Yearly Archives: 2022

It was great to see so many of you during conferences in the last two weeks. If you were not able to make an appointment but have a question about your student’s progress in orchestra, please reach out.

Congratulations again to our six students who were accepted into the ILMEA District 7 Orchestra. They will join two wind players for a total of LZHS students performing with the orchestra on November 12. Great work Isabel, Kaitlyn, Jane, Jeanne, Louisa, and Lynette!

November is a short moth, but we will have a number of things that lead up to our December 7^th concerts, so please make sure you have the orchestra calendar added to your calendars so that you are caught up on all of the important events of the month.

Important Highlights:

CSO Trip on December 9^th: The band and orchestra will be attending the CSO on December 9^th leaving 3^rd period and returning about 5PM. We will be back in plenty of time to make the choir concert for Sinfonietta students. We only have a limited number of tickets, so please sign up today.

Concerto Competition on Monday, November 28: The concerto competition is open to all students who are in an ensemble at LZHS. Remember that you do need to have an accompanist this year. All students need to have their concerto approved and should be registered no later than Friday, November 17. Please sign up on the LZ Orchestra website.

Other important dates:

• Friday, 11/4: Extra Sinfonietta Rehearsal-office hours-5:15
• Friday 11/11: Dr. Estigarribia from Augustana College to work with Symphony
• Tuesday, 11/15: HOPE meeting online
• Wednesday, 11/16: Dr. Chetel to work with Symphony Orchestra
• Thursday, 11/17: Evening Symphony Orchestra rehearsal-6:30-8:30 (viola and bass treats)
• Monday, 11/28: Concerto Competition in the orchestra room
• Thursday, 12/1: Evening Symphony Rehearsal with winds-6:30-8:30
• Wednesday, 12/7: Orchestra concert at 7PM
• Friday 12/9: CSO trip
• Friday 12/9: Sinfonietta to perform on choir concert.

Have a great long weekend and thank you as always for your support of the orchestra program at LZHS!

Nathan Sackschewsky, LZHS Orchestra Director

Orchestra Parents and Students,

Starting the school year, a couple of weeks earlier is making me really look forward to a little extra rest and family time over Labor Day weekend. I you also get a time to enjoy time together as well.

I don’t have a lot of new information yet, however there are several important links that I would like to pass along. That is why I am going to duplicate the newsletter in this email as well.

If you missed parent night, please feel free to look at the slides for information about the year. The are slides for Concert Orchestra, Philharmonic, and Symphony.

Other links:

• Monday at midnight is the last day for orchestra shirts. There are some new items this year as well. You can sign up and pay through the Melon Ink portal and we will have the shirts delivered here in a couple of weeks.
• The orchestra Picnic will be on Friday September 9^th from 4PM-5:30PM in Breezewald park. Pease signup by Tuesday so that HOPE knows how many hotdogs and veggie burgers to purchase. If you are coming, please consider bringing something to help with the picnic. Please signup and let us know what you are brining.
• ILMEA signups are live. If you are participating in ILMEA please signup and pay for your audition. All audition links should be emailed to Mr. S by 10/4.
• All Freshmen need to purchase a Sound Innovations Advanced. I have ordered books already. Please pay Mrs. McLeod $10 through PushCoin or directly at the bookkeeper’s office.
• We will have a final informational meeting on September 22 at 6PM in the PAC for people looking to get more information about the spring break LA trip. If you are already signed up, no need to attend. If you would like to sign up for the LA trip, please visit the Bob Rogers Tour website.
• Please join HOPE. Our orchestra parent booster is a great way to get involved both financially and through volunteering. If you would like your name listed in our first concert program, please have your donation submitted by 10/1. You can submit online, or through mailing a check and this form.

Have a great weekend and thank you for your support of the orchestra program at LZHS!

Welcome back! I hope that all of you had a restful summer. Mrs. S and I were in London this summer for a bit and had the opportunity to attend several fantastic concerts, and even took Nora to see Mary Poppins. It was nice to be able to do a little more traveling this year. I look forward to hearing about how everyone spent their time away.

We have a fantastic year planned for everyone in orchestra including 4 great curricular concerts, a new orchestra, our first tour in several years, and a Symphony performance at the ILMEA conference in Peoria (a first ever for LZHS). It has been great starting to make music with all of the periods, and especially our new orchestra, Philharmonic, which gives LZHS an official third orchestra class. I can’t wait to see how that ensemble progresses.

Please check back on the website every month for a newsletter highlighting the important events of the upcoming month. There is almost always something coming up. Please make sure you add and check the calendar for all of the orchestra events throughout the year.

See below for important beginning of the year information:

1. LA Trip: The orchestra is going to be traveling to LA over spring break this year and it is not too late to sign up. The trip is open to all orchestra students including Freshmen. We are looking at our final numbers to come up with a final price soon. Please sign up on the Bob Rodgers Tour page.
2. Orchestra Shirts and Hoodies: Once again this year we are offering LZHS Orchestra shirts and hoodies. They feature our orchestra logo and are really comfortable. It is my goal that we have these shirts to wear for informal concerts, tours, and events. All orders are due by Friday, September 2, and can be competed online here.
3. Bear Strings starts on Thursday, 8/25 from 3:50-5PM. Bear strings is open to all orchestra students and is a non-auditioned ensemble that focuses on pop, and other non-traditional styles of music.
4. Join HOPE: The annual HOPE membership drive is now taking place. Your support of HOPE provides orchestra students with extra opportunities above and beyond what the school covers. This year HOPE will sponsor two sectional days, guest conductors, recordings of concerts, the beginning of the year picnic, and even a commission for the fall. You can join digitally. If you own a business or know of a business who would like to advertise in our program the cost is $150 and they receive a business sized advertisement on the back page of the program.
5. Volunteers Needed: HOPE is looking for volunteers to join the board, and parent volunteers for events throughout the year. If you are interested and able to volunteer to help HOPE please contact HOPE President, Rebekah Morrison.
6. HOPE sponsored kickoff picnic:  HOPE and the orchestra are celebrating the new year on Friday, 9/9 with our 6th annual kick off picnic at Breezewald Park from 4-6.
7. Parents of freshman/sophomore boys, and boys who grew: Don’t forget to get your men’s tux shirt. This year it is up to students to purchase their own tux shirts in time for the October concert. A possible shirt is this option from Amazon.
8. ILMEA Signup is currently going on. Fill out this form and pay online to sign up.  Sign-up is due by Friday, September 17. All ILMEA participants must participate in at least one help session, or you will not be allowed to participate. I am available to help everyday periods 1, 4, 5, and 8. Orchestra Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
9. Speaking of ILMEA, many of you know that Symphony Orchestra is going to perform at ILMEA. To prepare for the concert, we are going to add monthly evening rehearsals starting in September. Please add the following extra rehearsal dates to the calendar:

Thursdays from 6:30-8:30:

September 15

October 20

November 17

December 1 (With winds)

January 12

We will also have a special ILMEA preview concert at Messiah Lutheran Church in Wauconda on Friday, January 20 at 7PM.

1. I would encourage you to add the orchestra calendar to your personal calendar. The calendar is all over the orchestra blog, and it will always be the most up to date calendar.

I hope everyone has a great year, and I hope to see everybody at our first concert on 10/6. Please feel free to reach out to me by email if you have any questions.

Nathan Sackschewsky, LZHS Orchestra Director

Even though it doesn’t feel like it outside we are already planning for our final concert of the year. We have three big events in the last two weeks of school. We have an orchestra concert on Tuesday, May 17, our banquet on Thursday, May 19, and a meeting for the orchestra trip to LA in the spring of 2023 on Wednesday, May 25. Please see below for information about each of those events:

-May Orchestra Concert-Tuesday, May 17 at 7PM

Our final concert of the year will honor our orchestra seniors, celebrate a great student solo with Lynette Suk performing the 1^st movement of the Bruch Violin Concerto, and present the Kenji Bunch commission piece, Invincible Summer. There are some different ensemble specific items, so please look for your call time:

Concert Orchestra:

Call time is 5:45 for rehearsal on the stage in the PAC. Tux jackets can be picked after the dress rehearsal. Call times are the time that the rehearsal will start. Students not in their seats and ready to perform will be marked down on the summative concert attendance grade.

Symphony Orchestra:

Call time is 6:15 on stage to run the Bunch. Feel free to pick up tux jackets after the rehearsal.

Dress:

Please follow dress code as outlined in the handbook.

 Boys must show up in black pants, tux shirt, black shoes, and socks. We will distribute tux jackets and bow ties before the concert

Remember that boys must purchase their own black pants and tux shirt.

Girls wear solid black: Girls have the freedom to choose their apparel if sleeves extend below the elbow and skirts or slacks to the ankle, and the midriff must not show while standing or sitting. This may be a long sleeve all black dress or black blouse or sweater and ankle-length skirt. Full black slacks are also appropriate and encouraged for cello players. Girls must also wear black closed-toe dress shoes (not more than 2” heel) and black stockings or hose.

Orchestra Banquet- Thursday, May 19 at 5PM in the LZHS Cafeteria.

We will be celebrating the year, presenting orchestra awards, honoring our seniors, and finding the winners of the Orchestra Board election at the banquet. All orchestra students and parents are invited. The cost is $14 per-person for dinner. We will have California Pizza Kitchen dinner. Register here.

LA Trip Meeting-Wednesday, May 25 at 6PM in the PAC.

The band and orchestra will be traveling together during spring break 2023 to visit LA. Thins we are planning to do include two days visiting at performing in Disney, exploring LA and Hollywood sights, a trip to Catalina Island, and a hopeful visit to see the LA Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The tour is open to all orchestra students, and we are also looking for some chaperones to attend. If you are interested in finding out more about the trip, please join us in the informational meeting on the 25^th.

Thank you to all of your for your work this year, and I look forward to seeing everyone for our final concert on the 17^th!

Nathan Sackschewsky

LZHS Orchestra Director,

We have three after school performances coming up before spring break, please read below to make sure you have everything on your calendar.

March 16 Concert for all orchestras:

Concert Orchestra:

Call time is 5:45 for rehearsal on the stage in the PAC. Call times are the time that the rehearsal will start. Students not in their seats and ready to perform will be marked down on the summative concert attendance grade.

-Tux jackets can be picked up after rehearsal.

Symphony Orchestra:

Call time is 6:30 in the choir room.

Dress:

Please follow dress code as outlined in the handbook.

 Boys must show up in black pants, tux shirt, black shoes, and socks. We will distribute tux jackets and bow ties before the concert

Remember that boys must purchase their own black pants and tux shirt.

Girls wear solid black: Girls have the freedom to choose their apparel if sleeves extend below the elbow and skirts or slacks to the ankle, and the midriff must not show while standing or sitting. This may be a long sleeve all black dress or black blouse or sweater and ankle-length skirt. Full black slacks are also appropriate and encouraged for cello players. Girls must also wear black closed-toe dress shoes (not more than 2” heel) and black stockings or hose.

Solo and Ensemble:

Tuesday, March 22 at LZHS

Schedule

• Please plan on attending the full time slot to be an audience member and learn from other comments.
• You don’t need to have full concert dress but look professional!
• Symphony students, remember this is a required performance.

As always thank you for your support of the orchestras here at LZHS. I look forward to seeing all of you on the 16^th at our concerts.

Nathan Sackschewsky

LZHS Orchestra director

I hope that everybody has been able to find some enjoyment in our snowy last couple of weeks. We have had so much that I have been working with Nora on her skiing in the back yard. We also had a busy January ending with the ILMEA All-State music festival last week. Jane (violin) and Louisa (cello) were in the Honors Orchestra, and Kaden was principal bass for the All-State Orchestra. Colin did double duty and played in the Honors Jazz Ensemble, and with the LZHS Jazz Band on their performance. Personally, I also lead a reading session of new string orchestra pieces with orchestra teachers from across the state.

February and March are busy months, so please make sure you check the calendar for all of the upcoming dates. A few important highlights include:

2/16-Mr. Abplanalp to work with p2 Concert and Symphony Orchestra

2/24- Symphony Orchestra field trip to MYAC with Glenbard East Hs

3/11-Extended Sinfonietta rehearsal (Professor Matsunaga to join us)

3/16-Orchestra concert

3/18-Sinfonietta Concert (at district office)

3/22-Solo and Ensemble

Important Information:

Solo and Ensemble:

Solo and Ensemble will be on Tuesday, March 22. I will take sign-ups through Monday the 7^th. You can sign up here.

For payment you can bring in a check/cash to Mrs. McLeod

You can also pay with Push Coin:

$10 for solos

$15 for ensembles

2022-23 Symphony Auditions:

Symphony auditions will be the week of March 14. Students will audition on the packet as posted in Canvas. Remember Symphony auditions are not needed for students already in Symphony.

Adv Concert Orchestra Auditions:

Students in Period 1 Concert Orchestra will all audition for Adv. Concert Orchestra the week of March 14. Students who do a Symphony audition can use that as their Adv. Concert audition. Audition information is posted in Canvas.

Symphony Orchestra:

2/24 Symphony Orchestra will be traveling to MYAC in Fort Sheridan:

 Symphony Orchestra Students are traveling to the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory in Highwood to take part in an hour-long master class and concert along with Glenbard East High School’s orchestra. As of right now the plan is to also eat lunch together. My tentative plan is to collect $10 per-student, but I will let you know the official lunch amount next week.

I am also looking for 2 chaperones to come along. You will get free lunch and a relaxing day in historical Ft. Sheridan. If you are interested, please email me.

Please download or use the paper permission slip and return it by 2/10