String Orchestra

This is a printable and online Google Form tool for beginning string orchestra students and teachers to audition/select instruments for orchestra. Easily place your new orchestra students on an instrument, and keep all the data and information in one place. This form automatically keeps track of all the information needed when placing your beginning orchestra students on their instruments, and it graphs the instruments in your orchestra. Use this form when auditioning your beginning students, or send it out to parents and students to use when selecting their instrument at the music store before they even get to your class. This makes it easy for you to build the right instrumentation in your orchestra, and keep all information in one easily-accessible place.

The form stores information such as student names, parent/guardian emails, and ratings for each instrument: violin, viola, cello and double bass. Throughout the audition process, the student and/or teacher rate each instrument on a scale of 1-5 to determine which instrument is best for the student to select. The form then asks for the final selection, which will then appear as a graph for you to build your instrumentation correctly within your group of young musicians. Also included in this form is information about how the student will acquire the instrument (rent from the store, from the school, already owns, etc.) Of course, the Google Form is editable, so you can change it to suite your needs!

This is a Google drive form and digital rubric for Orchestra play tests/performance assessments. Easily rate your orchestra students bow hold, left hand position, posture, tone, note accuracy, rhythmic accuracy, tempo, articulation, dynamics, and bowing as they give their play test performances. Let the digital play test form keep track of your data for you!

This resource makes for very easy data tracking and student feedback within your orchestra classroom. All data is stored within the editable Google Drive form, so progress can be tracked throughout the school year for every play test. Use this data for chair placement, grading, goal setting (both professional and student goals), and keep all of your play test data in one easily accessible form. Included is a detailed rubric that goes along with the Google Form for more specific feedback for your orchestra class. A printable PDF copy of the rubric has been included in this product as well as the Google Form digital rubric.

These are editable newsletters and concert fliers for communicating with orchestra students, parents, and the larger community. The newsletter is perfect for sharing important information about practice, upcoming concerts, honor or festival performances, and more. The concert fliers have everything you need to make your concert advertisements look professional! Edit the text (all text is editable except for the “fall concert”, “winter concert” and “spring concert” titles, since they use special fonts), and share the concert fliers.

These are perfect for emailing out to your students’ parents, using them in the school newsletter, posting on social media, or printing them and hanging them in the hallways! Improve your communication and community turnout at your events with these easily editable newsletters and fliers!

To edit these, you will gain access to them in your Google Drive upon purchasing them. Then, simply click on the text you want to change in order to add in your own information. They are easy to personalize! Then, download them as PDFs, and you’re ready to print or share them online!

These are four editable concert program templates for string orchestra. Edit the text in Google Slides, download the program as a PDF, print them double-sided, and hand them out for a very easy, visually appealing orchestra concert program!

All text and text color/positioning is editable, the images are not editable.

Included in this product is:

A program title page with school name, concert name, director, principal and superintendent. Two inside pages with names of ensembles, performance pieces, and student names/instruments.

Also, a back page with a thank you/special note from the teacher.

These pages are included for all four program templates.

Enjoy using these concert program templates for years to come!

The Middle School Orchestra Director’s Toolkit has all the incredibly helpful resources I wish I had when I first started directing orchestra! Included in this product are:

• 20 4/4 rhythm reading exercises
• 20 3/4 rhythm reading exercises
• 20 2/4 rhythm reading exercises
• Editable orchestra newsletters for parent/school/community communication
• 3 editable orchestra concert fliers
• 4 editable orchestra concert programs
• A play test assessment rubric and digital Google Form for chair placement
• A paper & digital practice log
• Pre/Post test for orchestra year 1
• Pre/Post test for orchestra year 2
• Pre/Post test for orchestra year 3
• Six major scales with finger charts for every note – A, D, G, C, F and Bb Major for violin, viola, cello and double bass with conductor’s copy
• Instrument selection form for incoming beginning orchestra students – paper and digital
• Concert review form for concert reflections – paper and digital
• Randomization sheets for calling on students equitably (this is a super cool product, and I didn’t know I needed this until I used it in my classroom!)
• BONUS – free orchestra class rules poster
• BONUS – free rhythm values poster
• BONUS – free treble, bass and alto clef lines and spaces poster

All digital products work through Google, and are compatible with Google Classrooms. Every product has a PDF/paper option included as well.

I am very excited to be able to offer the Middle School Orchestra Director’s Toolkit from Early Ensembles by Taylor Weimer! I hope you enjoy these products, and they help to make your very busy job easier!