Important Weekly Updates!

WEEKLY NEWS AND UPDATES:

Now is the time to start really ramping up your preparations and practice time in anticipation of our upcoming Winter Concert!  

AFTER SCHOOL SCHEDULE:

Wednesday: Sectionals: Tenor & Bass (Middle School Select Choir for any ladies available)

Thursday: Sectional Makeup

Friday: Junior District Practice

Tuesday Evening Vocal Jazz Rehearsal: 6:30-8:00pm

Tour Check #2 Is Due Thursday

RECITAL: Thursday December 1, 7:00pm

Junior District Auditions: December 3rd (audition time 2:30pm)

Departure Time 12:30 from Ahern

Professional Attire: Dresses/Dress Pants, lighter color tones with comfortable dress shoes/flats, avoid scarves and excess jewelry, hair tied back/out of your face:

Senior Baby Pictures into Julia

LOOKING AHEAD...

Winter Concert: December 15 (2 weeks from Thursday)
Ahern 8th Grade Concert: December 8 @ 6:30pm
Ahern 5th Grade Concert: December 13 @ 6:30pm
Choir Step-up Night: Monday January 9

Thanksgiving Week Updates

THANKSGIVING WEEK UPDATES

- Vocal Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal Tuesday Evening 6:30-8:00

- No Regular Sectional This Week: Makeup Sectionals After School Tuesday

- Freshmen: PLEASE Consider auditioning for Junior Districts!  This would be an excellent opportunity for you to audition for a festival, and to be around/inspire the younger auditioners who are likely nervous (some of whom are auditioning for the first time).  This is your chance to start becoming a role model.  This is also a chance for you to try to be a part of an honors music festival this year where you would get to learn new music and work with a guest conductor!

- Pep Rally Wednesday: The Concert Choir will sing the National Anthem
Please wear your Choir Shirts!

Congratulations to the following singers who have been accepted to the Senior District Choir:

Ryan McCormack - All-State Recommendation
Jake Parkman - All-State Recommendation
Carly Rayburg
Jessica Hoyt
Emily Kaeser

I am very proud of everyone who auditioned.  I felt everyone was prepared, and whether you made it or not, I hope this was a learning experience for all involved.  There were positive aspects to everyone's audition, as well as things to work on going forward. Congratulations to those who were accepted.

See you in rehearsals!
-Mr. Raymond

Senior Districts Auditions Update

Students Auditioning for Senior Districts:

The auditions are this Saturday, November 19th at King Philip HS
The bus will leave FHS at 12:20pm for our 1:45pm audition time

Dress professionally: 

Men wear Ties/Dress Pants, Dark Shoes and Socks

Women wear Dresses/Dress Pants, consider lighter color tones with comfortable dress shoes/flats, avoid scarves and overly-distracting jewelry

Remember to be in "audition mode" as soon as you walk into the room.  The confident demeanor should start the second you walk in the room.  NEVER apologize for anything either before, during, or after your audition!!  Believe in yourself and your abilities.  If you make a mistake DONT STOP--keep going and avoid making faces or apologizing.  

Before you start, take deep breaths and mentally and physically focus yourself.  Take your time on the first breath, and work on staying relaxed--don't allow nerves to cause you to wander your eyes around or fidget with your hands.  Just enjoy the music, sing with a light-hearted expression, and trust your preparation. 

Before you sight sing, take your time, don't let adrenaline cause you to start before your ready.  Take time to establish the key in your head (sing up to Sol and down to Sol).  Look for any tricky skips or rhythms before you start.  Count off the melody in your head slowly and once you begin, don't stop!

Proud of you all!  I'll be there with you through the audition process.  Let me know if you have any questions or are unclear about anything,

Mr. Raymond

Week 10: Districts Audition Week

Week 10: Senior Districts Audition Week

After School Schedule This Week: (all room 122)
MONDAY: Senior District Practice (w/Ms. Shetler)
TUESDAY: Soprano/Alto Sectional
WEDNESDAY: Student-led District Practice 
THURSDAY: Tenor/Bass Sectional
FRIDAY: FINAL District Practice

SENIOR DISTRICTS AUDITIONS SATURDAY
Meetup Time Will Be Announced Very Soon (approx noon)
We Will Travel By Bus To King Philip
Dress Appropriately -- Men Wear Ties

Next Week: We Will Sing The National Anthem at the Pep Rally Nov 23rd
Wear Your Choir Shirts

New Jazz Curriculum Starting This Week
Jazz Choir:
Billies Bounce
Someday My Prince Will Coming
When You Say Nothing At All

Vocal Jazz Ensemble:
In Your Eyes
Tight
You Don't Know What Love Is
Holocene
Back In The High Life Again

Freshmen: Start During In Your Junior Districts Forms
Group Audition Practices @Ahern Every Thursday

Looking Ahead...
- Saturday December 3, Junior Districts Auditions (for Freshmen)
- Thursday December 15, Winter Concert

Fall Jazz Tonight!

Jazz Choir, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Combo

Important Updates For Today

After School WorkshopPlease go right to the Auditorium at the end of the school day
The following ensembles will work with Marcus: Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combo
We will start and stop the tunes and sections that Marcus plays on
Following the three ensembles, we will all meet on stage for a brief discussion session with Marcus
Following the Clinic, all jazz students are invited to a special dinner at Caroline Wheatley's house

Song/Soloist Order:Jazz Choir:I Remember You (Emily solo, Dom Improv solo),
Phase Dance (Taegan solos, Mario Improv over CODA)


Vocal Jazz Ensemble:"Set 1" Signed Sealed Delivered (Caleigh melody solo, Molly Improv solo),
Aint No Sunshine (Ryan Melody, Mario solo, Marcus Printup At End)
"Set 2"
Here Comes The Sun (Carly/Molly melody solo, Marcus Printup improv solo),
Basically Blues (RJ Bass solo out front 2X), Dom solo second after melody (up to the regular solo section), Marcus Printup Last (2x) -- Backgrounds every other time!)
(I've Decided to Forgo Scat Solos on Basically Blues for this particular Concert -- we'll add them for future performances)


Combo Set:Speak No Evil: Melody, Caroline, Dom, Marcus, Mitch-2 A's, Melody AAB, Abrupt Ending
One By One: Dom, Caroline, Mario, Marcus, Full Head Out, Hold Concert AbMaj7#11 Last Chord


SINGER REMINDERS (6 Points):1) Physical and Breath Energy!2) Attack Harmonies With Confidence3) Don't Over-Sing, Listen Listen Listen!4) Maintain Your Focus From Beginning To End5) Exaggerate Lyrics, Be Clear With Your Words6) Perform Visually!  Be Expressive! Have Fun!

After the Concert we will take Group Pictures!  Then I will need helping clearing the stage.

See you later today,
Mr. Raymond

Mid-Week Updates

Students:

Turn in your districts forms (Senior and Junior Districts!)
Tour Check #1 Is Now Past Due

DISTRICTS PRACTICE:
Districts Wednesday After School
(Select Choir Ahern Wednesday: 2:30-3:20, please go if you can!)

JAZZ NIGHT THURSDAY (7:00pm): featuring jazz superstar Marcus Printup!!!
Jazz Students: There will be a workshop/clinic with our guest artist in the auditorium at the end of the school day--make sure you get right down as soon as you can
After The Clinic: there will be a dinner provided at Caroline Wheatley's house for all jazz students involved in the concert, this will be a chance to meet and speak with our guest artist!
Wear Your Jazz Shirts to School Thursday

PLEASE attend this concert!! It should be an incredible night of music!

Looking ahead...
- Saturday November 19, Senior Districts Auditions
- Saturday December 3, Junior Districts Auditions (for Freshmen)
- Thursday December 15, Winter Concert

Week 9: Jazz Fest Week!

Students:

Turn in your districts forms (Senior and Junior Districts!)

SECTIONAL SCHEDULE 
Districts Monday & Wednesday

LSDO Workshop Day Tuesday
All Choir Members Please Be In The Ahern Auditorium by 12:45 
We will go from 1:00-2:30pm
Plan to carpool or be dropped off, parking will be very limited (no parking in the first two rows near the gym entrace--these will be for voters only
Thank you SO MUCH for volunteering your time to help improve music education!!!

Both Jazz Choirs: Rehearsal Tuesday Night (6:00: Jazz Choir, 6:40: Vocal Jazz Ensemble)

JAZZ NIGHT THURSDAY (7:00pm): featuring jazz superstar Marcus Printup!!!
Jazz Students: There will be a workshop/clinic with our guest artist in the auditorium at the end of the school day--make sure you get right down as soon as you can
After The Clinic: there will be a dinner provided at Caroline Wheatley's house for all jazz students involved in the concert, this will be a chance to meet and speak with our guest artist!

PLEASE attend this concert!! It should be an incredible night of music!

- Tour Check #1 Is Now Due- Make sure you have all the Winter Pieces, and create a playlist with recordings from Dropbox

Looking ahead...
- Saturday November 19, Senior Districts Auditions
- Saturday December 3, Junior Districts Auditions (for Freshmen)
- Thursday December 15, Winter Concert

Thursday Updates

THURSDAY UPDATES

- Turn in your Senior Districts form and money ASAP -- Very Important!!!
- Junior District Forms will be given out in rehearsal tomorrow, please turn them in as soon as you can!
- SECTIONAL SCHEDULE -- 
Alto Sectional Today, Makeup Sectional Friday (for Sopranos/Altos)
Next Week: Districts Monday & Wednesday, Bass and Tenor Thursday
Cookout!  Meeting Friday at 4:30pm at Ahern, Cookout starts at 4:45, then national anthem rehearsal after that, and then we sing altogether at the game 6:30pm
Wear Your Choir Shirts (and/or Athletic Jersey)
LSDO Professional Day Next Tuesday
Please Meet At the Ahern Auditorium by 12:45 
Plan to carpool or be dropped off, parking will be very limited
We will go from 1:00-2:30pm

- Tour Check #1 Is Now Due
- Make sure you have all the Winter Pieces, and create a playlist with recordings from Dropbox

- One Week Until The Fall Jazz Fest Concert! 
Thursday November 10, 7:00pm, mark your calendars!

Looking ahead...
- Tuesday November 8, LSDO Professional Day 12:45-2:30, Ahern Auditorium
- Thursday November 10, Fall Jazz Concert, 7:00pm (featuring Marcus Printup)
- Saturday November 19, Senior Districts Auditions
- Saturday December 3, Junior Districts Auditions (for Freshmen)
- Thursday December 15, Winter Concert