Fall Concert Reminders

It’s here! Our first concert of the year is this Monday, October 2, at Holy Angels Church. Holy Angels is located at 2309 South A&M Ave. It is the large building at the intersection of South A&M Avenue and Sac Avenue (just south of the area between HEB and ASU).

All choir students are required to be in attendance, on time, in the correct uniform, perform with their group, and stay for the entirety of the concert. Each of those elements is an evaluated component of this major grade and a requirement to earn credit for this performance-based course. We need your help to work out any conflicts so that all of the students can be present and on-time to their group’s scheduled dress rehearsal. Students who miss a dress rehearsal run the risk of not being allowed to perform with their group.

Times

The concert will start for the public at 7:30pm, but the groups have the following report times for roll call and dress rehearsal (promptness is graded HEAVILY - arrive early): 

HarmoniCats - 5:00pm
Chorale - 5:30
Men’s Choir & Bella Voce - 6:00 (arrive in uniform)
Concert Ladies - 6:20 (arrive in uniform)
Combined Rehearsal for All Students - 6:40 (in uniform)
Doors open for audience seating shortly after 7:00pm

Remember, as musicians and young performers, we do not miss a dress rehearsal. Students who have earlier call times (HarmoniCats and Chorale) will be given time to change clothes and use the restroom prior to the start of the concert, those students need only arrive with their pants and shirts (or dress) on or have it with them to change into.

Procedures

Students: when you arrive for your call time, you will go directly to your class’s assigned seating (there will be signs on the chairs) and sign-in/clock-in with one of your class representatives (we are recording the time for grading purposes). Also, students, we sit together, as a class, for the entirety of the concert. We also turn our phones in to a booster parent or section leader at 7:00pm and they remain there until the concert is over. This may be a change from what you are used to at middle school concerts. Lastly, students, please use the bathrooms nearest where we sit, not where our audience enters from.

PARKING/ENTRANCES: Students should park and enter the church from the doors closest to Sac Avenue. Parents and audience members will need to enter from the doors closest to South A&M Avenue.

We will open the sanctuary doors for seating as soon as possible after 7pm, but no earlier than 7pm. We have a combined rehearsal prior to that time and may need to go a few minutes longer, so we ask that all parents and audience members wait patiently outside or in the foyer until a booster club officer or director opens the doors for audience seating. Please do not attempt to sneak in or push open an unguarded door. We will make it abundantly clear when you are welcome to enter the sanctuary. Observing this request is crucial for the successful preparation of the choirs for their performance that evening. Also, we ask that upon entering the sanctuary of the church you keep the noise level down as much as possible and deposit any food or drink in a trash receptacle outside of the sanctuary. There is no food or drink allowed in the sanctuary. Also, please do not allow children to play in the baptismal font located near the entrance. This is off limits to us; it is very disrespectful for someone to play with.

What to Wear

We will wear our formal choir uniforms. Everyone needs to make sure you have SOLID black shoes (and socks for boys). Men will check out a tie when they arrive to the concert and are required to return their tie immediately after the concert.

For complete information on what to wear and the dress code, please see Chapter 6, Subchapter B (pages 20-22) of our choir handbook (which can be found under Documents/Forms > Documents > Handbook & Syllabus on our website). Students not in uniform will not be allowed to perform at the concert - this includes students in shoes or socks that are not solid black.

Help Needed

We always need a bit of help from parents and students before each concert to setup the risers and clear the platform at the church before the rehearsals begin that afternoon. If you would be willing to help us with that, please send me an email or text message and let me know that we can count on you. We will meet at the church at 4:45 PM. If we have a lot of hands it only takes about 15 minutes.

Thank you for your attention to these details. As always, please email Mrs. Vaught or me with any questions and we will do our best to help you. 

We are SO PROUD of these students and all of their hard work. I hope you will be proud of them too. They are a delight to work with each day. See you next week!