Choir parents and families,
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:
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: Students in all choirs can be working on the MusicTheory.net due Tuesday and the Sight Reading Factory due next Thursday. Any past due assignments from Semester 2 only are fair game as well. We had GLE's due last week, so if your student's grade took a plunge, see if they completed their GLE 5a & 5b!
- Difficulty level progress in SRF (Updated 2/5): Our average difficulty level keeps climbing! The average level for all 125 students moved from 1.26 in the first week up to 2.8 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 2.17, Varsity is 2.41, Treble is 2.94, and Chamber is 4.23.
- The list for Illinois State Scholars has been announced, and Adi Alley, Maren Flessen, Xander Heine, Amanda Maher, and Ben Zinser were all named, as was the "friend of the program" Mikkel Knutson (Mikkel has been in choir, and was one of the serving peasants at the Festival of Carols this year). We have some smart cookies in choir!
- Our focus for this concert cycle will be on vowel shape and tone quality. We are also paying special attention to some non-English languages (Italian, German, Japanese, and French), and each group has a song in compound meter (Each "big beat" is broken up into 3 smaller notes rather than 2: 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 time are examples). While we always want to get the notes right, we'll be paying special attention to our blend and healthy tone production. Wish us luck!
Hawaii/$1000 Cash Prize Raffle:
Tickets went home with all choir, band and orchestra students this week! See the information sheet with the tickets or on line at bataviamusicbuffs.org for details. All sales are due by Feb 16. Aloha!
Tickets went home with all choir, band and orchestra students this week! See the information sheet with the tickets or on line at bataviamusicbuffs.org for details. All sales are due by Feb 16. Aloha!
Tickets are now on sale for the Batavia Music Buffs 7th Annual Gala Benefit!
- Ticket deadline is this Sunday, Feb 7!!
- The Annual Gala serves as a significant music booster event that raises funds to support the Batavia Music Programs.
- This year’s theme centers on Batavia High School, recognized for the 3rd straight year as a Grammy Signature School Semi-finalist!
- Have an enjoyable evening out while continuing to support our excellent Music Education programs - with a plated dinner, live music, dancing, raffles, auctions and much more!
- The Gala will be held on Saturday, February 27th at the beautifully renovated Fishermen's Inn in Elburn, IL. For event details and to purchase your tickets go to https://www.bataviamusicbuffs.org/product-category/2016-tickets/. See you there!
- Help! At the Gala, we will be auctioning off baskets full of goodies. These baskets are put together to represent each choir, band, orchestra, etc. We need more donations for the baskets for each of the choir baskets. Please consider helping! No donation is too small!! We are asking $20 per family in cash or in kind. Thanks for the donations that came in this week!
_Showchoirs
- One more week until the next competition. Here is info about the Chesterton Competition on 2/13. We don't have full details for Northridge on 2/20, but we what we do know can be found on the linked page. I will update these pages as new info comes out, so please don't just print the page. I'll send out an email update to the Showchoir parents whenever there is an update to the pages. Here are other documents we've sent home with the kids. Here's costume info, and here's more general info.
- Several parents have emailed or called, asking how they can help. We will need at least two, or ideally four, parent volunteers for each competition. We ask that they ride the bus with us both ways, monitor the homeroom, and on rare occasions, deal with ill children. They will, if they ask, be able to watch the show from out in the audience and then meet back up with us after, and they will get free admission to the competition as our chaperone. The dates we have available are February 13 (Chesterton HS, Chesterton, IN), February 20 (Northridge HS, Middlebury, IN) and March 5 (Glenwood HS, Chatham, IL). Sign up here, or email me at peter.barsch@bps101.net if you would like clarification.
- Please get those participation fees in. Note that the $135 building fee is assessed through Powerschool. None of that money goes toward the Showchoir itself; it goes to pay for the facility, lights, heat, etc. The $300 fee is how we pay for the music, choreography, costuming, etc. All transportation fees and registration fees are paid by BHS. To pay this, please enclose a check to Batavia High School in a labeled envelope. Have your student drop it into the black lock-box in the choir room. The fee was due by the start of rehearsals on November 9. Any show choir student who has not paid the fee by the first competition will not be allowed to compete. For information about the BPS101 fee waiver policy, please see this page.
Dine in for MUSIC on Wed. February 17th with Enticing Cuisine! Mention Batavia Music Buffs when you order and Enticing Cuisine will contribute 15% of your order to support BPS 101 music programs. Order your Chicken Parmesan for 4 by Feb. 16th at 630-761-0399 and pick up between 4-6 pm on Feb. 17th. Our music students thank you!
Music Scholarships to Aurora University
Seniors! I got this nice email about scholarships from Lisa Fredenburgh, the Director of Choral Activities at Aurora University. For those of you in Varsity, she's the professor who came out to work with us in October.
"I hope your semester is off to a good start. I had so much fun with your students last semester. It was nice to see such engaged students. They are lucky to have you at Batavia for sure!
For us at AU, it is that time of year again! I am writing to let you know of a great scholarship opportunity for pianists and singers! The deadline for The Musical Excellence Competition Scholarship is quickly approaching (February 19th). You can find all the information about the music scholarships with the links below. Our Musical Excellence Scholarship Competition is open to Vocalists and Pianists. Scholarship winners in each area will be awarded $5000 per year renewable yearly up to $20,000.00. The deadline for application is Feb. 19 and the competition will be held on Saturday February 27, 2016 in Crimi Auditorium at Aurora University. I hope that you will suggest that some of your students apply for this scholarship opportunity or forward this email to them directly. Just a note, if they are not the winner of the competition, you will also be considered for other levels of funding."
Take a look at AU, and see if this is right for you!
Seniors! I got this nice email about scholarships from Lisa Fredenburgh, the Director of Choral Activities at Aurora University. For those of you in Varsity, she's the professor who came out to work with us in October.
"I hope your semester is off to a good start. I had so much fun with your students last semester. It was nice to see such engaged students. They are lucky to have you at Batavia for sure!
For us at AU, it is that time of year again! I am writing to let you know of a great scholarship opportunity for pianists and singers! The deadline for The Musical Excellence Competition Scholarship is quickly approaching (February 19th). You can find all the information about the music scholarships with the links below. Our Musical Excellence Scholarship Competition is open to Vocalists and Pianists. Scholarship winners in each area will be awarded $5000 per year renewable yearly up to $20,000.00. The deadline for application is Feb. 19 and the competition will be held on Saturday February 27, 2016 in Crimi Auditorium at Aurora University. I hope that you will suggest that some of your students apply for this scholarship opportunity or forward this email to them directly. Just a note, if they are not the winner of the competition, you will also be considered for other levels of funding."
Take a look at AU, and see if this is right for you!
2015-16 Concerts
- Tuesday, February 23: BHS Music Festival Concert 1 (Chorale & Alpha)
- Wednesday, February 24: BHS Music Festival Concert 2 (Treble & Varsity)
- Thursday, February 25: BHS Music Festival Concert 3 (Chamber)
- Tuesday, May 3: Spring Choir Concert (Please note this change)
- Tuesday, May 17: Music Senior Awards night (Please note this change)
- Other Important Dates:
- Wednesday, March 2: Showtime!
- Feb 24-3/1: Choir placement decisions
Did you notice that Gala tickets are only on sale until Sunday? Good!
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