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Batavia High School Music Department

Sing! Workshop for Teens

4/20/2022

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A Message from Laura Johnson: 

The St. Charles Singers Sing! Workshop for Teens is an event that happens every summer.  I am the director for this 1-day workshop and I’m hoping you will consider encouraging your students to attend this summer. I’ve attached a flyer for you to look at and possibly send to your students. This workshop is a 1-day “camp” experience for high school singers (students who have completed 8th grade through those who have completed their senior year) that includes small ensemble singing and solo coaching, if desired.  I have seen how students have bonded with students outside of their schools through this singing experience and how fulfilled they feel at the end of this day.  


The date of the workshop is Thursday, July 21, 2022.  The day will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 6:15 p.m. with a free concert for friends and family.  The cost is $70 for the workshop (the price goes up to $80 after June 1).  Optional solo coaching is $25.  Sing! is held at Baker United Methodist Church in St. Charles, IL.  
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On the day of Sing!, singers will gather together with games and a good warm-up.  They will then move on to small ensemble work with their director who will teach 2-3 pieces.  Later, the small ensembles will combine to form one large ensemble and will rehearse 2-3 more pieces.

Students may also choose solo coaching.  They will bring a piece of solo music and one of our coaches will work with them, giving them vocal suggestions. 

The directors of all of the ensembles are renowned throughout the Chicagoland area and might be colleagues that you know:

Bryan Kunstman, choir director at Kaneland High School
Monica Bertrand, choir director at St. Charles East High School
Laura Johnson, choir director at Glenbard North High School
Michael Thoms, Professional Choral Musician
Jen Gingrich, Professional Choral Musician

All of these directors are veteran choral directors and know the Sing! program well.  They know how to make the time fun for the singers and how to give the singers a musical experience.  I’ve also been a director for this program in the past and I strongly believe in the value of this unique program.  

1.  Most students don’t get a chance to work with their choirs during the summer and this workshop gives them the singing “boost” that they truly are looking for.
2.  This program is only one day, unlike other summer music camps.  Since students don’t always have the ability to be gone from jobs and activities for a week, this workshop fits their schedules well.
3.  It’s affordable.  Most week-long camps are quite expensive.  And, seniors don’t feel like they are spending a large amount of their valuable college money for a camp.  If a student would like to attend, but truly can’t afford the cost, we offer full and half scholarships.  
4.  Solo coaching is also available for an additional cost.  Students can work one-on-one with an expert in solo singing.

If your students are interested in participating in Sing!, please have them scan the QR code on the flyer, or they can go to stcharlessingers.com and click on the Sing! tab.  They can sign up immediately!

Thank you so much for spreading the word!  If you or your students have any questions, please feel free to contact me through this email or through the web site.  I wish you the best in our remaining weeks of school!

Laura Johnson
Sing! Workshop for Teens Director
sing__hs_flier_2022.pdf
File Size: 2394 kb
File Type: pdf
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District Survey

4/14/2021

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  • District Survey: Your feedback is needed to help direct the future of our school facilities in Batavia. The district has been engaging in a master facilities planning process for two years, and before final recommendations are made to the board, your feedback is needed. Go to www.bps101.net/boft to review the details and take a survey.
  • Encuesta de distrito: Su opinión es necesaria para ayudar a dirigir el futuro de nuestras instalaciones escolares en Batavia. El distrito ha estado participando en un proceso de planificación de instalaciones maestras durante dos años, y antes de que se hagan las recomendaciones finales a la junta, se necesitan sus comentarios. Vaya a www.bps101.net/boft para revisar los detalles y realizar una encuesta.
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Choir placements for 2021-22

2/16/2021

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Here are the placements for the 2021-22 choirs. As always, I make my assignments based on making five viable choirs. This year it looks like we'll have five choirs of around 26-28 students each. 

We don't have 'auditions', per se. I make placements based on what I have seen from the students over the course of the year. Students who wish for higher choirs can always do more advanced music theory or sight-reading over the next school year. That often lets me know who is really trying to get even better, and who is content to just enjoy a less challenging class where they can make music! In the few instances where I need additional information before making a decision, I have asked those students to individually complete additional work for me. 

The 2021-22 choirs will be: 
  • Varied ability levels: 
    • Chorale (students grades 9-11, only Soprano or Alto) 
    • Mixed Chorale (9-12 grades, any voice range)  
  • Intermediate
    • Varsity (10-12 grades), during 2021-22, this group will only be Sopranos & Altos.
  • Advanced
    • Treble Choir (Students 10-12, only Soprano or Alto)
    • Chamber Singers (Students 10-12, any voice range
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BHS Show Choir info meeting Monday, 10/19 at 7 pm

10/15/2020

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Hello, students and parents! 

I apologize for the delay on forming show choir plans - I had been trying to find a stable enough break in the changing plans to establish a solid plan, but I'm really quickly realizing that this situation is going to be continually changing and our best option is just to roll with things as we go along and continue to adapt our plan as best we can with SAFETY at the forefront of every decision we make. 

For this year, I would like to make show choir available to everyone. None of us are going to need to be worried about the pressures of competition or anything like that, so I want to use this year to really try to allow as many students to be involved as would like to be involved. Because of this, my initial plan was to just have 1 large group of all show choir students, assuming we were going to be virtual all year. However, now that we are able to have rehearsals (these are NOT going to be 'normal' rehearsals... more on that in a moment) in person, we do need to keep the number of students per group under control. So, before I make the decision of whether to split into Legacy and Swingsingers again, I need to know how many students are planning to be involved in show choir this year. If we only end up with 30 interested students, we will just have one group, but if there are more like 70 for instance, we will absolutely split.

During rehearsals: we are going to try to have in-person rehearsals when and where we can - if it is SAFE. Rehearsals outdoors are doable until it gets too cold, and then we can use larger spaces and MASKS ON with no singing indoors to socially distantly work on choreography and teambuilding. We will hold vocal rehearsals when we can outdoors, and virtually on Zoom when being outdoors is not an option. 

I want to say thank you to all the students and parents that participated in the surveys I sent to returning students. When reading the answers, particularly to "why are you interested in participating in show choir again?" I was so moved to read that almost every single student mentioned missing the family atmosphere of show choir. I know that everything is going to look a lot different for the Batavia Show Choirs this year, but we are still a family, and we can still have each others' backs and build and strengthen a community, even over Zoom, or spread out in a parking lot with masks on. 

So, I would like to schedule an informational Zoom meeting for students and parents on Monday, October 19th at 7PM. I will get a headcount of students planning to participate this year, give information about 'auditions' for the season, and be available to answer questions from everyone. We will get the audition process rolling next week, and will get to rehearsing and building our show choir family! 

Please feel free to reach out with any questions ahead of time, or just make a note to ask them in the Zoom meeting, as others may have the same question. 
Hope to see you all then! 

Melissa O'Neill
--
Melissa O'Neill
Director - Swingsingers, Legacy
Batavia High School

PS: The link to the Zoom call is posted in Google Classroom for all choir students, and in the email sent home. If you would like to have it sent to you, please email peter.barsch@bps101.net or melmoneill@gmail.com.
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Remote Attendance for Choir Class

8/17/2020

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All of us remember how remote learning worked last year in regards to attendance. This year, our school district has enacted some other guidelines for our classes regarding attendance. You must follow your class schedule online.
  • All teachers will be taking attendance each day for each class. Each student must login to the choir class Google Meet (video call) during the block during the scheduled day.
  • I will usually only have 20-30 minutes of Google Meet time, followed by other activities which may include small-group Google Meets or other activities that I assign. Our Google Meet will usually be at the beginning of our scheduled block.
  • Please use the Google Meet link found in the Google Classroom header for each class period.
  • If possible, be in a location with strong WIFI or wired internet connection. Try to be somewhere private in case you need to sing. Headphones are recommended. 
  • If you cannot be in the Google Meet for any reason, please change your availability in this Classroom assignment to No or Maybe and send me an email. You can leave a note on your Calendar reply, but please bear in mind that those notes are not private so everyone in class will see the note you write.
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MusicFirst Classroom

8/17/2020

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This year, we are using MusicFirst, an online music suite of programs where you will submit assignments each day and can use to help increase your musical knowledge. These programs are included in your course fees and will have no additional costs. They include:
  • PracticeFirst - an online music practice & assessment program
  • Musition - a music theory trainer
  • Auralia - an ear training program
  • Soundtrap - a digital audio workstation (DAW) where you can record yourself and others, edit audio, and podcast. 
  • Noteflight Learn - music notation software
  • Sight-Reading Factory - an online sight-reading program
  • A few other programs that we may use less but you may find fun to play with. 
We will be using MusicFirst as the primary way to listen to you perform, assess your knowledge, and watch you be creative. A link to your enrollment will be provided to you in your @bps101.net E-Mail during the first week of school. 

MusicFirst will track individual assignments so you can always see your current progress. Every two weeks, I will update PowerSchool. If you are concerned about what's showing up in PowerSchool, make sure any past due work is turned in before every two-week update.



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Tips for Remote Learning

8/17/2020

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Digital Learning
We will be remote learning for an indeterminate period of time. As such, we need students to be present in their digital learning. Here’s what you can do:
  • Open your @bps101.net E-Mail. This should be your primary E-Mail address for school-related materials. You should check this EVERYDAY. 
  • Sign up for Google Classroom and enroll in your choir classes. You should receive your invitation in your @bps101.net E-Mail. 
  • Familiarize yourself with Google Calendar. Mr. Barsch will send out Calendar appointments for class. You should learn how to RSVP to Calendar appointments as well. 
  • ​I will usually only have 20-30 minutes of Google Meet time, followed by other activities which may include small-group Google Meets or other activities that I assign. Our Google Meet will usually be at the beginning of our scheduled block.
  • If possible, be in a location with strong WIFI or wired internet connection. Try to be somewhere private in case you need to sing. Headphones are recommended.
  • If you cannot be in the Google Meet for any reason, please change your availability in this Classroom assignment to No or Maybe and send me an email. You can leave a note on your Calendar reply, but please bear in mind that those notes are not private so everyone in class will see the note you write.
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Making Music at Home

8/14/2020

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Making Music at Home
PARENTS: It can be terrifying to sing or play instruments in front of your family, especially when you are just learning a new piece or technique. Your students will have to sing for our class, but I am sensitive to their desire to try to sing PRIVATELY.  
Here’s how you can help: 
  • ​Ask your student whether they are concerned about being able to practice privately. It may not be an issue for all kids. 
  • If possible, help them find a place where they can sing without being heard by you or their siblings. Maybe inside a car? Outside at a forest preserve? All MusicFirst activities can be done on any device, so phones, tablets, are all fair game if that helps with portability.
  • If you do hear them, please resist the urge to say ANYTHING about what you heard. Even encouraging comments often lead students, especially high school students, to clam up. Please leave the feedback to me unless they ask you for it. If they do ask, a comment like "I love it when you make music" can keep from putting stress on them, rather than a specific criticism or compliment. 
  • If a private space isn’t possible, maybe they can find a private time. Check in with them to see if there are activities that they need to complete without anyone around. Most of our activities will be done over the course of two weeks, so you can probably find a time in those two weeks when they can sing comfortably. ​

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A Message about 20-21 Curricular Choir from Mr. Barsch

7/16/2020

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Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry that I can't yet give you final decisions about what everything will look like since what I am able to do will be affected by the numbers of in-person students. I can tell you a little about what I'm planning, however.

Regarding the choir class, I do not believe that it is safe for us to be singing full choir songs together in the classroom as usual. We will still be singing individually or in smaller groups, but I'm happy to say that I believe that our music team has new ways to explore the music education standards that are exciting and engaging. I'm very excited about a suite of software (accessible through Chromebooks) that we will be using to make music together. I'm trying to structure things in such a way that if we are in class or if we are all locked down again, we should still be able to do the same things. 

We won't just be doing 90 minutes of Music Theory every day; while we will still reinforce the skills we learned before, we will be adding elements of composition/songwriting, music creation with Digital Audio Workstation software, etc. 

I'm hopeful that since I'm structuring things this way, I will be allowed to fully involve remote learners in this curriculum as well. I can't promise that, however. It is possible that new guidelines will mean that students electing to do remote learning will not be included in these activities. Please know that I will be advocating for our remote learners, and doing my best to help them grow musically. 

Chromatics and show choir will be largely virtual as well. Students interested in show choir should see this note from Miss O'Neill. 

Please know that I completely understand how difficult it is to choose between in-person or remote learning without full information about what will be done. I understand how tough this decision can be; Mrs. Barsch and I are still deciding what we are  going to do with our 7th & 8th-grade children.

Please feel free to reach out to me by email at peter.barsch@bps101.net and I will do my best to answer any questions you may have. 
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A Message about 20-21 Show Choir from Miss O'Neill

7/16/2020

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A message from Miss O’Neill, Batavia HS show choir director: 
Show choir this year is going to look a lot different. Until there is a vaccine readily available, it just isn't going to be safe for large groups of people to be together, which means that competition season as we know it is not going to be possible. Please know that I am just as heartbroken about this as you are, but that your safety and wellbeing is way, WAY more important to me than going to competitions. 
Show choir in person is also going to be really challenging. Singing together in one space is already risky, but adding in the element of dancing, which makes you more out of breath and requires you to breathe even harder, is much more risky. 
That being said, I still think it is very important that we try to do something. I am working hard with Brian and Ellie (our arranger and choreographer) to come up with a way for us to still have a show, and I have been talking to other schools/directors about ways that we can still get to know each other virtually and share musical experiences together - even if they aren't competitions.
Our show choir experience is likely going to be completely virtual this year. My promise to you is that I will work as hard as I can and do whatever it takes to make sure that you get to learn new choreography, new music, and that you get time to spend together socially and make new and stronger friendships. I strongly encourage you to still participate in whatever we are able to do this year. 
I am open to hearing from any/all of you about what you'd like to see/do for virtual show choir this year. The good news is that without competition season we don't have such a hard deadline to finish things, we won't need to spend so much time cleaning, and we can start right at the beginning of the year if we want to! 
My imagination right now is that we'll have maybe 1 night/week all year and maybe we'll do one new song each month. We can provide you with resources to help you learn the music on your own a little, and I will teach some virtually. We will also be able to bring Ellie in virtually to teach new choreography (we might also even get to meet some other choreographers this year, depending on what we're able to do with other schools!). 
If all goes as well as possible and there is a vaccine or something available in the Spring and it becomes safe for us to get back to show choir as we know it - WE WILL ALREADY HAVE SO MANY SONGS LEARNED!!! :-) We'll be able to jump right back into singing and dancing together like we know how! 
I promise you to continue to be in touch with the rest of the community regarding what we're doing and what is safe, and if we're able to adjust what we can do or how we can do it, I will do everything in my power to give you the best experience I can while keeping you AS SAFE as I can. 
Again, I understand the sadness and frustration you're feeling at reading this. I promise you I have felt all the same things and I continue to feel them. Plenty of tears have been shed on my end over how much I miss you, how worried I am about you, and what I can do to keep you safe. But I hope that you remember this: as much fun as it is to sing and dance with you, and as much as I love the talented performers you are, I love the human beings you are even more, and it is way more important to me that you're all healthy and safe than that we get to hang out in the choir room together. 
Please, PLEASE feel free to reach out to me with questions/comments/concerns/suggestions. 
I am very much wanting to start a dialogue here about what you all feel happy and comfortable with and what I can do to best facilitate this situation. We're all going through this for the first time together, and I want you to be a part of it, too. You can reach me by email at melmoneill@gmail.com, by phone at 630.421.3845 (call or text), or on the Band app groups from this past school year. 

Melissa O'Neill
Director, BHS Show Choirs


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