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!

Abilene Christian University Region Choir Workshop

For the first time, we will be taking all interested students to a day-long workshop to put the final, polishing touches on the high school region choir audition music. This is a fantastic opportunity to take a last look at the music as a group and get a week-early preview of the competition the students will face at the actual auditions.

Details

Who: Any students auditioning for high school region.
When: Saturday, September 23. We'll leave San Angelo by 7am and return by 6pm.
Where: Abilene Christian University
Cost: $25 per participant, and maybe a few extra bucks for a snack or ice cream on the way home.
What to Wear: Comfortable, school-appropriate clothing, preferably some sort of CHS Choir shirt and jeans or shorts (that are of appropriate length).
Parents: Want to go and spectate? You are most welcome to come. There may not be much for you to do, however. There will be a brief performance at the end of the day (3:30pm) that parents are welcome to attend.

Registration

Step One: Complete the registration form by 1pm on Wednesday, September 20 (late registrations will not be accepted).

Step Two: Bring your $25 for the workshop to school by Wednesday.

Step Three: Bring a completed/signed ACU Permission/Waiver Form.

Other Stuff

The school will cover the cost of transportation for students, but each participant will need to pay $25. This payment will cover the cost of lunch and snacks provided by ACU. We will pay with one check from CHS to ACU, so please send the payment of $25 to CHS Choir and indicate that it is for the ACU Region Choir Workshop.

Here is the Google Form to collect our CHS Registrations: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSem7DrG3jLv3j-wXxMY-Ja_aqEf20OI64n4uV2U72_YX74uLQ/viewform?usp=sf_link. The registration deadline is 1pm on Wednesday, September 20. That is a HARD DEADLINE.

DO NOT register via the ACU webpage. We will send in one group registration. This is important to ensure that we collect and pay the correct amount.

For more information, feel free to look at the ACU webpage: http://www.acu.edu/community/cas/departments-schools/music/all-region-choir-camp.html

Again, DO NOT register via the ACU webpage.

National Anthem Performance at Homecoming Football Game

We are excited to have the opportunity to perform the national anthem at this week's varsity football game. Also, it's HOMECOMING! This is a big deal and a big audience, so we need to bring our "A game".

I'll go over the details for everyone (what to wear, where to be, when to be there), and then offer a brief "frequently asked questions" section.

Details

Who: EVERYONE enrolled in a choir class at CHS or CFC
What: Performing the National Anthem at the Homecoming Varsity Football Game
When: 5:45 to 7:30pm on Friday, September 15
Where: San Angelo Stadium
What to Wear: Blue-ish denim jeans and blue choir polos. Men will tuck in their shirts, preferably with a belt. Please refrain from wearing jeans with excessive holes, rips, or tears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a requirement?

Yes. This is for a major grade for all students. Students will be graded on: arriving on-time, arriving in-uniform, and performance/behavior for the duration of the event. Students not in uniform or who arrive late without a pre-approved excuse will not be allowed to perform and will have to complete an alternate assignment. Trust us, you do not want to have to do the alternate assignment. Any students who have a conflict or are required to be with another group that night should have completed a conflict form by now so that we can work out the details with the sponsors of the other activities.

What if we are involved in another school activity that night?

As stated in class and above, step one is to fill out a conflict form IMMEDIATELY. If you are in Tex-Anns, Football, Cheer, Band, ROTC, etc., and are required to be in their uniform for the evening, you will wear their uniform onto the field to perform with us.

What time should parents arrive to be able to watch the students perform?

The gates to the stadium are supposed to open at 6:15. The game kicks-off around 7:30. The anthem will be performed sometime between 7:00 and 7:30. It is recommended that parents be in the stadium and finding a seat by 7:00pm to be able to watch the pre-game activities, during which the performance of the national anthem takes place. If the schedule is the same as in previous years, the anthem is performed around 7:13pm.

[Students] Do we have to pay to enter the game?

No. If you arrive at the designated gate and in the uniform for the evening, you will be granted admission for free. You must go up into the stands after performing if you wish to stay. If you leave the stadium and change clothes, they will not let you back in without a ticket. They won't know who you are.

[Students] Where should we park? From what gate should we enter?

I have indicated on the following linked map an ideal location, but you are free to park where you wish. Regardless of where you park, you will need to enter from the gate indicated on the following map: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8rn55se4llf1vm8/San%20Angelo%20Stadium.png?dl=0

Can we wear our garters/mums/etc. to perform?

Absolutely. As long as it does not interfere with our performance (making noise or blinking lights), you may wear it to perform. If not, take it off and leave it with a parent before we enter the field and put it back on as soon as we are done.

Do we have to stay for the entire game?

No. I hope you will want to stay to support our Bobcat Football team, but once we have performed, students are free to go. They may stay and watch the game or leave to go elsewhere. Parents will want to be clear on what their students' plans are. Once the football game starts at 7:30, the choir directors will not be supervising or responsible for the students.

The choir calendar listed a possible performance at a game in October, too. Is that still happening?

No. This will take the place of that performance. We listed both dates on the paper calendar sent home the first week of school because we were still waiting on the official word on which date it would be. It was a decision of which one, we were not ever planning on doing both.

A Note About Student Behavior

While you are in uniform, you are a representative of yourself, your family, the choir department, the school, the school district, etc. Please be on your best behavior. Do not use inappropriate language or engage in any prohibited activities. You have the added responsibility of showing respect to our flag, our nation, its leaders, and our veterans any time you perform the national anthem.

We take great pride in representing CHS with class and integrity. Students who cannot live up to that standard while represnting our department will face disciplinary action and may be removed from the choir program.

Region Choir Audition Updates

Entry Fees & Entry Confirmation

All entries must be finalized by this Friday, September 15. All students auditioning should have paid their $15 entry fee and have purchased an original copy of the music for the auditions. We will also need each student to confirm their voice part for the contest. This will be posted in class and students will need to initial by their name to indicate that: (1) they intend to audition, and (2) that their voice part is correct.

Students that have not paid their $15 entry fee by this Friday will not be entered. They can be entered up to 7 days late, but at a penalty of $15 (total entry fee becomes $30). We would really prefer to avoid this scenario, so if your child is auditioning and you cannot have your $15 entry fee paid by Friday, please email Mr. Gilmore immediately.

Audition Day Lunches

The school will provide a box lunch for each student from McAlister's Deli on the day of the auditions. The box lunch contains one sandwhich, a bag of chips, and a cookie. The students have a choice of ham on baguette, turkey on baguette, or veggie pita. We'll need to send in their selections by Wednesday, September 20. We'll ask for this information during class early next week.

Parent Chaperones

We are required to bring at least two parent chaperones with us to the competition. These parents must be VIPS approved and will spend the entire day with us. This is a long day and we will need to leave San Angelo around 5:30am and return around 10pm. It's a LONG day, but a fun day - spent with some of the best kids. If this sounds like something you would be willing to commit to, please email us by Wednesday, September 20. If you've already expressed an interest in going, please email me again just to be sure. ;)

Students with Special Situations or Requests

If your student has a special situation on the day of the audition, that is, a school-related conflict requiring an early or late audition time or if they need to ride home with anyone other than the group on the school bus, I need notification in writing no later than Wednesday, Septebmer 20. [See a theme developing here?] The best way to do this is to email us. The region will not honor requests made after that deadline.

2017-2018 TMEA All-State Choir Audition Repertoire

The PDF attached below outlines the pieces to be learned and auditioned at each level of the competition this year.

Errata: Please see this webpage for all amendments, corrections and errata. You will be responsible for all notes and corrections listed on that page as they come directly from TMEA and the all-state choir clinicians.

Recordings: Here is a link to the page explaining how to access the practice recordings.

Attachments:

1. 2017-2018 All-State Choir Audition Repertoire for Region 6

Back to School 2017

It is hard to believe that our summer break is almost over! I hope that it has been a joyful time of recharge and relaxation for all of you. The time has passed so quickly! I am so proud of the successes of the last year and the growth and development of each student in the program. We have an exciting year of choir lined up and many exciting plans for the year are being finalized as I write this letter.

As is the custom every year, the combined high school choirs, bands, and orchestras of SAISD have been asked to perform for a convocation ceremony of all the administration, faculty, and staff at the Foster Communications Coliseum on Tuesday morning, August 15. All of the members of the school board and district administration will be in attendance as well, so we want to make an excellent impression on each of them. It is vitally important that we make the statement that excellent choral singing at Central High School is alive and thriving! To accomplish this, we are going to be having rehearsals to prepare the music for the ceremony. Please see the schedule below for exact dates/times. All standard rehearsals will be held at the CHS Choir Hall (technical rehearsals at the coliseum). A map will be attached to this letter.

For our new students, you will discover that for each event and competition you participate in, you accumulate points towards earning a letter jacket. Attending all of the convocation events and the SAISD All-Region Choir Boot Camp can get you over 1/6 of the way there…before school even starts! Don’t miss out on earning these EASY points!

It is an expectation that all members of Chorale, Bella Voce, and those on the Choir Council fully participate in these events. Everyone receiving this letter is highly encouraged to participate - that includes any new students and incoming freshmen at CFC - you are especially welcome! Also, if you know of anyone who likes to sing and might consider joining choir this year, invite them to these rehearsals and let them see what all the fun is about! We want you to come to as much of these events as you can, but don’t skip the whole thing because of a singular conflict. We would really prefer that you come to all of it, but we don't want anyone to not attend at all because they can't make it to everything. We think you'll have a lot of fun seeing all of your choir friends again after summer break!

The schedule and map are located below (look for ATTACHMENTS and click on the link).

Again, I hope you all had a great summer and I look forward to seeing all of you again in what promises to be a truly AWESOME year in choir! Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. Make sure you sign up for Remind text messages: text the message @choirhall to 81010 (or try texting @choirhall to 325-200-0719). Keep checking our website and like our Facebook Page for future communications and any updates to the schedule that may occur.

Attachments:

1. Schedule & Map

2017-2018 CHS Choir Placements

We hope that each student will see the auditions as a learning opportunity. It is always a difficult process to determine the right placement for each individual student and to balance that with the needs of each group and the program as a whole.

A number of factors go into determining each student’s placement; it is not based solely upon a 10-minute audition: vocal quality and development, intonation, aural skill, sight-reading ability, maturity, academic eligibility, classroom discipline, attendance patterns, involvement in extracurricular elements of the program, etc. Many students have excellent abilities, but we are unable to advance or keep them because of their grades in other classes. Academic eligibility is BIG.

We try to look at the complete picture in determining where the student will be able to be successful and to which group's success they will be able to most efficiently contribute.

That being said, every group next year is going to be AWESOME! You will have a blast, and together we will all reach new heights of achievement and success.

PLEASE click the link below, read everything carefully, and follow all instructions on the form. Make absolutely certain that you are subscribed to the REMIND updates. We have to be able to communicate with you over the summer, especially officers and HarmoniCats members.

Google Forms: 2017-2018 Choir Placements

Congratulations to all!

2017 San Angelo Singing Men

Join us for the first ever...

San Angelo Singing Men Event

ASU, CHS/CFC Choir Students, 8th Grade Choir Students from Glenn and Lee MS, Area Church Choir Members and Leaders, and the Twin Mountain Tonesmen are all invited! If you're in the San Angelo area and you can sing, WE WANT YOU!

We'll learn and perform two selections: "Rise Up, O Men of God" and "In the Good Old Summertime". A Sunday evening rehearsal over the music must be attended by all who wish to participate.

Rehearsal - Sunday, May 21, 7:30-9:00pm in the Central High School Choir Hall (map linked)
Dress Rehearsal - Monday, May 22, 5pm at Holy Angels Church
Performance - Monday, May 22, 7:30pm at Holy Angels Church

Link to recordings and sheet music to prepare prior to Sunday rehearsal: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pqxyl3k34y90uux/AAAbYobATUkW3yIqImiRiyBBa?dl=0

Dress for concert will be black tuxedo OR black pants and solid black shirt.

We hope that this event will be a fun time of music-making and will help to build-up and encourage our community of younger male singers.