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PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES BESIDES ORCHESTRA
SCMEA and LISFA
SCMEA stands for the Suffolk County Music Educator’s Association and LISFA stands for the Long Island String festival Association. Only a few students in 5th Grade are nominated to participate each year. SCMEA is a Suffolk County-wide music organization that hosts an annual series of concerts late winter. There are various ensembles at the Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels, and all three levels offer Chorus, Band, and Symphony Orchestra (orchestra with a few band instruments). LISFA is a Suffolk County-wide orchestra organization that hosts an annual series of String Orchestra concerts in early spring. There are string ensembles at the Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels.
Students are nominated to participate based upon their school performance, their NYSSMA score, and their commitment to practicing and developing their playing technique. Please remember that nomination does not assure acceptance into the Orchestra. Competition is fierce for strings (I’m happy to say orchestras are thriving on Long Island!), and the Selection Committees scrutinize every submission carefully to ensure a top-notch ensemble. I only submit names of musicians I think can handle the extra commitment and practicing, and who would welcome the challenge of performing more difficult music than we play in school.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE REHEARSAL AND CONCERT DATES. I sincerely hope your child’s name is selected by the Selection Committee. If your child’s name is selected, they will receive an envelope with music and instructions. PLEASE NO NOT LOSE THE MUSIC. It is a copyrighted original, purchased by SCMEA or LISFA, and it must be returned to them. If it is lost, you will be responsible for payment. Please keep it at home after I photocopy it so that your child does not have to bring it to school. They will only need it at rehearsals. Rehearsals will be held on two weekends at a large school in Suffolk County. Please check the SCMEA or LISFA letter for times and dates. Hauppauge provides a bus with a chaperone. Breaks and lunch will be available at the rehearsals, and tickets will be sold then. Rehearsals are open to parents if you would like to see your child in action. The SCMEA or LISFA Concert will be held on a Sunday afternoon. Your child will need a white shirt and black skirt or pants, and possibly a tie for boys. The Concert will be photographed and recorded, both for purchase by mail order. You won’t believe your ears- the mature sound of the group will amaze you! Visit www.scmea.org or www.lisfa.org
NYSSMA
Please see the page labeled "NYSSMA INFO" to the left.
SUMMER MUSIC
Smithtown Schools offers a summer Music Program. Click HERE
USDAN Center For the Creative and Performing Arts:
USDAN is a summer day camp in Wheatley Heights (approx. 20 minutes west of Hauppauge off Rt. 110) that offers music ensembles, private lessons, dance, art, theater, photography, sports, chess, creative writing, and computer graphics. Bussing is available. The schedule runs from 10 AM to 3 PM for 4 or 7 weeks. Visitwww.usdan.com. Be sure to ask early about scholarships for music!
Long Island Traditional Music Association
Young People’s Day Camp- Smithtown, L.I.
Gemini Youth Orchestra- Melville, L.I.
Brookhaven Youth Orchestra (BYO)
631-776-2084
CW Post Day Camp- Brookville, L.I.
Perlman Music Program- Shelter island Heights, Shelter Island, NY
Long Lake Camp for the Arts- Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
French Woods Music Camp- Hancock, N.Y.
US Performing Arts Camp at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
New York Summer Music Festival at SUNY Oneonta
Ashoken Fiddle Camp- Woodstock, NY
www.ashokan.org/ashokan/index.shtml
Appel Farm Arts & Music Center, Upper Pittsgrove, NJ
Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp- Nashville, Tennessee
www.markoconnor.com/fiddle.camp/index.html
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY MUSIC
BW Halloween Parade:
Students may be asked to perform during the Bretton Woods Halloween parade on band or orchestra instruments, or on xylophones.
Religious Meetings:
Ask at your church or temple if there is a children's music group for the holidays.
Scouts:
If memory serves me right, there is a badge for music.
Girl Scouts: http://jenefer.speedyweb.com/jrbadgehelps.shtml
Boy Scouts: http://www.meritbadge.com/mb/077.htm