Here's this week's newsletter. Key points and new information are in bold type.
A link to each post will be sent through the choir Twitter and Facebook accounts, to whatever parent emails I have on file, and to the students through Google Classroom.
The beginning section will always be about curricular choir and the following information will pertain to the extracurricular activities, so you only need to read what applies to your student. The most updated and comprehensive calendar is always on bataviamusic.org.
Curricular Choir:
- Assignments: We had a large number of assignments recently, but most students are current. If your student's grade has fallen recently, ask about their GLE 6A & 6B, or contact me for details.
- Difficulty level progress in SRF (Updated 4/8): Our average difficulty level keeps climbing! The average level for all 125 students moved from 1.26 in the first week up to 3.13 on the most recent assignment. Very few students are at level 1 (though, I'm happy they are if it is the appropriate challenge for them!), and many students are regularly working at level 4 or even 5. SRF has 6 possible levels, so there's plenty of room to grow, even for our most advanced singers. Here are some breakdowns: All 9th graders are averaging 2.77, Varsity is 2.28, Treble is 3.41, and Chamber is 5.15.

- Order forms and checks (no cash) will be collected during Music classes the week of April 4th.
- No orders will be accepted after Friday, April 8th.
- Any cash received will be returned and your order will not be fulfilled.
- Price: Hoagies are $5 each and come in (4) options: RED (everything), GREEN (no onion), YELLOW (no tomato) and BLUE (no onion, no tomato).
- NEW Hoagie option for 2016! THE BULLDOG SPECIAL! DOUBLE MEAT for only $1 more!
- All checks must be made payable to Batavia Music Buffs; cash is not accepted. If you accept cash payments, please write one check that reflects the cash that you were paid.
- Students will receive $1.00 in CHARMS credit for each Hoagie.
- Online ordering is same price as paper orders! bataviamusicbuffs.org
- Sandwich pick up: April 23rd, 2016 at Rotolo Middle School, 10am – 11am.
- Volunteers are needed - please see website: bataviamusicbuffs.org
St. Charles Singers would like to invite BHS choir students to participate in a one day clinic - Sing! - on July 21, 2016 in St. Charles. Participants work in ensembles of about 9 -12 students conducted by members of St. Charles Singers to learn two songs. All ensembles also learn two songs to perform in the "All Sing". After a short dinner break they will perform a community concert that same night. Solo coaching sessions are available; 4 of those participants will be chosen to perform their solo at the concert.
Brochures, applications, as well as an informational poster are here. This will be our sixth Sing! and the students are LOVING the experience. We will welcome 90 students this year. The soprano section fills quickly and there is a limit of 25 students per section. We would appreciate your help in letting your students know about this opportunity. Print any of the materials or contact us and we can get hard copies to you. Students can also go to the website to print an application and get a copy of the brochure at www.stcharlessingers.com, then click "SING 2016" in the
window bar.
Scholarships available for those with financial need, just ask!
The St. Charles Singers will conclude its 2015-16 season with "Choral Eclectic", a bold performance during which the choir will traverse seven centuries of song. They will be performing on April 17 at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles.
A concert highlight will be Thomas Tallis's rarely heard English Renaissance motet "Spem in Alium" (Hope in any other) with 40 individual voice parts. Another highlight will be Orlando di Lasso's passionate madrigal "Si Ch'io Vorrei Morire", which the BHS Chamber Singers performed in February.
For Concert tickets and information, visit www.stcharlessingers.com or call 630-513-5272.
The Buffs are giving away money! Read below to find out how to get your share!
- General Scholarship Info Page: https://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/scholarships/
- Scholarship Policies: https://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/scholarship-policies/
- General Apply Online Page: https://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/apply-online/
- Direct Link to Summer Camp Scholarships Online Application: http://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/batavia-music-buffs-residential-summer-camp-scholarship-application/
- Direct Link to Gertrude Petit Collegiate Online Application: http://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/gertrude-petit-memorial-scholarship-application/
- Apply By Mail Page: https://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/apply-by-mail/ NOT PREFERRED.
Application deadline is April 25th. 1st Checks will be needed by May 3rd for 1st of the final year end concerts.
Batavia High School is partnering with Young Hearts for Life. Young Hearts for Life is a not for profit organization affiliated with Advocate Charitable Foundation. They offer a voluntary screening program that involves a simple, three-minute electrocardiogram (EKG). An EKG is a non-invasive test that measures the electrical activity of the heart and can detect certain heart abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac death.
The screening will be free to the students at Batavia High School on April 14, 2016 and will take place throughout the entire school day. All students are able to participate in the screening. Special thanks to Batavia High School who have provided the funding for the event.
Participation is voluntary; however, all high school students are strongly encouraged to participate in the free screenings, even if they were previously screened. An EKG screening is recommended every two years for students up until the age of 25.
Cardiologists will be on site to interpret the testing. The results from the screening will be sent to parents via an email notification three to four weeks after the screening. All results are confidential and communicated through a secure system.
Parents who wish to have their child participate in the free screening program must complete registration by visitingwww.yh4l.org.
Volunteers Needed!
We will need over 85-adult volunteers for the high school screening event. To volunteer please register online by clickinghere. All volunteers are required to attend a volunteer training program. Those dates and times are found in the volunteer sign up link.
To learn more about Young Hearts for Life, please visit www.yh4l.org, or call Kathy Marek at (630) 785-4366. For more information about EKG screenings, visit the frequently asked questions at http://www.yh4l.org/faq/.
- Tuesday, May 3: Spring Choir Concert, 7pm
- Tuesday, May 17: Music Senior Awards night
- Wednesday, May 18: Graduation Ceremony (Graduates, plus a few additional singers, will sing the National Anthem