News

On March 9th, 2023 1st hour Chamber Orchestra will perform at the second annual Tri-Millard Orchestra Concert. This special event will be held at Millard West High School (5710 S. 176 Ave. Omaha, NE 68135) from 7:00-9:00 pm

Millard North Orchestra students need to arrive at 6:30 pm.  All students are expected to be in concert black and in the band room by 6:30 pm.

When you arrive, park in the front of the building (east parking lot) and enter through the main entrance. Then head to the band room. (Each orchestra has a secure location for their belongings and to use as a warmup room):

Warmup/case locations

• Millard North = Band Room
• Millard South = Blackbox across the lobby from the auditorium
• Millard West = Orchestra room.

This special event will be held at Millard West High School (5710 S. 176 Ave. Omaha, NE 68135) from 7:00-9:00 pm and will feature performances by the symphony orchestras of all three Millard High Schools (North, South, & West).  This will be an adjudicated performance where each orchestra will perform their first draft of their District Music Contest repertoire for a panel of esteemed judges.  After their performance, they will be given a clinic by one of the judges on how to improve their performance for the District Music Contest.  This year’s judges/clinicians are Dr. Ting-lan Chen and Dr. Rogoff from the University of Nebraska – Kearney.

In addition to providing an opportunity for each orchestra to stage their performance, we hope to build a better relationship with each school orchestra program as we share our hard work and music with each other.  Students of each orchestra will also fill the role of audience member when they’re not performing or in the clinic and are therefore requested to stay for the duration of the event unless otherwise cleared by your orchestra teacher.

More info and itinerary.

Sign Up Genius for jobs linked here.

Set Up Crew:
Part 1 – Arrive to MNHS auditorium by 7 a.m. on March 7 to set up chairs and instruments
Part 2 – Come back at 3:30 PM to finalize set up chairs, stands, podium, piano, risers, and percussion equipment.  

• Podium, conductor stand, scores, and baton center stage
• 192 chairs, 80 stands for strings; 22 chairs, 22 stands for winds; percussion chairs and stands as needed to cover parts (at least 5 of each)
• Front row (A) – 8 chairs, 4 stands
• Row 2 (B) – 12 chairs, 6 stands
• Row 3 (C) – 16 chairs, 8 stands
• Row 4 (D) – 20 chairs, 10 stands
• Row 5 (E) – 24 chairs, 12 stands
• Row 6 (F) – 28 chairs, 14 stands
• Row 7 (G) – 30 chairs, 15 stands
• Row 8 (H) – 22 chairs, 11 stands
• Row 9 (I) – 29 chairs, 20 stands
• 3 levels of risers, 2 risers per level *we may not have space for risers*
  • Level 1 – 7 chairs, 7 stands (flutes/clarinets)
  • Level 2 – 5 chairs, 5 stands (horns/bass clarinet/bassoon)
  • Level 3 – 7 chairs, 7 stands (trumpets/trombones/tuba)
• Percussion equipment and stands. 
• Block off seats in audience for middle schoolers.
• Curtains – back curtain down, legs adjusted
• Microphone
• Nametags/numbers on chairs
• Signs on doors
  • North Middle in girls’ dressing room
  • Kiewit in boy’s dressing room
  • North High in band room
  • Overflow in choir room
• Post seating chart spreadsheet in MPR and dressing rooms.
• Programs
• Door monitors
• Light monitors

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Tear Down Crew:

Arrive to MNHS auditorium by 7:15 p.m. to watch concert and put away chairs and equipment afterwards.   When concert ends and stage clears, stack chairs, rack stands, put risers and piano back, move everything where it goes, make sure stage, choir room, orchestra room, band room look like they did before we were here!

• Stands on Stand racks.
• Chairs returned to racks.
• Podium to MPR
• Music picked up for filing
• Signs and chair stickers removed and recycled
• Percussion equipment returned to band room
• Stage completely cleared by 9 p.m.

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Stage Managers:

Description: Be on hand 5:30 p.m.-end of concert backstage/at sound booth to control lights and handle any other issues that come up during the performance (i.e. chair/stand malfunctions, runner, flow control, etc.)

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Ushers:

Description: Arrive by 5:30 p.m. – Before concert: Direct concertgoers and performers to where they need to be.  Pass out programs to attendees at main entrance.  

During concert: Help late-comers find seats as needed.  Man the exits to help people remember that they should only enter in between pieces.  Close the doors when the concert starts and open the main doors when the concert ends.

After the concert: open the doors.  Tell audience “Thanks for coming!”

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Middle School Ambassadors:

Description: Arrive at 5:30 p.m.  Be in the rooms with your assigned middle school.  North is in choir room, Kiewit is in dressing rooms.  Lead the kids out to the auditorium for the rehearsal, then sit with them during Alt. Styles and Concerto performance, then lead them to the stage for their part of the concert.  Be on hand afterward if they need help finding things, getting cleaned up, and heading home.

Printable version of this document.

This is a required concert for all Symphony Orchestra students. Some are performing, some are helping.

Refreshments will be served in the cafeteria after the concert. Please sign up here to donate!

Pdf of Program

Concert details for performers – Plan to arrive at MNHS by 6:00 p.m. Rehearsal starts promptly at 6:15 P.M. The concert will begin at 7:30 PM.

• Plan to arrive to MNHS by 6 PM. 
• Unpack in the orchestra room. 
• Find your spot on the stage. 
• Meet and converse with your middle school buddy. 
• Rehearse attentively from 6:15-7:15 PM. 
• Concert starts at 7:30 p.m. 

Concert Attire – Wear your orchestra attire as outlined in the orchestra handbook.

At 6:15 p.m. all students should be in the MNHS auditorium ready for instructions from the directors. We will rehearse the combined orchestra (approximately 160 orchestra members) from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Concert order this year will be MNHS Alternative Styles Ensemble, MNHS 1st hour Orchestra +winds/percussion, featuring cello soloist Eshaan Giri, followed by the combined orchestras (Kentucky Jam, Gabriel’s Oboe, The Magnificent Seven).

While the students are rehearsing for the concert, there will be an informal meeting for 8th grade orchestra parents, led by current MNHS Orchestra Parents and selected MNHS Orchestra Students, to orientate them on the MNHS orchestra program and the opportunities their children will have as members of the MNHS orchestra program. These parents and students will talk briefly about what orchestra is like, performance groups, orchestra parent participation and will be able to answer questions attendees have about the orchestra program. This meeting will run from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the orchestra room (1520) – which is in the music wing. Parents – if you are willing to serve on the panel, please email Mrs. M 🙂

The concert will be over by 8:30 p.m. There is no admission charge, although donations are always welcomed!

Seniors! If you plan to pursue music/audition for scholarships at UNO, the deadline is March 1!

See this link for more information and to apply. UNO will hold auditions Feb. 20 and March 4, although you can also schedule alternate times. See me if you need repertoire or need help preparing.

Cody Mentors ~ reminder that Cody Practice Club resumes Tuesday, February 21 at 3:45-4:30 PM at Cody Elementary School.

Monday, January 30, 2023.

It’s back at the Baxter! All orchestra students will participate in this once-a-year music clinic and concert. All details are included in the Parent Letter.

Tickets: attendees are required to purchase tickets for the concert, which are available on Baxter’s Ticketmaster webpage. (Note – Student performers do not need a ticket to perform)

Financial Support:

• If your family or business would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support All-Millard, please send a check to Mrs. Martinez made payable to Millard Public Schools (or MPS) with “All Millard” in the memo line – thanks for your support!
• If you know of a business that would consider sponsoring this event, please make a copy of this letter, updated with the business’ name, and send it to them!

We will need parent chaperones:

• 5 needed for the first shift – 7:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
• 3-5 needed for the second shift – 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• 10 needed for loading percussion instruments on the truck after the concert and unloading back at MNHS (approximate time 8-9:30 pm).
• Sign up here – thank you for your help!

Finally, for a short video about the event, click here. And learn more about our guest conductors here!

Volunteers needed to represent MNHS Orchestra at the 8th grade Activities Fair Jan. 23 and 26.

-Link to sign up-

Cody Practice Club – Cody Mentors

Resumes Tuesday, January 10th at 3:45-4:30 PM at Cody Elementary School and will happen every Tuesday through Feb. 28.

Mustang String Studio – January 21, 2023 – is an opportunity for our high school orchestra students to offer lessons to string students in grades 4-8 that also raises funds for our orchestra program. 

Students were given the opportunity to volunteer in class.  They also have the opportunity to attend 3 sessions to learn more about teaching private lessons (Jan. 6, 13, and 20).  Once students have completed the private lessons instruction course, they can be on the list of recommended high school string tutors that I share with our elementary school and middle school orchestra staff.

Students planning to take orchestra in 2023-24 will receive their course placement information by or before Jan. 23.

I would love to see everyone return for another great year in MNHS ORCH!

Every orchestra student, grades 9-12, is required to record and submit a Mid-Year Assessment that will serve as their first second semester grade and help determine their orchestra placement for the 2023-24 school year.  Students received the materials in class Nov. 22 and will receive some instruction in class after our concert.  However, they are expected to do most of the prep work on their own outside of class.  Assessment Materials are also linked here, as well as on Google Classroom.