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Welcome to my website!
My name is Michael Neal, and I am the orchestra director for Bartlett High School and Bartlett Academy. If you have any questions about any information that you find here, please do not hesitate to email me using the button to the right or simply write to: [email protected].
 

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Welcome Back!

Welcome to the 21 - 22 school year! Hopefully all of you had a relaxed and enjoyable summer. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and working on some awesome music this year.

Q2 W1 Strings Agenda

Hybrid Students

Lesson Material

  • Warm-ups
    • Long bows
    • Pentascales
  • Shifting
    • Basic movements
    • Accuracy training
  • Vibrato
    • Basic movements
    • Types of vibrato
  • Duets
    • Continue working on duets
      • Notes and rhythms
      • Bowings and articulations
      • Dynamics
      • Phrasing

Assignments

  • Practice Log
    • Due 10/19
    • Accepted through 10/23 @ 11:59

Virtual Students

Assignments

  • Complete any remaining music theory assignments from Q1
    • Assignments for Q2 will be assigned once the Q1 assignments are complete

Q2 W1 Orchestra/Orchestra Honors Agenda

Lesson Material

  • Warm-ups
    • Long bows
      • Full length bow strokes 
      • Eyes looking for straight bow
      • Ears listening for consistent tone and dynamics from frog to tip
    • Scales
      • 9th: F, Bb
      • Others: C, B, Db - full rotation, extra focus on major intonation and C melodic intonation
  • Continue to learn and refine orchestra music.
    • Arlington Sketches
    • The Evil Eye and the Hideous Heart
  • Begin vibrato exercises
    • Types of vibrato (shoulder instruments)
    • When to use vibrato (basses)
    • Basic motions

Assignments

  • Practice Log
    • Due 10/19
    • Accepted through 10/23 @ 11:59

20 - 21 BHS Orchestra Handbook

Here you will find the 20 - 21 orchestra/strings handbook. Due to the nature of this year, I prefer confirmation of the handbook via email. You will need to send that to [email protected]. It will NOT be accepted at any other email address. If you feel that you would rather submit it in paper, I can accept it.
 
To confirm via email, please send the information requested on the last page of the handbook plus a typed statement acknowledging that you have received and read the handbook. Your digital signature will be your name typed after this statement.

Bach Recordings

You can find an excellent recording of the Bach Cello Suites here.
 
You can find an excellent recording of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas here.
 
Bassists, here's your Cello Suites recording here.
 
You can find an excellent recording of the Bach Minuets (strings class) here.

Suzuki Minuets

Strings class, here are 3 minuets to help you keep occupied during our time away from school. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask. You can also record a section or an entire minuet and send it to me via unlisted video on YouTube for help and feedback.

Unaccompanied Bach Challenge

I am inviting any interested students to join me in an unaccompanied Bach challenge. We will take the month of April to learn a movement from either the Bach unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas for violin, or the Bach unaccompanied Cello Suites. Participants will record themselves on April 30 and submit the video via YouTube (unlisted) on the following day. Since I know at least one student will ask, I'll tell you what I'm planning on doing: Sarabanda from Partita No. 2 (d minor). 
 
6 Sonatas and Partitas for violin (and viola/cello)
     For any student who has not studied any unaccompanied Bach, I recommend the Presto from Sonata No. 1 (g minor). There are some movements labelled Double that look easy, but you don't perform a Double without also performing the movement before.
     Any viola or cello players who wish to learn one of these pieces may do so. There is a tab directly under "Sheet Music" labelled Arrangements and Transcriptions. You can find them there.
 
6 Cello Suites for cello (and violin/viola)
     For any student who has not studied any unaccompanied Bach, I recommend the Prelude from the Suite No. 1 (G major).
     Any viola or violin players who wish to learn one of these pieces may do so. There is a tab directly under "Sheet Music" labelled Arrangements and Transcriptions. You can find them there.
 
It should go without saying that any students who have private lessons should not be using any movements on which they have already worked. All students are welcome to contact me (use the normal email address, not the contact me on this website) and/or upload progress videos seeking assistance.

Distance Learning and Orchestra

Since we seem to be transitioning (at least for a short period) to distance learning, I will be using this website and emails to get information and resources out to everyone. Please stay tuned and check your email.