

FAQs

Does my child need to have an instrument lesson every week?

Yes.

Every child in the strings program (and band program) has an instrument lesson and ensemble rehearsal every week. This is a requirement of the program.

Year 3 and all Training Strings – these children have small group tutorials, usually 3 or 4 students in the same room with the same teacher at the same time every week. Here they will learn scales, technique, note-reading, and small pieces.

Year 4 or higher ensembles – these students attend one-on-one, or private, lessons with one teacher. They will continue scales and exercises, and maybe plan for AMEB exams.

Ensembles – in addition to the lessons above, all students attend their regular larger groups that we call ensembles once a week. These times are listed below. These have about 30 children in them and they all learn the same piece, often in preparation for a performance throughout the year. Attendance at ensembles is compulsory. Mr Mansukhani is the conductor for all ensembles.

Does my child need to bring their instrument?

Yes, if you have either hired, have your own, you must bring your instrument to practice during group tutorials and ensemble rehearsals. This is also a good way for the tutors to check the instruments and tune them on a regular basis to keep the instrument at its best condition.

Does the instrument lesson need to be at Artarmon Public School?

No. You are welcome to go to instrument lessons with a tutor outside of the school, and some people prefer this if they want lessons after school. But your tutor will need to write a report twice a year.

Please note that you cannot have both in-school tuition and external tutoring. As each teacher has differing teaching styles this could be confusing for a child starting the program, so we recommend only one teacher teaches your child.

CREATIVE KIDS – claim and volunteer

In 2022 the NSW Government will continue to contribute a $100 Creative Kids rebate for NSW residents. The Artarmon P&C is currently registered as a Creative Kids provider for the band and strings programs.

If you will be taking advantage of this, your first step is to:

Apply for a voucher for your child on the Service NSW website:  go to https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher.

Please log into the Parent Portal and provide details by completing the form online. If you wish to use the Creative Kids Voucher you must pay $100 less than your invoice total. We will then credit the $100 against your invoice when we have redeemed the voucher from Service NSW. This only applies to school ensemble fees and not tuition fees.

Correspondence

If you are not receiving emails from the Strings Committee, you need to log into your parent portal and update your contact details immediately. A lot of information goes out via email that is not included in Newsflash.

If you have trouble logging into the parent portal, email your group coordinator or the strings convenor. Please update your child’s class details on the parent portal. https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

Please let your strings coordinator know if you have not received an email link to attend ensemble rehearsals for Training Strings, Junior Strings, Concert Strings, Senior Strings via Zoom run by Mr Mansukhani. Please check that these invites are not in your spam/junk/promotions folder.

If your child is sick and/or unable to attend a rehearsal, please notify your corresponding Strings Coordinator.

Ensembles 

All ensembles will commence in Week 3. Details are as follows.

Ensemble rehearsals times:             

Got a question?

If it is about your hired instrument or instrumental tutorial, please contact your tutor at first instance.

Alternatively contact our instrument coordinator or strings coordinator if required. For anything else please contact your Strings Convenor.

THANK YOU!