Intermediate School Offerings

All students who wish to participate need to have a completed registration form on file. Please use the online registration form below to register your child for 5th grade orchestra. You will receive a confirmation message after completing the form.

If you are filling out this form on a mobile device and see a blank page after completing a section, you will need to manually scroll back to the top of the page to continue the form. You will receive a confirmation message once the form has been successfully submitted.

PLEASE NOTE: 5th grade orchestra is a full-year class. Students who join 5th grade orchestra are expected to participate for the entire school year. Please contact Mr. Steen with any questions.

2024-2025 5th Grade Orchestra Registration Form Link

There are four different string instruments that are played in the orchestra. These instruments are the

• Violin

  • Smallest and highest-pitched (soprano voice) of all of the orchestra instruments

  • Oftentimes takes the leading role/melody part in pieces

  • Held between the left shoulder and chin when played

  • Reads music using the treble clef staff

• Viola

  • Looks like a violin, but it is a slightly larger instrument

  • Has a slightly lower pitch range (alto voice) compared to the violin

  • Primarily serves as a bridge/connecting voice between the violin and cello/bass parts, but does have opportunities to take leading roles in pieces

  • Held between the left shoulder and chin when played

  • Reads music using the alto clef staff (the only instrument to do so!)

• Cello 

  • Significantly larger in size than the violin and viola

  • Has a wide pitch range (tenor voice) ranging from warm and low to rich and high

  • A foundation instrument that many pieces are built up from, but oftentimes has opportunities take leading roles in pieces

  • Cello players have to sit when playing and hold the instrument between their legs with the neck of the instrument resting near their left shoulder

  • Reads music using the bass clef staff (same as a piano player’s left hand)

• Bass

  • The largest of all the string instruments - full size basses are approximately six (6) feet tall without extending out the endpin for playing!

  • Has the lowest pitch range (bass voice) of the entire orchestra

  • Provides the harmonic and rhythmic foundation the rest of the orchestra instruments to build upon. It rarely has opportunities for leading roles in pieces.

  • Players have to either stand or sit on a tall stool to play the instrument

  • Reads music using the bass clef staff (same as a piano player’s left hand)

5th grade students have the option of playing the violin, viola, or cello.

Due to its physical size and the advanced playing techniques needed to play the instrument right away, bass is started in 6th grade orchestra. Any students interested in playing the bass in 6th grade orchestra will need to play the cello in 5th grade, as it is the most-similar instrument to the bass.
 

Student Financial Assistance Fund Information
All students interested in orchestra are welcome to join, regardless of a family's ability to pay for an instrument and/or supplies. If your family is in need of assistance with getting an instrument and/or supplies for class, please contact the Student Financial Assistance Fund for additional information.

Required supplies (all instruments)
In most cases, families provide the instrument and supplies needed for orchestra classes. For both 5th and 6th grade orchestra, students will need the following supplies:

• Instrument (instrument fitting needs to be completed before ordering/purchasing an instrument)
• New Directions for Strings - Book 1 for your instrument
  • Bass needs the A Position book
• Folding music stand (if no music stand already at home)
• Clip-on tuner (provided by Mr. Steen)
• Music folder (provided by Mr. Steen)

Required supplies (violin/viola only)

• Shoulder rest
  • Foam shoulder rest is recommended if child is on a fractional/non-full size instrument
  • Kun or Everest-style shoulder rest is recommended if child is on a full-size instrument

Required supplies (cello only)

• Rock stop (to help keep instrument end pin from sliding on hard surfaces)

Waunakee schools work with Ward-Brodt Music in Fitchburg for instrument leases/rentals and supplies. The store provides in-school delivery and pickup services throughout the school year and summer school.

Renting v. Purchasing an Instrument
Many families ask if I recommend renting/leasing or purchasing an instrument to start with. My recommendation is to begin with renting/leasing an instrument. The reasons I recommend this are:

• Ability to change instrument sizes without incurring additional costs of purchasing new instruments
• Maintenance and insurance costs are included in the monthly rental fee
  • Maintenance/repairs include items such as cracks/seam splits in the instrument, warped/broken bridges, frozen pegs. Please note that broken strings are not covered by this plan.
  • Any accidents that cause the leased/rented instrument to be damaged or destroyed are covered by the insurance fee included in the monthly rental price.

If You Choose To Purchase an Instrument
If you choose to purchase an instrument for your child, please read through the following statements:

• Please reach out to me (Mr. Steen) before making any instrument purchase. I want to help ensure that the instrument you purchase is of high quality and will help your student be successful with playing it.
• I have a list of Madison-area and online vendors I can share with you where you can purchase quality new or gently used instruments at affordable prices. Please contact me for a copy of this list.
• Never purchase an instrument from a website that does not specialize in music instruments.
  • These instruments are of exceedingly poor quality and oftentimes are not playable by even teachers/instructors. This can greatly frustrate students and cause them to ultimately not want to play the instrument anymore.
  • The cost of attempting to get one of these instruments into good playing condition can oftentime exceed the initial cost of the instrument several times over.
  • Many luthiers/instrument repair technicians refuse to work on these instruments as they are not designed to be repaired.
  • If the seller allows a “trial period” where a student can try out the instrument before making a final decision, feel free to set up a day/time for me to look over the instrument. I am happy to give recommendations or point out any repairs/maintenance the instrument may be needed for a specific instrument.
• With beginning-level instruments, you can often get a gently used instrument of the same or even higher quality at a lower price compared to brand-new instruments.

Orchestra instruments come in a wide variety of sizes to best fit each individual player. Playing a properly-sized instrument promotes proper playing posture and technique, and is a lot more comfortable to play. NEVER get an instrument that is too big for a student to play and have them "grow into" it. Not only is it extremely uncomfortable for a student to play an instrument that is too big for them, but the physical adjustments they need to make to attempt playing it can potentially cause a playing-related injury.

The vast majority of incoming 5th grade students will start on a fractional-sized instrument. Depending on a student's growth and particular instrument, most students grow into full-sized instruments by the end of middle school or early high school. Students are encouraged to move up in instrument sizes when they are ready to do so.

At an instrument fitting, students meet with Mr. Steen to be fitted for an instrument. This process begins with Mr. Steen taking measurements of the student's arm length and hand size (violin and viola students) or sitting height and hand size (cello students). Once measurements are taken, Mr. Steen will have students hold an instrument to confirm the proper fitting. After the fitting is completed, students and families will be informed of the correct size instrument a student will need. You will need this size to rent/purchase an instrument. The entire in-person fitting process usually takes around 5-10 minutes to complete per student.

At this time, we will wait until the fall to complete additional instrument fittings. Fittings can be completed by Mr. Steen either at the Waunakee Intermediate School open house night or during the first couple days of the 2024-2025 school year.

All students interested in joining 5th grade orchestra are encouraged to participate in summer school orchestra (course title: Orchestra 5/6 -Beginning). Summer school orchestra is a great chance for students to start learning about their instrument in a fun and relaxed environment. Students unable to participate in summer school orchestra are still able to begin orchestra in the fall.

Orchestra 5/6 - Beginning runs for the first half of the summer school session only (June 24-July 11). This course meets every day for 35 minutes (half of a full summer school class period).

If students are running a full class load (three classes plus orchestra), they will come out of part of one of their enrichment courses for orchestra. Students taking summer math, reading, or keyboarding classes cannot come to orchestra from these classes.

Students also have the option of taking an after summer school class that runs from 11:35-12:05 (normal summer school hours are 7:50-11:30). Please note that the district does not offer busing for students participating in the after summer school orchestra class. 

You can find more information about signing up for summer school classes at the Waunakee Summer School Website.

There are three main components to the 5th grade orchestra schedule during the school year: small group classes, large group classes, and concerts.

Small Group Schedule
5th grade orchestra is focused primarily on small-group instruction (~1-6 students at a time, depending on homeroom placement/instrument played).

Orchestra follows the six-day schedule rotation. Students will be scheduled to have their orchestra class once every six (6) days. For example, if a student is assigned Day 3 for their orchestra small group class, they will need to bring their orchestra instrument and supplies to school every Day 3 in the schedule rotation.

Students will come out of their Intervention/Extension (I/E) time for small group classes. I/E is a time designated for student pull-outs. Students will not miss any active class instruction time for homeroom or related arts classes to participate in orchestra small group classes.

Large Group Schedule
Before concerts, students will come together for large group orchestra rehearsals. Most large group rehearsals will take place during I/E time and are done by villages or homeroom teams.

On the day of concerts, all 5th grade orchestra students combine together for a full orchestra rehearsal.

Concerts
5th grade orchestra students perform in two evening concerts. The dates of the 2024-2025 Intermediate School Orchestra concerts are:

• Thursday, January 23, 2025
• Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Both concerts are held in the Waunakee Intermediate School gym. The start time of the concerts is 6:30 pm, with students needing to arrive by 6:00 pm for tuning and warm-ups.
 

 

General

Q: Am I required to take orchestra in 5th grade?
A: Orchestra is an elective (optional) music class. All 5th grade students have the option of taking orchestra in 5th grade.

Q: If I take orchestra, do I still have to take general music?
A: Yes. General music is a required class for all 5th grade students. Students participating in orchestra will have two music classes in 5th grade.

Instruments/Supplies

Q: What instruments can you play in orchestra?
A: Orchestra focuses on instruments from the bowed string family. Students are able to play one of four instruments in orchestra: violin, viola, cello, or bass. All 5th grade students can start on either the violin, viola, or cello. Due to its size and advanced playing techniques, we wait to start students on bass until they are in 6th grade. If you are interested in playing bass, Mr. Steen recommends you to start on cello in 5th grade, as it is the most-similar instrument to bass.

Q: How big are the instruments?
A: In order of size from smallest to biggest, they go violin, viola, cello, and bass. Violins and violas are the smallest of the instruments. They look similar to one another (viola is slightly bigger), and are held on your left shoulder when played. Cellos are big enough that you have to sit on a chair to play them. They are held between your legs when you play. Basses are so big that they are taller than the person playing them! Basses can be played standing up or sitting on a stool.

(For bass size height reference, the smallest basses available for students stand at approximately 5’3”-5’4” at its shortest height. A full size bass is approximately 6’0”-6’2” at its shortest height.)

Orchestra instruments come in different sizes to best fit the individual player. Part of getting ready for orchestra is getting sized for an instrument. Students can be sized by the Waunakee orchestra teachers or at a local music store that sells string instruments. Further details on getting fitted for an instrument by Mr. Steen will be coming out soon.

Q: How do I get an instrument?
A: In most cases, students and families provide the instrument used in orchestra. When starting out, most students and families choose to rent an instrument from a local music store, while others choose to buy an instrument right away. 

Orchestra is open to all students, regardless of a family’s ability to pay for an instrument or class supplies. If you need assistance with obtaining an instrument and supplies, please contact the Waunakee Student Financial Assistance Fund for more information.

In addition to the instrument, students will need the following supplies for orchestra:

-New Directions for Strings - Book 1 for your instrument
-Folding music stand (if you don’t have a music stand at home)
-Foam shoulder rest (violin/viola students only)
-Rock stop (cello students only)
-Snark tuner (provided by Mr. Steen)

Summer School

Q: Do I have to take summer school orchestra?
A: It is encouraged for all incoming 5th grade orchestra students to take summer school orchestra (Orchestra 5/6 Beginning). If you are not able to take summer school orchestra, you can still begin orchestra in the fall.

Q: Do I need to be registered for 5th grade orchestra to be able to take summer school orchestra?
A: Yes. This is to help with planning not only for summer school orchestra, but for 5th grade homeroom teacher placements in the fall.

Q: How does the summer school orchestra schedule work?
A: Orchestra 5/6 - Beginning runs for the first half of summer school session only (June 24-July 11). This course meets every day for 35 minutes (half of a full summer school class period).

If students are running a full class load (three classes plus orchestra), they will come out of part of one of their enrichment courses for orchestra. Students taking summer math, reading, or keyboarding classes cannot come to orchestra from these classes.

Students also have the option of taking an after summer school class that runs from 11:35-12:05 (normal summer school hours are 7:50-11:30). Please note that the district does not offer busing for students participating in the after summer school orchestra class. 

Other Questions

Q: Is it possible to take two music classes after 5th grade?
A: Yes, it is possible to take two music classes in 6th grade (band/choir, band/orchestra, or choir/orchestra). However, there are several factors that go into determining if a student will be allowed to take two music classes. You will receive more information about this as 5th grade students when it is time to choose the music class(es) you take as 6th graders.

Q: I have been taking private lessons on an orchestra instrument for ___ years. What opportunities are open to me in 5th grade orchestra?
A: We welcome you to be a part of the orchestra! Mr. Steen will set up a meeting with you and your parents/guardians to talk more about your past experiences with playing your instrument. Mr. Steen will also have you play some of the pieces you have or are currently working on with your private teacher. From here, Mr. Steen will help come up with some extension opportunities for you.