Choir Newsletter; September 23, 2016

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 are listed in PowerSchool, 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. ​

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Curricular Choir

• We're growing! I'm happy to report that there are now 140 students in choir! That's in increase over the 123 last year. I love having more students to know and make music with!
• Assignments: Our first assignment was simply to read the syllabus and show it to parents. In case that didn't happen, here is the syllabus!
• We have also just started the new set of SightReadingFactory (SRF) assignments. These are online assignments that let the students practice sightreading at a difficulty level of their choice. Ask about it!
• SRF makes a great deal of data available. I'll post some here from time to time, so you can see how our students are progressing! 
• Difficulty level progress in SRF (Updated 9/8): I've just graded the first set of SRF assignments. The average level for all 140 students is 2.17! 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: The average for 9th graders started at 1.14, Varsity at 1.83, Treble at 2.66, and Chamber at 4.10.
• Google Classroom has also added a feature where it will send an update to parents/guardians about what is going on in class. I have started inviting parents, so look for an email inviting you to view. 

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Google Classroom Parent/guardian summaries
Keep track of your student’s classroom progress through guardian email summaries. (More info here). You can choose the frequency of the emails—daily or weekly—and you can unsubscribe or remove yourself from Classroom at any time.
Guardian email summaries include:

• Missing work—Work that’s late at the time the email was sent
• Upcoming work—Work that’s due today and tomorrow (for daily emails) or work that’s due in the upcoming week (for weekly emails)
• Class activity—Announcements, assignments, and questions recently posted by teachers

As a guardian, you must receive and accept an email invitation before you can receive email summaries. Only teachers and administrators from your student’s school can send these invitations. I have sent invitations out over the last couple of days. If you have not received one, please email me. Bear in mind that this is a brand new feature, and most teachers have not started using it yet. There is quite a bit of work for teachers in setting this up, so please be patient if your child's other teachers aren't using this feature yet. 

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Disney trip update! 

Next Spring Break (March 28-April 2) we will visit the Happiest Place on Earth, Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

• The deposit is due on September 29.
• The info needed can be found on the Registration website, and on the Tour Flyer.
• We'll have a chance to perform in "Festival Disney", where we can perform for tremendous clinicians and compete against the best choirs in the country!
• We'll take part in the "Disney Sings" performing arts workshop, where students will get to perform a song from a Disney musical and learn audition skills, vocal techniques and more under the guidance of a professional Disney vocalist.
• We'll visit the Disney World parks and Universal Studios, home of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! 
• This trip will be available to any student enrolled in BHS choir classes during the 2016-17 school year. Tell your friends!
• As of Friday, 9/23 at 12:53 pm, there were 47 students registered (with deposits paid). I have gotten a few verbal expressions of interest from Chaperones, but no definite commitments yet. Please think about joining us! We will not go without chaperones. We have a couple empty seats, but they are reserved for chaperones. I anticipate filling the bus and starting a waiting list soon. 

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Tri-M Music Honor Society
 
If your son or daughter is a Junior or Senior and is interested in joining the Tri-M Music Honor Society at Batavia HS, please have them look at this webpage and fill out the application. Applications should be turned in to Mr. Owen by Friday, October 21st.
 
http://www.bataviamusic.org/uploads/2/4/1/1/24118805/tri-m_information___application_16-17.pdf

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Show Choir refreshers
Getting rusty on the show choir songs we learned in August? Come to the choir room after school on Tuesdays to practice!

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Chamber and Treble students!    
​ILMEA Audition Workshop: 

• On Saturday, October 1, BHS will host the professional chamber choir Cor Cantiamo as they run their annual ILMEA audition workshop. Members of Chamber Singers are encouraged to attend, and students from many area schools will also be attending.
• Tickets are required to participate. Here's the sign-up page. 
• I have sung and recorded with Cor Cantiamo for years. You can hear our work HERE
• Since we are hosting this event this year, I will likely need a couple volunteers to help make everything go smoothly.  

ILMEA Auditions: 

• The auditions themselves are on Tuesday, October 4. We'll leave after school and take a bus to Addison Trail High School. Once you are done with your auditions, you can be picked up. Since students will be finishing over several hours, rather than making everyone stay the whole night, we will not be taking a bus home. 
• Each audition will cost $8. 
• Please complete the Google Form in Classroom with your information. Even if you are not able to go, everyone in Chamber Singers must complete the form. 

ILMEA District 9 Festival: 

• Successful auditioners will take part in the fabulous ILMEA District 9 Chorus on 11/19. This is a tremendous event, with amazing musicians from some of the strongest music programs in the state.
• This year's clinician is Dr. Andrew Last from Luther College.  While I have not met Dr. Last, Luther is one of the very top choir colleges in the country. Students from BHS have worked with him, and the reviews have been GLOWING!

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Calendar
​All BHS choir after-school rehearsals, events, and performances will be posted and updated on the Batavia High School Music Department website, found at: www.bataviamusic.org.  This is the best resource for staying updated on concerts, rehearsals, and other events for the music program.

2016-2017 Choir Events and Performances 
(Attendance at performances/events are REQUIRED for all BHS choir students unless otherwise specified):
Wednesday, October 19            Fall Choir Concert
Tuesday, November 29              Kaleidoscope Concert Dress Rehearsal – During school day
Wednesday, November 30        Music Department Kaleidoscope Concert
Thursday, Dec 8                            Festival of Carols Dress Rehearsal (TBA)
Fri-Sat. Dec 9-10                            Festival of Carols (Chamber & Treble)
Tuesday, February 21                 BHS Music Festival- Concert 1 (Chorale)
Wednesday, February 22           BHS Music Festival- Concert 2 (Treble & Varsity)
Thursday, February 23               BHS Music Festival- Concert 3 (Chamber)
Wednesday, May 10                    Spring Choir Concert

2016-2017 Other Important Dates:
Tuesday, October 4                     ILMEA Auditions (Chamber strongly encouraged to audition)
Tuesday, February 28                 Showtime! (BFAC performance for show choirs and Chromatics)
March 28-April 2                          Choir tour to Disneyworld
Tuesday, May 2                            BHS Senior Music Honors Night

Concert Uniforms
All Choirs: Black dress pants or skirt, black dress shirt, black socks and dress shoes, which each student must provide. Some performances will include robes, which BHS will provide.

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Did you notice that time is running out to register for the Orlando trip? Good!