WINTER CONCERT TONIGHT!!!!

The NHS Winter Concert is tonight at 7 pm. I hope to see everyone there for some good times.

Chorus: Remember to wear all black: pants, dress, shoes, skirt, socks, everything...No spaghetti straps, or if you do, put a sweater on. Classy, please. Be there at 6:15 sharp! Make sure your music is in the right order too!... I think thats it! You've all worked so so hard and you will be great!

I'm so excited!

Congratulations!

I forgot to add this is my last post but...
Congratulations to all of our new inductees to the Tri-M Music Honor Society:
Sarah T.
Emily J.
Anthony M.
Tim W.
Mike K.
Chrissy I.

Also, thank you to all of our current members who either performed or brought refreshments and decorations (or did all 3!)... Your performances last night at the induction recital were great and we hope you had a good time!

Just a reminder: The induction rehearsal is December 10th afterschool and the induction is December 11th at 7 pm. Please remember white shirts and black pants with black shoes!!

Anddddd...WINTER CONCERT on DECEMBER 10th at 7 PM. woohooooo!!!!!!

Getting in the holiday spirit..

I figured I should update my blog and get it in the holiday spirit, hence the red this month instead of my usual purple.

My question for you is: What is your favorite holiday song and why? Do you have a particular memory associated with the song?

My favorite holiday song is "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and here's why: I LOVE LOVE LOVE the original Home Alone movies (the ones with Macauley Culkin, not the other goofy kid). They were my absolute favorite when I was a kid and I watched them every Thanksgiving night with my mom, plus of course on DVD. I especially like the first Home Alone because it was very clever and the other 3 Home Alone movies pretty much followed the same premise. I liked the 2nd one because I used to go to NYC with my family every year to see a musical and I liked seeing all of the landmarks I remember as a kid. I even had a poster that my parents got me that had a map of the McAllister house with all of Kevin's traps in each room.

Anyways, back to my point. my favorite scene is when Kevin makes it look like his family is having a party so the burglars don't bother trying to rob them. He does this by rigging up mannequins to ropes which he pulls back and forth, making them dance to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." From the street, the two idiot burglars see the silhouettes of adults rocking out so they end up leaving....to return the next night..Every time I hear, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" I think of my favorite holiday movie! I even had the NMS Chorus sing this song at my first concert in Norton :)

So how about you? What is your favorite holiday song and why?

Wang Theatre Trip!

Hello,

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break, I certainly did.

Yesterday, the NHS Chorus took a trip to the Wang Center in Boston to see the musical, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The chorus also performed before the show as the crowds came in. We sang up on the balcony over-looking the people below and performed mainly holiday selections. We had a good time and got a great reaction from the audiences.

The musical was great and I would recommend it to all ages (its playing at the Wang all month!) I think it was unanimous that everyone on our trip loved the little girl who played Cindy Lou Who; she had a fantastic voice! The person who played the dog, Max, was also great.

I've added some photos if any of you chorus people who like to copy them for yourselves. E-mail me if you want the full resolution versions :) (Thanks to Mrs. Jestus for working my camera!)

A big thank you to all of our chaperones: Mrs. Kitchen, Mrs. Jestus, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Chisholm, and Dr. Ansay! You were all great!

The next big event we have coming up is our winter concert on December 10th, at 7 pm, in the NHS Auditorium. Hope to see you there!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

In other news, congratulations to both Julia Ariola and David Aranjo. Julia, grade 11, was accepted into the SE Senior District Orchestra on violin, and was recommended for All-State. David, grade 9, was accepted into the SE Senior District Chorus, and was recommended for All-State. Great job guys!

Finally, our chorus trip is this Saturday, November 29th. Please be at Norton High School before 8:30 a.m. We are wearing ALL BLACK-no sneakers please! The Wang Center is a nice place so please dress accordingly! Don't forget your music (by the way, someone left their music on stage on Monday so I grabbed it..)

See you on Saturday! If you have any questions, please email me so I can help you out!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

The latest in chorus news...

• Senior District Auditions are this Saturday, please meet us in the Yelle parking lot at 1:30 p.m...Practice up and see me for ANY help you might need :)
• Chorus (and band) T-shirts are officially on their way, I got a UPS tracking number in my email this afternoon.
• Honor Society (and Tri-M) Tapping will be this coming Tuesday (November 25th). All Tri-M members are invited upstairs to the library to join us.
• Tri-M members: we are invited current Tri-M members to perform at the Tri-M recital (December 3rd) since we only have a few inductees this year. Should be a good time, in the cafeteria this year, all pretty and such. See either myself, an officer, or leave a comment if you'd like to play something at the recital!
• As far as I can tell, we will be leaving at 8:30 a.m. for our Grinch field trip on Saturday, November 29th. Chaperones will be Mrs. Kitchen, Mrs. Jestus and Mr. Brown (THANK YOU!) Permission slips will go home tomorrow...
• Only TWO more rehearsals til the above trip, let's get things done please!
• If you need community service hours, you are invited to come join us in singing with the Epoch chorus. We meet every other Thursday for rehearsal and we have two concerts coming up in December! The residents at Epoch are very very nice and appreciative of everything. See the right hand side of my blog for the latest schedule.
• Stay tuned for a new chorus podcast thanks to the help of Mr. Barth!
• Happy Weekend!!!!

Congrats on your win tonight!!!

I love this chorus and I'm so proud of every one of you who stepped it up tonight. You sounded amazing! Just a note: Mark your calendars for November 29th at 11:00 a.m. This is the date for the Wang Center performance. We'll talk in chorus about what exactly we will sing.
Again great job and snaps for you all!!!!!

***NHS Chorus***

Good Luck tonight!!!!!
You all worked very hard to put your piece together for this competition and I'm so happy you are all so psyched! Keep your focus, be confident and sing out, you'll be great!

Senior Districts and Tri-M

Chorus...
If you are planning on auditioning for Senior Districts, please get a move on! Most people still need to hand in registration forms and fees and some people who have told me they are doing Senior Districts still need to meet with me to rehearse! The deadline for registration is technically November 17th, HOWEVER, we need to figure out what we need to order for transportation so if you could bring in your stuff sooner that would be excellent. Remember, I'm available on MOST Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays after school to rehearse with you all! Just let me know you are coming and I will be around!

Tri-M....
Mark your calendars for our next meeting, which is November 10th, probably in the auditorium since I'll already be in there.

Applications for new members to be inducted into Tri-M are due on November 10th, please either remember OR remind your friends! See Miss Polak if you need a new form!

Oh yes...HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Photos from Wheaton

These pictures are from Wheaton Community Day which was held this past Sunday at Wheaton College. The Norton High School Chorus and Norton Middle School Chorus sang in the Balfour Atrium in a program that included many small college ensembles. The concert went very well! Thank you to everyone who took the time out of their weekend to either sing in or attend this extra concert. I'm very proud of all of our singers: you were able to put a great concert together very quickly and it shows how hard you have worked. I can't wait til the Winter Concert, keep it up!

Chorus and Band T-shirt Orders....

...are due tomorrow!!! I'll be ordering T-shirts after school so make sure you see me before the end of the day!

Sunday's Concert and other...

Heyyyy Chorus: Don't forget 3 things

1. Our concert is this Sunday,October 19th in the Balfour Atrium at Wheaton College. Please arrive by 12:45 to warmup. There will be people from Wheaton directing you where to go. (Don't forget your parking passes!!!) Section leaders will have to lead everyone in warmups because I will be on stage with NMS 7th and 8th grade chorus. We will perform at 1:15. Music order will be Go With a Song, Double Trouble, I Will Remember, and Sing for Joy! Remember to wear your purple and white! I can't wait to hear you all :)

2. Your writing assignment is DUE this Thursday. Please either type or write neatly. At least two paragraphs. Please contact me if you have a question about the assignment or if you need a new handout. Full sentences that make sense please :)

3. Chorus is awesome!!!!

Tri-M Meeting!!!!

Hi everyone,
Just a quick reminder that there will be a Tri-M meeting right after school on Tuesday. We'll elect officers, go over meeting schedules, and go through our agenda...Please tell your friends in case they don't read this or hear the announcements! Thank ya! :)

P.S. Couple more weeks to get your $$$$$money$$$$$ in for chorus or band T-shirts. Get on it!

Random Tidbits

Just a few quick things:

Calendar: A calendar full of music dates/events is to your right. Add them to your calendar while you are thinking of it!

Friday's Football Game: Chorus, we will be singing the National Anthem as most of you should know by now. For any of you chorus people who are not registered in my class, please feel free to join us at the game, you are MORE than welcome! We will have a full chorus rehearsal during G block on Friday and I've emailed all your teachers to let them know you will be with me so please come!!! Other game info: we will be wearing nice jeans (no yucky holes/writing/etc.) and purple and white (go lancers!!) Music must be memorized but that shouldn't be too difficult for you at all..Finally, please meet me in the auditorium at 6:15 where we will warm up, do a quick run through or two, and get psyched!

Wheaton Information: October 19th in the "Atrium" at Wheaton College. Please arrive by 12:45 to warmup. We will perform at 1:15. We are still awaiting further information from the college about parking, etc, which I will get to you as soon as I receive it. Music will be Go With a Song, Double Trouble, I Will Remember, and Sing for Joy! yay.

Districts: Please consider auditioning for District Chorus, this is a great opportunity to work with a great conductor, sing some fine literature, and meet lots of people who love singing as much as you do. Mp3 files of the audition can be found on edline and also on http://www.semmea.org/, the district website. I will rehearse with ANY of you WHENEVER you ask me to, just give me a day's notice or so. Registration is $15 and if you work hard, it will be money well spent! Any questions, please ask!

Chorus, your homework is below this post! Git-r-done!

I admire...

I really admire Maria Callas (see above). While opera may not be your type of music, large numbers of people would probably agree that Callas is the ultimate example of a world class diva soprano. Its hard to believe that a voice like that comes from such a tiny frame of a woman. Maria Callas has a very interesting (and perhaps sad) story so if any of you are extra interested in her, look her up. I really like a few things about Maria Callas including:
1. her effortless breathing through really tricky and long phrases (my weakness!)
2. her expression
3. her vibrato spin (not too fast, not too slow or boring)
4. her vowel placement (nice and open and long)
5. her dark tone quality (this aria is often too "brassy")
6. her overall classiness

Who do you admire as a singer? (Anyone, dead or alive, current or retired)... What specific things do you admire about their singing? (I don't mean their lyrics or their "beats)-- what do you actually like about them vocally?

Tri-M info

A couple people have asked when our first Tri-M meeting will be and I think we have finally got a consistant day that will not interfere with TOO much other stuff (class meetings, other honor societies, etc.) Kevin has been nice enough to type up a schedule which you can find on the Tri-M blog, or you can look in the Upcoming Dates section of MY blog (but its not as pretty looking). Basically, our meetings will be on the second Tuesday of every month. That puts our first meeting at October 14th. As part of our agenda, we will be asking to see if officers would like to keep their title. If any officer does NOT want to keep their title, we will vote on NEW officers so its really important that you be there. Other topics will be tapping, the Tri-M induction concert, induction night, fundraising, and etc. See you all there on October 14th in the music room! :)


CHORUS: if you are looking for your homework, its the post UNDER this one!! :) One more day til its due! Snaps!

Feedback please!

Chorus!
Take a couple minutes and let me know what you think about the progress we have made so far this year. What do you think of "sectionals"? Are they helping and do you find sectional work better than sitting quietly while another section is working with me? What do you wish we didn't do in chorus? What do you wish we did/did more of? And finally, what is your goal for this year in chorus?

Hmmm...

Let's remember this video when Amy from Las Pinas City's parents are trying to figure out why their daughter can't speak by age 8. Videos like these remind me why I teach 6 year olds to sing properly (and act their age).

Here's another!

Here's another video you can use as a practice resource of some sort if you have any sort of trouble with finding your notes still when you are outside of chorus class. Not the BEST quality performance at all, but not entirely horrible either. However, it is the best one I could find! Note differences in tone quality and energy especially between this chorus and ours. Please don't try to emulate this chorus, just use it for timing/notes when practicing on your own. :)

Double Trouble recording

Here is the recording of Double Trouble that I played for you guys in class today just in case you wanted to refer to it when practicing your part. Plus now you have something to watch to associate the song with if you are unfamiliar with either Harry Potter or Macbeth Have fun!

Afterschool Chorus

Hi everyone,

A lot of people have asked me when AFTER SCHOOL CHORUS will begin. I'd like to start next week but things are a little crazy afterschool...We WILL begin on Monday, September 15th. I'll either be in the auditorium or the music room, so check both places for me! I hope to see all the people from chorus last year who couldn't get chorus into their schedule. Also, any new faces are always welcome (bring friends!)
See you there!

Chorus, mark your calendars!

Just a reminder to mark the following date on your calendar:

October 19th, Time TBA: Wheaton Community Day
We will be singing 3 songs and will also be joined by the NMS 7th and 8th grade chorus for 3 of their own songs.

I'm really excited with chorus this year and I'm so happy all of you decided to join chorus whether you are coming back or brand new. Now let's get some stuff done!

Thank you!

I just wanted to send out a HUGE thank you to the students who helped me teach the Epoch of Norton Chorus this summer. Four students donated their free time to teach and sing with the residents at Epoch for their Monday afternoon chorus rehearsals. I'm SO thankful because I realize that not just anyone would give up their precious summer hours to a good cause. Sometimes its easy to get bummed out by the negatives in life. However, I know I have it pretty good because I have such dedicated students who still went to teach at Epoch when I had to miss a rehearsal because of a family emergency. So thank you all!

For those AWESOME Epoch volunteers, I just wanted to get a few dates out to you:
Friday, September 5th at 3:30 pm- Dress Rehearsal
Wednesday, September 10th at 3:30 pm- Concert at Assisted Living section!
Thursday, September 25nd at 3:30 pm- Concert at Nursing Home section!

Don't try this at home.

I'm into videos lately. Here's another that impresses me. Why am I impressed? Kate Shindle (Miss America 1998) can belt like no one I've heard. Not sure how she could still speak after this performance. Oh wait- i do know! She knows how to BREATHE properly. This video is from Broadway Sings the 80s so while the clothes and song are a bit dated, the performance is pretty recent. Why else should you like Kate Shindle (besides the fact that she wears a crown well)? She's very funny and very smart too. I have a link to her blog on the right hand panel. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that she's in Legally Blonde the Musical.

Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore?

I saw this lecture by Dr. Pausch on tv (ok ok ok, on Oprah!) a few months ago. I'm not one who typically enjoys watching lectures but I gave it 10 minutes of my time and was amazed and inspired. Hopefully, you will be too. Rather than having me give you a second-rate description of Pausch's life, purpose, and lecture, watch the video ok? We're all upon a new school year and we should think of it as a blank slate. I have a fresh year to try new things, change my attitudes, and hopefully become better. But first I need to decide, am I going to be a Tigger or an Eeyore?

"Summer in the City"-Pilobolus dancers

This is one cool video. Plus I love a good NYC theme. I am amazed that these people can work so well together to create these images. Makes me wonder what new and innovative things we can do with our voices together..hmmmmm

New year, kinda new blog!

Hi! I figured I'd start fresh with a clean slate of a blog for the 2008-2009 school year. If all goes according to plan, I'll be putting up even more information about important dates and other chorus info than I did last school year. Check back here often, especially if you are an afterschool chorus person who might not see me everyday. Spread the word to friends who might not check here too!

Even though the year hasn't started, I'm leaving some information about auditions coming up:

Senior District vocal audition piece: Dilasso-I Know a Young Maiden
Junior District vocal audition piece: Leininger-Since First I saw Your Face


If you don't have the music yet, let me know when we get back to school. I will get recordings to all of you in September when we begin learning the audition pieces (most likely after school). I hope all of you consider auditioning. Districts is a great experience and a fun time!

Until then, have a great remainder of the summer! :) :) :)