Knight Notes

Welcome to Spring Semester!!

2012-01-24T18:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome (back) to chorus! We are in store for an exciting and busy semester! Please familiarize yourself with the blog and check it often! It contains documents, announcements, and links to important information.

Let Mrs. Hayek know if you have any questions or concerns! lindsey.hayek@dpsnc.net

EOE practice tracks!

2012-01-24T18:29:00.000-08:00

Here are the EOE practice tracks! Made by the awesome DPS chorus teachers! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take advantage of these! They should really help your practicing! Thanks:)

http://eoe2012.podomatic.com/

Men's Choral Invitational

2012-01-09T08:00:00.001-08:00

Here are the links for the Men's Choral Invitational! If you are going, you will write a reflection about the experience. If you are not going, you will use these videos to write a brief reflection, giving a brief positive and negative critique for each song. Also, talk about the challenges and advantages of the male voice, and some of the musical characteristics of all-male music (like the ranges, the harmonies, etc.).

Let their Celestial Concerts all Unite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFPAs7F8CGY

Make them hear you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zszlJGmV2H8

Gabi, Gabi (but you will be doing an all-male version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAM4kTteyJQ

Got a Mind to Do Right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KleFGTo66Mk

Danny Boy (but with a bigger ensemble)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRci40C4Y3I

Welcome back!

2012-01-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

Great job on the winter concert, all! Photos from caroling and such coming soon!

Get ready for those exams:)

Don't forget CONCERT REPORT---due by Jan 12 if you want a chance to be exempt!!

Info for Chorus History Project (3rd or 4th period):

Look at the rubric! History of the genre, and how it relates to CHORAL music! Give some musical examples (but you don't need to limit yourself to one song, you could do a few!)

Here are some links and resources that may help you out.

This website is awesome--so much about many genres and eras of music!

http://www.soundpiper.com/mln/musichistory.htm

Classical Music database: www.naxos.com

Choral music databases (if you want to see if there is a choral music version):

www.jwpepper.com

http://www.halleonard.com/index.jsp?subsiteid=5

Folk music: http://folkmusic.about.com/od/historyoffolk/a/Folk_History.htm

Gospel Music: http://www.bostoncommunitychoir.org/history_of_gospel_music.htm

jazz:http://www.jazz123.info/the-history-of-vocal-jazz.php

spirituals: http://www.negrospirituals.com/history.htm

barbershop: http://www.acappellafoundation.org/essay/bbshistory.html

Let me know if you need help with youtube or google searches!

Holiday Chorus Dates!

2011-11-30T17:03:00.001-08:00

Holiday Concert and gigs are just around the corner! Make sure these are all on your calendar:

EVERYONE:

Holiday Concert at Northern with Carrington and Little River (REQUIRED)

Monday, December 12: Rehearse at Northern with CMS, 2:30-4 PM

Tuesday, December 13: Rehearse at Northern with LRE: 4:45-6 PM

Wednesday, December 14: CONCERT. Arrive at 5:30 PM. Rehearse with CMS and LRE. Concert is at 7 PM.

Attire:

Women: Black bottoms (nice black slacks, knee-lengthed skirt with black tights), red top, closed toe black shoes

Men: Black dress pants, black shoes, white button-down shirt, red tie (I will provide)

Other gigs:

Blues in the Knight + Voices U-Knighted (1st & 3rd):

Wednesday, December 7, Ruritan Club Christmas party at Willowhaven Country Club. Arrive at 7:10 PM, sing 7:30 - 8 PM. 253 Country Club Dr., Durham, NC, 27712.
Thursday, December 8, Treyburn Men's Club Christmas party at Treyburn Country Club. Arrive at 7:10 PM, sing 7:30-8:15 PM. 1 Old Trail DriveDurham, NC 27712

Wear: black bottoms, festive tops (red, green, white).

Blues in the Knight

Thursday, December 15, Sandy Ridge Elementary School. Arrive at 5:45 PM. Sing 6-7.

Great job at the Fall Concert!

2011-11-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

This post is a little late, but so proud of everyone for their hard work and a job well done at the Fall Concert! Very proud of the Northern Chorus for a successful first concert. It was a great night of singing, with music of all kinds! Hard to believe our holiday concert is just around the corner! Get ready for December 14, 7 PM!

Here are a few pictures from dress rehearsal!

Blues and the Knight and Midknight Blues singing "I Will Survive" (above)

Blues in the Knight posing at the end of "Firework" (above)
Blues in the Knight singing Firework (above)
Voices U-Knighted singing Brown Eye Girl
Blues in the Knight rehearsing "Ascribe to the Lord" and "Dear John"
Blues in the Knight and Voices U-Knighted singing "Down to the River to Pray"
Midknight Blues rehearsing "Water is Wide" and "Feel Good"
Everyone rehearsing "Eye of the Tiger"

Congrats to Blues in the Knight for a job well done at Eric Whitacre concert!

2011-10-31T06:45:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Oct. 27, Blues in the Knight + 150 other Durham high school singers got to sing at the Eric Whitacre concert at Duke Chapel. It was an incredible concert, featuring high schoolers, the Duke Chorale, and the Duke Wind Symphony, with Mr. Whitacre conducting! What an honor and a wonderful experience! We even got an autographed poster from Mr. Whitacre:)

Here is a link to photos from that event. There are many photos of Mr. Whitacre, but there are some shots of Northern girls in there too!

Congrats again, I'm so proud of you all! Thank you for your hard work and beautiful music making!

http://manring.net/photos/Duke_Chapel_Eric_Whitacre_10-27-11_all/

A job well done!

2011-10-16T16:05:00.001-07:00

NHS Chorus singing at the Homecoming Football game:

A job well done singing the Alma Mater and National Anthem at the pep rally and homecoming game! You all represented Northern Chorus well:) I'm proud of your hard work! You looked and sounded great. It was also fun hanging out and eating pizza on a nice night! And congrats to our very own Pascale Burchette, Homecoming Queen!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All-County Chorus Rehearsal:

Also, a shout out to a job well done to members of All-County Chorus, who gave a concert with other DPS high school singers at Southern High School on Saturday, October 15, at 5 PM. You all worked really hard over the past few weeks (especially the past few days), learned some difficult music, and sang really well on Saturday! Thank you for representing Northern so well!

Thanks to for your hard work:

Macie Ashby, Kiera Motley, Mackenzie Browning, Edna de Luna, Keilah Davis, Sara Phipps, Faye Piephoff, Tierra McMickle, Brande Thompson, Emmanuel Gbedee, Duran Johnson, KJ McGrew, Donald Sturn, and Aaron Jones.

Volunteer needs for Oct/Nov

2011-10-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Parent Volunteers: Help needed with the following! Email Mrs. Hayek!

Tuesday, October 11^th: 1 or 2 Volunteers needed

This is the day kids are turning in money from the fundraiser. I would love help receipting money this day or later during this week. You could come in during the day or after school! If you have never receipted before, it is not difficult, but does take some time and accuracy.

Friday, October 14^th- Homecoming Game, 2-4 volunteers needed

We are singing the anthem and alma mater at the homecoming football game! As I am trying to organize 75 students in a new space, it would be helpful to have another adult presence if available. Students will arrive at 5 PM. We also have an hour period for food from 5:30-6:30 (still working out exact details), but it will either involve helping serve food (Bojangles or pizza) or chaperone as kids eat their dinner. We will reconvene at 6:30, and be ready to sing right at 7 PM.

Late October: When fundraiser items come in, 1 or 2 volunteers needed

I don’t know the exact date, but will need some help making sure all items are sorted and orders are correct before kids start taking them home!

Thursday, November 10. Thinking ahead for the November concert, let me know if you are interested in helping with the following, and I will put you in touch with the right people!

1) Ticket Sales (at the concert)

2) Concessions/bake sale (preparing certain items or working the booth)

Stay posted for more volunteer updates! Please email me at Lindsey.hayek@dpsnc.net to let me know of your interest to volunteer. Your help and support are greatly appreciated!

Chorus Fundraiser!

2011-10-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

FUNDRAISER now through TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11th!! We need 100% participation! Support Northern chorus!

see letter below:

Our Chorus will begin our effort today to raise money for our uniform expenses, music expenses, and any trip expenses.. We will be taking orders from the beautiful Delights catalog that is enclosed. All products offered are either consumable, collectable or make attractive gift items. Even if you don’t have a particular expense to cover, please fundraise for the sake of other members of the chorus and the chorus as a whole! Our small goal is for each student to sell a minimum 6 items – this is your fair share. Our big goal is for each student to sell 15 items. The more items you sell, the more money that goes toward any costs you incur (unifoms, trip, etc.) and the more fun things we are able to do as a chorus!

Take Orders From: 9/27 TO: 10/11

This year we have Three (3) ways you can help:

1. Fill out the small green Reachout book with 7-10 names of friends and family members. The names & addresses of family and friends that you provide will never be added to any mailing list or given to any other source. They will be given the opportunity to order or renew magazines at up to 80% off newsstand prices. There is no obligation & everyone returning a book with 7 names & addresses by Friday 9/30 wins a Splat!

2. Visit our On Line Store by going to gafundraising.com, select “On Line Store” & put in our school ID #2316511. You can pay with credit card & the items are delivered to your home. Please email family & friends to go online too. See instructions on prize sheet so orders count toward prizes.

3. Take orders from the brochures: the Holiday Showcase (a large number of items $10 and below), the Designs Jewelry collection and the Helping Hands brochure (these items are hand made by people overseas who benefit directly from the sale of these items).

Prizes and Incentives!

(Payment must be handed in with orders to receive prizes)

Fair Share Prize:

For all students that sell 6 items or more: You will receive frog keychain and lanyard!

Big Seller Prize:

For the highest item seller in each class, they will receive a small gift certificate to a fast-food restaurant. The highest seller overall will also get an additional prize…

For the class that sells the highest AVERAGE of items per student, that will class win a food celebration at the end of the fundraiser!

Our campaign could not be a success without the cooperation and help of so many of our parents, guardians and friends. Thanks in advance for your support of this campaign!

Progress Reports

2011-09-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

Progress reports will go home this week for the 1st 3 weeks! These reports are just a glimpse of the beginning of the school year --- it is expected that these grades might be lower and improve over the semester. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the syllabus, grading policies, and attendance policies. Remember, the daily grade (daily participation and contribution to the choir) is 50% of your grade! Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

A reminder-- Money for uniforms ($10 for T-shirts, and more for Adv. Women) is due this Friday, Sept 16! Please turn in money ASAP!

Parent Meeting Still ON!

2011-09-06T12:12:00.001-07:00

Even with the crazy weather, the parent meeting is still on for tonight (Tues, Sept 6) at 7 PM in the chorus room! I tried to send out an email reminder...but my email kept telling me I was spamming you and wouldn't send:( But hopefully some of you will still be able to come! Spread the word!

Welcome back, Northern Chorus!

2011-08-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Welcome back! My name is Mrs. Lindsey Hayek, and I am the new chorus teacher at Northern. I am very much looking forward to meeting and working with the students and parents of the Northern Chorus. Whether it is your first year or fourth year with the chorus, I am sure it will be an exciting and productive year for all involved.

I hope we can learn more about each other as the semester progresses. My goal is to teach a love and understanding for choral music by singing with healthy vocal technique and studying a wide variety of music. A well-rounded musician can sing music from many different genres, cultures, and historical time-periods with expressive and technical accuracy. I want to create musically literate singers that are independent enough to carry on their musical endeavors beyond the NHS chorus classroom. I hope that together we can create beautiful music to share with each other, Northern High, and the community.

There will be parent meeting on Tuesday, September 6th, at 7 PM in the chorus room for any parent/guardian that would like to meet me or learn more about what's going on with Northern Chorus this year! Hope you can come!

Please turn in signed chorus contracts by Friday, September 2nd. Also, please check this blog often, as it's a great way to stay updated with the chorus. You can also Facebook my "teacher" account which is "Lindsey D Hayek" for other updates. Do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. Thank you for your support!

Goodbye Fitz, Hello Hayek!

2011-06-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Northern Chorus students and families,

I have truly enjoyed serving as your chorus teacher at Northern High for the past three years. You have accepted me into the Northern family and made me feel welcome. I have watched the students grow vocally and musically, and seen their talent blossom on stage and in the classroom. I have been proud to work at Northern High, but am sad to say that I will not be returning to Northern next year. I have accepted a position as the lead music teacher at Sandy Ridge Elementary. This was a very difficult decision for me to make, and I will miss you all terribly.

Sandy Ridge Elementary is a new arts magnet elementary school opening in August. Mr. Colclough is the principal of the new school. There will be a big emphasis on performance, guest artists, field trips and arts integration. I am excited to have the opportunity to explore teaching another age group! You can find out more about Sandy Ridge at http://sandyridge.dpsnc.net.

Mrs. Lindsey Hayek will be the new Northern High Choral Director. She has her Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance and Masters of Arts in Teaching from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is an outstanding vocalist and pianist, kind and capable. She is very excited to join the Northern family and cannot wait to meet you all. I feel very confident leaving the Northern Chorus in her hands. Please make her feel welcome next year and stay away from the phrase, “But Ms. Fitz used to….” Mrs. Hayek will do things differently, just like I did things differently when I started working at Northern. She has your best interests in mind, so I hope you will make her feel at home. Mrs. Hayek will be sending a letter home in early August introducing herself and announcing the class lists.

I hope you will think of this transition in terms of a new beginning—not like an ending. A new beginning is a wonderful thing! Mrs. Hayek will expose you to new music, new warm-ups, new performance opportunities and a new style of teaching. You will become a better musician because you will get to study with two music teachers—not just one.

You can always email me, find me on facebook, or send me a text (when you’re not in class). I know this chorus will continue to grow and make Durham proud. With the Superior ratings and positive comments from judges all around the state and country, I hope you know what you are capable of! I am so proud of you and cannot wait to see what you do in years to come!
Best of luck. Keep in touch and keep singing!

Timeline for Graduation 2011

2011-05-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Graduation is FRIDAY, JUNE 10th.

10 AM: ALL chorus students meet in the chorus room at Northern High for warm-up and rehearsal. Yes, even seniors need to be there!
10:30 AM: Depart for Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University
Option 1: Students ride bus to graduation (I need a permission slip from you)
Option 2: Students arrange their own transportation to graduation
11 AM sharp: Sound check at Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University. This is our ONLY rehearsal with Mrs. Colclough!
11:15 AM: Seniors line up, all other chorus members sit next to risers until graduation starts
12 noon: Graduation
1:30pm or so: Graduation Ends. The bus will leave 10 minutes after the ceremony is over.

**Don't forget: Please send $5 for your copy of the Spring Concert DVD!**

Spring Concert: May 6 and 7, 2011

2011-05-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Spring Concert is coming!

2011-04-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

The end is near! The following rehearsals and performances are REQUIRED for all current NHS chorus students.

Tuesday and Wednesday, May 3 and 4 Rehearsals for Spring Concert, 6-9pm

Thursday, May 5 Dress Rehearsal for Spring Show, 6-9pm

Fri, May 6 and Sat, May 7 Spring Chorus Concert 7:30pm, students arrive at 6pm

June 10, 2011 Graduation (Northern Chorus sings- yes, this includes seniors!)

Upcoming but not required:

May 20 and 21, 2011 Spring Musical "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," starring Nicole T, Frank B, Zavian P, Naomi B, Sara P and Philip R.

Don't forget:

Two Concert Reports (2 pages EACH- total of 4 pages) are due by May 31st. Please see the tab marked "Concert Report Rubric" for more information!

Festival Disney 2011

2011-04-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

Thirty NHS students traveled to Orlando, FL from April 6-10, 2011 to participate in the Festival Disney Competition. The result? Five trophies and a lot of fun. :)

Blues in the Knight sings "Can You Hear?" at the Festival Disney competition

Walt and Mickey in front of the castle!

Knight Sounds sings "All My Life" at the Festival Disney competition
Group shot of Knight Sounds

The whole crew

Adrienne and Sydney accepting Blues in the Knight's Superior Award and Best in Class (Treble Choir)!

Fitz gets a hug from Mickey and accepts Blues in the Knight's Bronze Award for third place chamber choir overall.

Silly Seniors- Class of 2011

Sydney holding our "Best in Class" Mickey award!

Hard Rock Cafe breakfast

Bubba Gumps Group Dinner

March Updates

2011-03-13T12:17:00.002-07:00

Congratulations to all chorus students who participated in the NCMEA Large Ensemble Choral Festival at Meredith College on March 7th and 8th. Blues in the Knight, the advanced women's chorus, performed Grade 5 music ("Fences" by Andre J. Thomas and "Sisters" by Gwyneth Walker) and received a Superior rating of 95. The NHS Mixed Chorus, a combination of 2nd and 4th period choirs, performed Grade 4 music ("The Gartan Mother's Lullaby" by Neil Ginsberg and "Go Down Moses" by Mark Hayes) and received a Superior rating of 91.

NHS Mixed Chorus- Meredith College, March 8th

NHS Blues in the Knight- Meredith College, March 7th

Upcoming:

March 25--Arts Night

March 30 and 31-- CHORUS AUDITIONS FOR 2011-2012 (2:45-4pm)

April 6-- Disney

May 6-- Spring Concert

June 10-- Graduation

January: Exams, EOE, Pecans, Florida and DVDs.

2011-01-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

We still have leftover pecans. Please order some!

6 bags of chocolate left, $10/each
9 bags of cinnamon left, $10/each
11 bags of pecan caramel clusters left, $9/each
12 bags of glazed left, $9/each

Florida announcements:

The next Florida deposit for girls in Blues in the Knight is $100, due January 10th. (The entire $450 is due by February 15th) Please contact me if you need to set up a payment plan.

The first Florida deposit of $250 for those in the Men's Chorus planning on traveling to Florida is due by Friday, January 28th. Remember, paying early and paying in full is always an option :) (The entire $450 is due by March 1st at the absolute latest)

DVD information!

DVDs of the fall concert "Free at Last" are available for $10/each.

Gig update for 2nd and 3rd period

2010-12-01T05:59:00.000-08:00

This Friday, Dec 3rd: SEE POST BELOW FOR INFO ON TOWER LIGHTING!
Wed, Dec 8: Ruritan Gig @ Willowhaven. Meet 6:45, Sing at 7:15.
Thurs, Dec 9: Treyburn Gig @ Treyburn CC. Meet 7pm, Sing at 7:30.
Fri, Dec 10: Rehearsal with Carrington Middle @NHS. 4-6pm
Mon, Dec 13: Rehearsal with Little River Elem @NHS. 4-6pm
Wed, Dec 15: Winter Concert with Little River and Carrington. NHS arrives at 4:30, Carrington at 4:45, Little River at 5pm. "Dress rehearsal" starts at 5:15, Concert starts at 7pm. Done by 8pm.
Field Trips: There will be two. I'm waiting on Durham Regional to get back to me. The one set in stone is: Thurs, Dec 16: Regional Cancer Care (Ben Franklin, near Chick Fil A on Roxboro). We will leave school by 9:15, arrive by 9:30, sing by 9:45, done by 10, back to school by 10:15.
***Don't Forget that the first Florida deposit is due by Monday, December 13th! I will gladly accept early payments! :)***

Tower Lighting Friday!

2010-11-30T18:09:00.000-08:00

Chorus Students in 2nd and 3rd period will be singing at the Lucky Strike Tower Lighting this Friday. See below for details.

We will meet outside of Tyler's Restaurant at 5:15pm this Friday, December 3, 2010. The Lucky Strike Tower Lighting will be from 7-8pm. Directions:

From I-85 (US 70):
Exit Downtown Durham (Mangum Street). Continue on Mangum through downtown, 2 miles. Follow parking signs to ballpark. The South Deck is just past the Stadium on the corner of Willard/Jackie Robinson and Carr Streets.

The North Deck parking lot is located at the corner of Carr & Pettigrew Streets. Once past the South Deck, make an immediate right onto Carr Street passing between the car dealership on your left and the back entrance to the Bays on your right. The North Deck entrance is straight ahead.

Head east on Tom Wilkinson Rd toward Goldston Ave

go 0.1 mi

total 0.1 mi

Turn right at US-501 S/N Roxboro Rd

About 4 mins

go 2.8 mi

total 2.9 mi

Continue straight onto N Duke St

About 3 mins

go 2.5 mi

total 5.4 mi

Continue onto N Gregson St

About 4 mins

go 1.7 mi

total 7.1 mi

Turn left at W Chapel Hill St

About 1 min

go 0.2 mi

total 7.3 mi

Turn right at W Pettigrew St

go 0.2 mi

total 7.5 mi

Take the 1st right onto Carr St

Destination will be on the left

go 0.2 mi

total 7.7 mi

Tyler's Restaurant & Taproom

324 Blackwell St # 400, Durham, NC 27701-3600‎ - (919) 433-0345‎

A glance at the board....

2010-11-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

A few pictures of the board in the chorus classroom today. Please notice:
Nov 30: Pecan Sales Due
Dec 3: Vocal 2 and 3 sing at the Lucky Strike Tower Lighting.
Meet at 5:15pm, sing at 7pm.
Dec 6: 3-5pm after school rehearsal, all classes
Dec 8: Ruritan Club Gig (at Willowhaven), Vocal 2 and 3
Dec 9: Treyburn Country Club Gig, Vocal 2 and 3
Dec 13: 3-5 after school rehearsal, all classes
Dec 15: HOLIDAY CONCERT, 7pm, all classes.
Dec 17: Last Open Mic of 2010, all classes.

The rest of the pictures are the rhythms on their worksheets, due tomorrow. They are learning about dotted quarters and eighth notes/rests. There will be a quiz in all classes next Thursday, 12/2. Students that were unable to participate in the Fall Concert must turn in their 5-page papers by tomorrow, 11/23. They will lose a letter grade for each school day it is late. Look for information on field trips during the school day in December. We will be singing holiday songs around town! Contact me with any questions. Thanks for your support!

11/18 updates

2010-11-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

DVDs of the Fall Concert, "Free at Last," will be ready in early December. They are available to purchase for $10 in cash or check made out to NHS Chorus.
Our pecan sale started yesterday and ends November 30th. Look for pecans to arrive the week before Winter Break. They make delicious stocking stuffers!
2nd period Blues in the Knight Florida update: Your initial deposit of $200 is due December 13th. Please pay earlier if you can! Parents: if your student has not given you the Florida information, please email me so I can send you the form.
Our Holiday Concert is coming up: join us on December 15th at 7pm to see the choirs from Little River Elementary, Carrington Middle and Northern High collaborate together!

Free at Last

2010-11-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to all chorus students who performed at our fall chorus concert "Free at Last." Thank you to everybody who made it possible! Enjoy the pictures :)

Concert Friday Night at 6pm!

2010-11-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Northern High Chorus will present their Fall Concert "Free at Last" this Friday night at 6pm in the NHS Auditorium. Students should arrive at 4:30pm with bake sale items, already dressed and ready to sing. Adult tickets are $10, students are $5 and DPS faculty/staff are free. Featuring the greatest Motown hits and much more! Hope to see you there.

Fall Concert Time Change

2010-10-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

No CPA Meeting tomorrow night. Please email me instead: rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net.

Fall Concert Schedule:
Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov 2 and Nov 3 Rehearsals for Fall Concert, 6-9pm
Thursday, Nov 4 Dress Rehearsal for Fall Concert, 6-9pm
Friday, Nov 5 Fall Chorus Concert 6pm (PLEASE NOTE CHANGE: NOT 7:30). Students need to be in the auditorium at 4:30pm.

Volunteers Needed for our Fall Concert on November 5th.
____ Bake Sale Items- from all parents! Please send them with your child at 4:30- their call time for the show.
____ Bake Sale Workers (during intermission) (need at least two)
____ Ticket Takers/Sellers (need at least two)
____ Help at Evening Rehearsal Tuesday 11/2, 6-9pm (need at least two)
____ Help at Evening Rehearsal Wednesday 11/3, 6-9pm (need at least two)
____ Help at Dress Rehearsal Thursday 11/4, 6-9pm (need at least two)
____ Helping Joe Zajac with Mics/Sound- Tues-Fri. *Please help!*
____ Transportation/ Taxi Service? For kids who need rides home from rehearsal. I would love to have a parent who can take kids to neighborhoods around the old Walmart (Old Oxford Hwy type area).
____ Any connections with advertising (newspaper, etc)
____ Any connections with DVD/CD recording

Thank you for your support and I look forward to seeing you at the NHS Fall Chorus Concert!

All County Pics and Recordings!

2010-10-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

Check out these awesome All County Chorus Pictures from Saturday, 10/15/10. You can hear the recordings of each song, too!

www.manring.net/photos/DPS_All-County_Chorus_10-16-10/default.html

Congrats to all students who performed at All County. It was an awesome concert!

Wacky Tacky Day

2010-10-13T11:58:00.001-07:00

1st period girls on Wacky Tacky Day

Run and jump Wacky Tacky picture. AAA!

CPA, etc

2010-10-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

CPA Meeting tonight at 7pm in the Chorus Room. Don't forget!

Homecoming: Students meet at 5pm at County Stadium on Friday, 10/15. They should bring $7-10 dollars for the chicken dinner and/or concessions. They will sing the Alma Mater and National Anthem. Attendance is REQUIRED.

All County: see last post for reminders.

If your child is in chorus and you have not been receiving emails from me with chorus reminders, please email me at rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net to get your email address on my list! Thank you for your support.

2nd period celebrates Lazy Day in PJs and sweatsuits.

CPA Meeting RESCHEDULED

2010-10-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER REMINDERS

The CPA Meeting for tonight has been rescheduled for NEXT Tuesday, October 12th at 7:00pm. See you then.
Friday, October 15 NHS Chorus sings the National Anthem at Homecoming Football Game (vs. ECHHS). Rehearsal 5pm at County Stadium, Tailgate Dinner at 5:30pm, Meet at 6:30pm, Sing at 7:00pm
Saturday, October 23 Pancake Breakfast hosted by Mt. Sylvan Ruritan Club 7-10am. We will need bake sale items and volunteers to serve food.
The Fall Chorus Concert is November 5th. We need lots of help to prepare.
We will discuss Spring Trip Possibilities at the next CPA meeting (locations, length of trip, etc). Please attend Oct 12th if you are interested in helping to plan the trip.
All classes have been participating in a Chocolate and Jewelry fundraiser for the past couple of weeks. If you're crazy and don't like chocolate or jewelry, please consider making a donation to the chorus instead. All fundraising materials are due back this Thursday in class. Please encourage your child to participate!
Please be aware that All County rehearsals have been going on after school (girls are meeting today, guys are meeting tomorrow), and our official rehearsals start this Thursday night at Jordan. Remember, this is an optional event, but people who have committed to the event must attend all rehearsals.
Thursday, October 7: All County Pre-rehearsal at Jordan High, 6-8pm (only for students who auditioned for All County)
Thursday, October 14: All County Rehearsal at Jordan High, 4:30-9pm (only for students who auditioned for All County)
Saturday, October 16 Durham All County Chorus (only for students who auditioned for All County)
Check out the youtube channel for Northern Chorus. You can access those videos through this link: http://www.youtube.com/user/northernchorus. Right now, there are videos from last year's groups, as well as a lot of Open Mic performances. Enjoy!
Please send Kleenex and/or hand sanitizer in with your child. In the winter, we can go through a box of Kleenex in two days or less.

Honors Chorus Auditions

2010-09-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Jamie, Nicole, Claire, Ruth and Adrienne for being chosen to audition for the North Carolina Honors Chorus this Saturday, 9/25/10. Wish them luck!

Open Mic / Youtube Channel!

2010-09-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

The last Friday of every month is Open Mic at Northern High! Today was our first one of the year. Students perform for each other and get to practice good performance etiquette. All students are encouraged to participate!

I made a youtube channel for Northern Chorus! Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/northernchorus.

Rise Up, My Love

2010-09-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

A work in progress: "Rise Up, My Love" from Blues in the Knight (Vocal 3).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg9ACKx0JDc

Enjoy!

CPA Meeting tonight

2010-09-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

A reminder to all Chorus Parents:

CPA meeting tonight at 7pm in the NHS Chorus Room (A3).

All chorus classes are sounding fantastic. Check out for the NHS website for some pictures taken in the guys' class last week.

New NHS Student?

2010-08-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

If you are a new NHS student, or just new to chorus, I would love to meet you!

If you do not audition, you will automatically be placed in either Vocal 1 (generally girls grades 9-10) or Vocal 2 (all guys, grades 9-12).
I would love if you would have your counselor sign you up for the full year if possible.
If you are a girl who has a lot of prior choral or vocal experience, please see me as soon as possible for an audition. It is extremely rare for a new student to get into the Women's Chorus (Vocal 3), but it has happened. You can email me immediately at rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net to set up a time.

I look forward to meeting all new students at NHS's Open House for New Students on Tuesday evening, August 23, from 6:30-8pm. Stop by the chorus room (A3, near the bus lot) to see the room!

Congratulations, Graduates of 2010!

2010-06-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Graduation 2010 Congratulations to all Class of 2010 chorus members:

Gennifer, Eliza, Rebekah, Kelly, Monica, Kaitlyn

Jamal, Terrence, Jackson, Connor

Aleeza, Amber, Katy, Deisha, Nikki, Brooke

Soprano Seniors

Eliza and Gennifer

Katy, Deisha, Nikki

Alto Section

Connor and Aleeza

Rebekah, Kelly, Monica

Gennifer, Eliza, Rebekah

You all sang the National Anthem, Alma Mater, and "Wind Beneath My Wings" beautifully. Best of luck in your next adventure! Make it a goal to keep music in your daily life. You have a talent that also brings you joy. Make sure you share that with others.

To all incoming freshmen and my students for the 2010-2011 school year, have a fantastic summer. See you in August!

Timeline for Graduation

2010-06-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

10 AM: All chorus students meet in the chorus room at Northern High for warm-up and rehearsal

10:30 AM: Depart for Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University

Option 1: Students ride bus to graduation
Option 2: Students arrange their own transportation to graduation

11 AM sharp: Sound check at Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University

11:15 AM: Seniors line up, all other chorus members sit next to risers until graduation starts

12 noon: Graduation

1:30pm or so: Graduation Ends. The bus will leave 10 minutes after the ceremony is over.

**We still have Knight Sounds sweatsuits ($40), Spring Concert DVDs ($12), and Florida CDs ($5) for sale! Email Ms. Fitz for information.

Spring Chorus Show 2010

2010-05-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson Medley

By MidKnight Blues

Die Nachtigall

MidKnight Blues

Blues In the Knight

Abba Forever Medley
Blues In the Knight

Once Upon A Time
Class of 2010 and Knight Sounds

Once Upon A Time

Florida Pics and Concert Reminder

2010-04-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

SPRING CHORUS CONCERT this Thursday and Friday, April 29 and 30, 7:30pm NHS Auditorium. See you there!

Group picture at Universal Studios

After our Festival Disney performance

At the Festival Disney Awards Ceremony 2010

Some Florida pictures

2010-04-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

After Space Mountain

Before Pirates of the Caribbean

Eliza showcasing our Superior trophy!

Seniors 2010 at Hard Rock Cafe

mp3 recordings of Florida performance

2010-04-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

Urgent! You have one week to go to this website and download the mp3 tracks from the Florida performance. They are high quality and free, but only for a week!

Knight Sounds: http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=858102511&email=3a68c99204bb00b37a8d8abbdbf81be5

Blues in the Knight: http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=858107681&email=c132144f6df2ef7c3ee0dc33ba3aa4e0

Please send any good group pictures to rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net to we can get them on the NHS webpage and maybe even in the newspaper!

4/21/10

2010-04-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all Chorus students who traveled to Orlando, FL to participate in the Festival Disney Competition. Blues in the Knight received a Superior rating and Knight Sounds received an Excellent rating. I am very proud of both groups!

We will have a CPA meeting tomorrow (Thurs the 22nd) at 7pm in the chorus room. This is the last CPA meeting of the year, and we will be getting into high gear for the chorus concert next week.

The schedule for ALL chorus students next week is:
M April 26: Rehearsal 6-9pm
T April 27: Rehearsal 6-9pm
W April 28: Dress Rehearsal 6-9pm
Th April 29: Call for students- 6pm. Concert- 7:30pm.
F April 30: Call for students- 6pm. Concert- 7:30pm.

The students are doing a fantastic job, and I look forward to a great show next weekend.

For all chorus students going to Florida...

2010-04-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

GET EXCITED!

NHS Chorus at Festival Disney 2009

Parent Meeting! April 13th, at 7pm in the NHS Auditorium. All students going to Florida MUST attend this meeting and bring a parent/guardian. We will be filling out required forms, getting last-minute packing reminders, reviewing trip rules and policies, and going over the itinerary. Bring medical information, insurance policy number, allergy/med information, and all emergency phone numbers. If you cannot make this meeting, you must schedule a time to talk to Ms. Fitz with your parent/guardian. You will not be allowed to go on the trip otherwise. We will go over trip details and perform our competition music for our captive audience!

April 14th: 7:30 - 8:30pm - rehearsal with Katie Cole, our Florida accompanist. This will be our last chance to rehearse before we leave for Florida!

April 14th - 18th: Festival Disney! We will be leaving at 9pm on the 14th and returning at 9pm on the 18th.

Suggested Packing List:
____Clothes for the 1st day (take on bus, we will not go to hotel before going to park) you will NOT be able to get in your suitcase until that evening.
____DVDs for bus (PG13, no R)
____ Sunscreen!!!!!
____Water bottle
____Jacket (it’s cool and windy at night and it may rain)
____Sunglasses
____Casual clothes (dress in layers, shorts for daytime)
____Comfortable walking shoes (you will be doing a LOT of this)
____Toiletries
____Sleeping clothes
____Black chorus dress with proper undergarments (MAKE SURE IT IS HEMMED)
____Hair/makeup for performance
____Closed-toe black shoes
____Tuxedo with proper BLACK socks (please dry clean)
____Black dress shoes
____Extra batteries/chargers for electronics
____Spending money for dinner on our way home
____Snacks
____Spending money for souvenirs
____Camera

concert attire reminder!

2010-03-09T07:08:00.001-08:00

TO ALL BLUES IN THE KNIGHT AND KNIGHT SOUNDS CHORUS MEMBERS:
Do not forget to hem your black dress- if it is new, it is way too long! Please do this ASAP.
Guys, try on your tux to make sure it fits. Guys will need the tux with bowtie, shiny black shoes and black socks for Florida.

Arts Night, etc

2010-03-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

-TONIGHT, March 4, 2010: CPA meeting in the chorus room, 7-7:30pm

-Next Thursday, March 11: ARTS NIGHT (required for Blues in the Knight and Knight Sounds)

Chorus students meet in chorus room dressed in competition clothing (black dress or tux)at 6:30pm for a run-through
Parents can see the arts display in the front hall from 6:30-7pm
Performances from the band, drama and chorus from 7-8pm.

EOE success

2010-02-23T05:02:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to all chorus students who participated in EOE! What a great show!

EOE girls EOE guys

And just for fun... this picture cracked me up.

2/16 Update

2010-02-16T05:15:00.000-08:00

Tonight: Drop-in CPA meeting at the Curriculum Fair. Small gym, NHS, 6:30-8pm. Come with questions and ready to volunteer. Hope to see you there!

EOE is this weekend! Below you will find info on the rehearsal schedule, including meals and ticket info.

Thursday 2/18: Rehearsal 3:45-9:30pm. Dinner break: 5:30-6:30
Friday 2/19: Rehearsal 7:40am-9:30pm. BYO Lunch: 1:05-1:45pm. BYO Dinner: 5:30-6:25
Saturday 2/20: Rehearsal begins 7:40am. BYO Lunch: 12:55-1:40pm Dinner provided (pizza)
Final Performance at DPAC: 7pm Saturday 2/20. Buy tickets at http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/115558/1390627?brand=durham

Blues in the Knight needs to be paid up on the following:

Florida money ($450 in total)
Black dress: $60
Blue dress rental: $40

Knight Sounds needs to be paid up on the following:

Blue shirt: $35
Tux: $100
Sweatsuit: $40
Black dress: $60
Blue dress rental: $40

New Fundraiser for Blues in the Knight and Knight Sounds! We are selling jewelry until Friday 2/26. Prices are cheap and the jewelry is fashionable!

Class changes next year! The schedule for next year's classes will be the following:

Beginners Girls (mostly 9-10 graders)
All Men (9-12 guys)
Advanced Women (mostly 11-12 graders)

CPA meeting update

2010-02-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

Due to the Curriculum Fair at NHS on Tuesday (2/9) evening, I've decided to take a different approach to this month's CPA meeting. The Curriculum Fair is an excellent opportunity to "advertise" the chorus, and to meet rising 9th graders and their parents. Unfortunately, it is during the time that I moved our CPA meeting to.

-Solution: "DROP-IN" CPA MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT, 6:30-8pm: If you were planning on coming to CPA, please come to the small gym and stop by the chorus table. You can get an agenda with all the information, talk to me about any questions, ideas or concerns, and watch a little of the chorus DVD from last spring (and see pictures from the fall concert). Feel free to come with questions about Florida, costumes, performances, fundraisers, EOE, Arts Night, Chorus Auditions, the musical, grades, repertoire, graduation or anything else. I will have a sign-up sheet where you can sign up to help the chorus with various tasks. Feel free to drop by anytime within the 6:30-8 time frame.

I will be sure to send the agenda and any progress made after the "drop-in" meeting on Tuesday.

--Don't forget about EOE rehearsal on Thursday, Feb 11 (6-8, Riverside) and EOE weekend.
--Drop-in CPA meeting Tues, 2/9, 6:30-8pm
--Normal CPA meeting: Thurs, 3/4, 7pm

Blues in the Knight sings "La Paloma"

2010-02-05T05:18:00.000-08:00

Noche de Musica, November 21, 2009

CPA/EOE update: Feb 3rd

2010-02-03T15:52:00.000-08:00

--All schools are now closed Tuesday, February 2. Make-up days for traditional calendar are Feb. 19 and Mar. 19.

--Due to the weather, our CPA (Chorus Parents Association) meeting will be moved to Tuesday, February 9th at 7PM.

--If you have students involved in EOE (Evening of Entertainment), please note the following change and put these dates on your calendar:

Due to February 19, being a snow make-up day - we will not be able to have EOE rehearsal during the school day on Thursday, February 18 - as that Friday will be our one school day rehearsal day. Rehearsal check in at the DPAC will be between 3:45-4:10 pm on Thursday, February 18 - to start at 4:15.

4-Feb Thurs 6–8 pm Riverside
11-Feb Thurs 6–8 pm Riverside
18-Feb Thurs 3:45pm–9:30pm DPAC **note change
19-Feb Fri 7:40am–9:30pm DPAC
20-Feb Sat 7:40am–9pm DPAC

Just a heads up that students will only miss one day of school for EOE.

ACIMCF 2010

2010-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

Pictures from the All Carolina Invitational Male Choral Festival at UNC-Chapel Hill. Congratulations to all the guys who performed!

"Son de Camaguey"

2010-01-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

A picture from Noche de Musica, our fall concert (Nov 21, 2009)

New Semester: Get Excited!

2010-01-21T07:01:00.000-08:00

Coming up in Spring 2010...
-February 20: EOE (see previous posts about rehearsals)
-March 11: Arts Night
-April 15-18 (leaving Ap14PM): Florida Competition Trip
-April 30 and May 1: Spring Chorus Concert
-May 14 and 15: The Wiz (Spring Musical)
-June 10: Chorus sings at NHS graduation

The Chorus Parents Association will meet on the following evenings:
-Tuesday Feb 2nd: 7pm-- discuss semester as a whole, focus on EOE and long-term goals
-Thursday Mar 4th: 7pm-- getting ready for Arts Night and thinking ahead to Florida and spring concert
-Tuesday April 13th: 7pm REQUIRED: Florida Parent Meeting to discuss final itinerary, collect insurance information, meet chaperones and sign paperwork.
-Thursday, April 22nd: 7pm ---Getting ready for the Spring Concert!

I am very excited about this semester. We have a lot of good music for the Florida competition and Spring Concert. Look for more information about costumes and fundraisers in the near future. Thank you for your support!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-11T06:10:00.048-08:00

Happy New Year, Northern Chorus and parents.....

On Tuesday January 12th we have tenor/bass day for EOE practice from 2:45-3:45.

On Wednesday January 13th the FINAL payment for the Florida competition trip is due, unless you are on a different payment plan that you have discussed with me.

The ACIMCF schedule for guys is:

-Friday January 15th

5:45-6:55pm registration
7:00-7:15pm seating: in the Kenan Music Building
7:15-8:15pm rehearsal: in the Kenan Music Building
8:15-8:25pm break
8:25-9:00pm sectionals: in the Kenan Music Building
9:00-9:30pm rehearsal: in the Kenan Music Building
9:30pm go home and sleep!!!

-Saturday January 16th

8:30-9:45am rehearsal: in the Kenan Music Building
9:45-10:00am break
10:00-11:00 rehearsal/clinic: in the Kenan Music Building
11:00-1:00pm lunch: on your own
1:00-1:45pm sectionals: in the Kenan Music Building
2:00-3:00pm reheasal/clinic: in the Hill Hall Auditorium
3:00-4:00pm rehearsal: in the Hill Hall Auditorium
4:00-4:30pm break
4:15-4:30pm UNC MGC run-thru
4:30-5:15pm run-thru: in the Hill Hall Auditorium
5:15-5:40pm dress: Dress in Hill Hall
5:40pm meet/line up: in the Kenan Music Building
6:00pm concert: in the Hill Hall Auditorium
6:45pm festival ends

*You should bring: your music, a pencil, water, and money for lunch on Saturday!

*On Saturday, the clothes you will wear for the show is dark slacks, dress shirt and tie, dard socks and shoes. In addition, participants should bring a black folder.

*The cost for general admission is $5.00.

*You can recieve more information at http://www.uncmensgleeclub.org

The exam schedule for my classes is:

Thurs. January 14th: Knight Sounds exam in a.m. then MidKnight Blues review in pm

Fri. January 15th: MidKnight Blues exam in the am then Blues in the Knight review in pm

Mon. January 18th: NO SCHOOL

Tues. January 19th: Blues in the Knight exam

December Updates :)

2009-12-11T05:10:00.000-08:00

CHORUS NEWSLETTER

1. Pecans came in yesterday. They should be delivered by students shortly.

2. Students should have turned in $300 by winter break. $150 is due at the end of January.

3. Evening holiday performances for Blues in the Knight and Knight Sounds
· Last night was the Treyburn Holiday Concert. They really enjoyed our performance and we are planning on singing there same time next year.
· Wednesday, December 16: Ruritan Club Dinner (at Willowhaven)
Meet at 6:40pm. Sing at 7:00pm

4. Daytime holiday performances
· Monday, December 14, 10:30am Hillcrest Convalescent---Knight Sounds and MKB
· Tuesday, December 15, 10am Ben Franklin Medical Park—KS and BIK
· Wednesday, December 16, 10am Durham Regional—BIK and MKB

5. Evening of Entertainment (EOE)
· Students chosen will rehearse the music after school with me during January @ NHS !!!!
· GIRLS: December 14 2:45-4 pm
January 7 2:45-3:45 pm
GUYS: December 17 2:45-4 pm
January 12 2:45-3:45 pm
· Pre-rehearsals at Riverside High (REQUIRED):
January 21 6-8pm
February 4 6-8pm
February 11 6-8pm
· Big EOE weekend (all-day intense rehearsals- REQUIRED)
February 18 7:40am-9:15pm at DPAC
February 19 7:40am-9:15pm at DPAC
February 20 8:30am-9:00pm at DPAC
· EOE Performance on February 20th at 7:00pm at DPAC
· Tickets are available starting December 12. Tickets are $25, $15 and $10. You can purchase tickets at http://www.dpacnc.com/

UNC-Chapel Hill Men’s Invitational Choral Festival
· January 15 and 16, 2010
· All male students in Knight Sounds are required to attend.
· Male students in MKB will receive 100 quiz grade for attending.

Directions to WILLOWHAVEN/ RURITAN GIG (Dec 16)
From Northern High School, proceed south on Roxboro Road to Latta Road...turn right and travel on Latta to Guess Road. Turn right on Guess Rd. Go to the stop light and turn left onto Umstead Road. Go approximately 3 miles to the sign that says Willowhaven Country Club. Turn left into the subdivision and wind around to the main Club house. There is a sign at the entrance. We will meet in the lobby when you first walk in.

FALL CONCERT WEEK/ Florida update

2009-11-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

Chorus students had a chocolate/magazine fundraiser at the end of September. Items *just* came in on Thursday, November 12th. Any student who sold 8 items or more made 50% profit. Some families chose to subtract that amount from their initial deposit ($200, due yesterday, 11/13). We will also have a pecan fundraiser beginning next week (50% profit), so any money that students make on that fundraiser will also go towards his/her Florida trip. I am keeping a detailed record of how much students are earning, and keeping up with multiple payment plans from chorus families. If you have questions, I urge you to contact me immediately at rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net. It IS possible for every student to go on this trip, and I hope that you will talk with me about payment plans before assuming your family cannot afford it. The chorus is a team, and we will find a way to help all singers attend if they want to!

NEXT PAYMENT FOR FLORIDA DUE: DECEMBER 7th. Amount: $100

As a reminder, here are the rehearsal dates for this coming week-- FALL CONCERT WEEK!.
Mon, Nov 16, 6-9pm
Tues, Nov 17, 6-9pm
Thur, Nov 19, 6-9pm DRESS REHEARSAL (I will provide a red flower and scarf for each girl, but they should come wearing a black dress/knee-length skirt and black dress shoes that they can dance in. I will provide a red flower and red tie for each boy, but they should come wearing a long-sleeved black button-down dress shirt and black dress pants, plus a black belt, socks and shoes.)
Sat, Nov 21 7:30pm CONCERT (students arrive at 6pm)

Any parents interested in helping with sound, please email me ASAP. We need your help at rehearsals! I also need parents to help with supervising students at all rehearsals. Please email me if you are available to help this coming week. Thank you for your support!

November 5th

2009-11-05T13:09:00.000-08:00

Quick reminder that the Chorus Parents Association meets tonight at 7pm in the Chorus room. We got in the costume materials today, which was really exciting. We have been adding some choreography and percussive instruments in slowly but surely. It is getting really exciting! Blues in the Knight, the all-girls 3rd period class, performed at the faculty meeting yesterday afternoon and really wowed all the teachers. Mr. Colclough loved it, too.

I hope you're getting revved up for our Fall Concert, "Noche de Musica," on November 21st at 7:30pm! **A Ticket Order Form should have come home with your student on Monday.**

Concert attire: All black.
Guys: long sleeved, button-down black dress shirt (tucked in). Black dress pants. Black shoes, socks and belt. The chorus will provide a red flower to pin to their shirt pocket, and a red tie.
Girls: black dress or skirt/shirt combo. No straps smaller than a lasagna noodle, no cleavage. All skirts should be about knee-length. We will discuss shoes in class. The chorus will provide a red scarf/sash to tie around her waist, and a red flower for her hair.

Required rehearsals:
Monday, Nov 16th, 6-9pm
Tuesday, Nov 17th, 6-9pm
Thursday, Nov 19th, 6-9pm DRESS REHEARSAL, no exceptions (if missed, must write a 2-pg paper)
Saturday, Nov 21st, 7:30pm (call: 6pm for all chorus students) (if missed, must write a 3-pg paper)

All rehearsals and concerts are counted as performance grades and are a major part of the student's grade.

Many thanks to the parents on the costume committe, especially Jane. Everything looks great.

The Pancake Breakfast was a huge success, as was our Bake Sale. I am still anxiously waiting for our fundraising materials to arrive so we can begin the pecan fundraiser ASAP.

Looking for a keyboard for the chorus:
--relatively light and transportable, full size keys (not skinny), needs a sustain pedal
--If you see one for a good price (or have an extra one laying around the house), please let me know. We will need one for performances around the community in the future.

Things to talk about tonight at the CPA meeting:
-Ticket sales at concert
-Sound at concert
-Costumes for fall concert
-Shoes (girls, character shoes)
-Black dresses, tuxes for winter ASAP- measurements
-Wintertime performance opportunities (nursing homes, etc)
-Batteries for mics (9V)
-Anything else I forgot.

Please reply to rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net with any questions. Thank you so much for all of your help! You are so crucial to our success and we appreciate all that you do for the chorus.

mid-October reminders

2009-10-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

Reminders:

- Pancake Breakfast at Mt. Sylvan Ruritan Club
this Saturday, October 24th 7-10 am
Price: $6 (children under 6 eat free)
*Please bring bake sale items

- Chorus (small group) performs at faculty meeting
November 4th after school

- Chorus Parents Association (CPA)
November 5th at 7pm

- Fall Chorus Concert
November 21st 7:30 pm

End of September

2009-09-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

There is a lot coming up for the chorus!

Tomorrow (Tuesday), September 29th, 4pm, Chorus Room: small parents meeting to talk about FL spring competition trip
All County pre-rehearsals at NHS from 2:45-4pm
-Mon 9/28, Tues 9/29, Thurs 10/1
Official All County Chorus rehearsals start this week! @HILLSIDE HIGH
-Thurs, 10/6, 6-8pm
-Tues, 10/6, 6-8pm
-Thurs, 10/15, 4-9PM BRING DINNER
-Sat Oct 17th: All day rehearsal, Concert at 7pm @Hillside!
NEXT CPA MEETING: Thursday, October 8th at 7pm in the NHS Chorus Room
-We will be discussing fundraisers (Pancake Breakfast), concert, costumes,
Florida, and more!
Students in Blues in the Knight and Knight Sounds should be selling chocolate and magazines for our current fundraiser! Half the money that they raise will go towards their personal chorus account, which will ultimately help pay for their trip to Florida!

CPA

2009-09-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

The first CPA (Chorus Parents Association) meeting will be tomorrow night (9/10) at 7pm in the Chorus room (A3). You may enter through my door down by the bus lot and teacher parking lot. I hope to get everybody out of there within 30 minutes.

Topics of the evening will include:
1- Fundraising (chocolate, jewelry, pecans, pancakes, baskets, etc)
2- Costumes
3- Chorus Calendar/ explanation of "optional" chorus events
4- Parents and Why We Love Them (tickets, bake sales, transportation, support, batteries, sound board for concert week, advertising, recording, supervision, printing/folding programs, and being smart and beautiful/handsome)

Fall Theme

2009-08-27T15:29:00.001-07:00

Get excited about the theme of our fall concert: Music from Spanish Speaking Countries! We will be learning music from Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain, and many other places. Expect to groove with some local salsa band musicians and see some latin dancing.

I encourage all chorus students to attend La Fiesta del Pueblo 2009, a local Latino festival held this coming weekend (8/29 and 8/30) at the Raleigh fairgrounds. Here is the link to the event's website. If you click on "schedule" you can see when all the different musicians will be performing. If a student attends and takes a picture of herself there, she can get extra credit. In addition, there will be lots of good music and delicious food. I hope you get a chance to get a taste of Latino culture at this festival.

If you know a lot about this topic (maybe you grew up in Puerto Rico, etc), please let me know! I would love all the help I can get! Thank you in advance. :)

Syllabus!

2009-08-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Literature studied: Students will be required to sing a variety of choral literature both secular and sacred. Students will not be expected to believe, practice, or worship any of the sacred literature, but they will be asked to sing and study it as a part of our world’s music history. Refusing to sing particular styles of music will result in a zero for the student’s daily participation grade.
We will be working on musicianship, vocal technique, and choral literature daily. All three of these components are crucial to making each student a good musician, which will ultimately prepare students for musical endeavors beyond high school.

Expectations: Chorus is based on teamwork and collaboration.
1. Be on time to class and be prepared to sing when the bell rings.
2. No food, drinks or gum in the chorus room.
3. Be respectful to Ms. Fitz, your classmates, yourself and our classroom materials.
4. Bathroom policy: Three passes per student per semester. These may be used for the bathroom, water, or guidance. Your weekly participation grade drops two points for every additional trip. If you save your passes, you will gain two points per pass on your participation grade at the end of the semester.
5. Cell phone policy: Do not take it out, or Ms. Fitz will keep it until the end of the day. If this happens more than once, your parent will be called and informed. The third time, expect to visit an administrator.
Here are the consequences if those expectations are not met:
1. Verbal warning.
2. Time out/ Call home.
3. Referral to administration.

Grading scale: Chorus is a performance-based course; therefore your attendance is extremely important in class and MANDATORY for rehearsals and performances.
Daily Work: 40%
1. Students must be on-task.
2. Students must have a positive attitude and show respect for their peers and the teacher.
3. Students must follow directions written on board daily. Gather materials listed on the
board and go to your assigned place by the time the tardy bell rings.
Quizzes/Projects: 25%
1. Students will be given written quizzes to assess their knowledge of music notation and literacy.
2. Students will be given singing quizzes to assess their sight-singing skills.
3. Students will be given singing quizzes in quartets to assess their ability to sing their own part of music learned in class.
Rehearsals/Concerts: 35%
1. Students are required to attend all performances and rehearsals.
2. Students must be dressed in uniform and demonstrate proper stage etiquette to receive full credit for the performance.
3. If any after school rehearsals, dress rehearsals, or concerts will be missed, you must notify Ms. Fitz via email (rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net) in order for it to be counted as excused.
o Normal rehearsal missed= help Ms. Fitz (clean up auditorium, make copies, make signs)
o Dress rehearsal missed= write a 2 page paper (topic of Ms. Fitz's choice)
o Concert missed= write a 3 page paper (topic of Ms. Fitz's choice)
o If I do not hear from your parent/guardian/coach/boss before these events, you will receive a ZERO. This is your warning.

Costumes: The purchase of a costume is mandatory. If you purchased a costume last year and it still fits, you are all set. If you are new to the group, women will need to purchase a formal black dress, (fake) pearl earrings and a (fake) pearl necklace. Men will need to purchase a tux (under $100). Further information will be sent home about costumes soon. In addition, t-shirts will be for sale in the near future. Please make any checks payable to NHS Chorus.

REQUIRED Performance/Rehearsal Dates

FALL 2009

Friday, October 9 : National Anthem at Homecoming Football Game:
Rehearsal at 5pm, Tailgating Party at 5:30pm, National Anthem at 6:50pm, Game at 7pm
Monday, November 16 and Tuesday, November 17: Rehearsals for Fall Performance, 6-9pm
Thursday, November 19: Dress Rehearsal for Fall Performance, 6-9pm
Saturday, November 21: Fall Chorus Concert 7:30pm, students arrive at 6pm

SPRING 2010

January 15 and 16, 2010: UNC Men’s Invitational **required for all year-long male chorus students**
Monday and Tuesday, April 26 and April 27: Rehearsals for Spring Show, 6-9pm
Thursday, April 29: Dress Rehearsal for Spring Show, 6-9pm
Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1: Spring Chorus Concert 7:30pm, students arrive at 6pm
June 10, 2010: Graduation (Northern Chorus sings)

Additional Performances/Rehearsals (OPTIONAL)

Thursday, September 24: Honors Chorus Auditions- Meredith College, Raleigh. The audition piece for this year is “The Conversion of Saul” by Z. Randall Stroope. Audition rehearsal tracks are available at www.ledfordhigh.com. You may download the mp3 tracks from this website. The accompaniment track will be used for all auditions. There is an audition fee of $15.00 per student.
- Only 9 students from Northern can audition. Pre-auditions will be after school on Sept 3 and 4. Expect to attend a few after school rehearsals from Sept 7-18 if you are chosen to audition.
- If you score high enough at the Sept 24th audition and are chosen to participate in the NC Honors Chorus, you will need to be available November 7 and 8 for the performance.

Saturday, October 17: All-County Chorus Concert:
All Rehearsals Required:
· Thursday, October 1, 6-8pm
· Tuesday, October 6, 6-8pm
· Thursday, October 15, 4-9pm
· Saturday, October 17: All Day rehearsal
· Concert at 7pm
December 5, 2009: Light Up Durham (more info later)
Monday and Tuesday, December 7 and 8: Spring Musical Auditions (The Wiz!)
Saturday, February 20, 2010: Evening of Entertainment:
All Rehearsals Required:
· Thursday, February 4, 6-8pm
· Thursday, February 11, 6-8pm
· Thursday, Feb 18, after school
· Friday, Feb 19, all day, DPAC*
· Saturday Feb 20, rehearsal time TBA at DPAC*
· Saturday, February 20: Performance at 7pm at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC*)
Friday and Saturday, March 26-27: Spring Musical (The Wiz)
Wednesday through Sunday, April 14-18: Chorus Competition Trip to Florida (more info soon)

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I am looking forward to an exciting year. If you would like to be part of the Chorus Parents Association, please attend our first meeting on Thursday, September 10 at 7pm in the chorus room (A3). The CPA assists with fundraisers, choral performances, chorus finances, field trips, costumes, publicity and anything else the chorus needs. If you cannot attend, I hope to meet you at the NHS Open House on September 17 from 6:30-8pm. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to working with both parents and students! Thank you for your support.

2009-2010

2009-08-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to all students! I hope that you had a wonderful summer, and that you are excited to start singing again! If you are a new Chorus student or have interest in joining, I encourage you to come and meet me on Thursday, August 20th from 6:30-8:00PM in the Chorus room at Northern during the Open House for students new to Northern. We have a really exciting fall semester ahead, so I hope you are ready to work hard and have fun!

Spring Concert and beyond

2009-05-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all chorus students! The 2009 Spring Concert was wonderful! You should be very proud of your hard work. You may purchase a DVD of the concert for $10. Please email me at rachel.fitzsimons@dpsnc.net if you are interested!

Right now, students are working on their music history group projects. The final product, a Power Point and presentation (in costume!) is due May 20. We will have presentations May 20 and 21.

Our next performance will be at NHS Graduation on June 11th at 12 noon. We will be singing the Alma Mater, "Irish Blessing," and "There You'll Be." It is an honor to sing at graduation, as well as a great chance to say goodbye to all of our wonderful seniors.

Welcome to Knight Notes...

2009-04-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

You found us! Let us share with you the sights and sounds of the Northern High School Choruses. Here you will find information on events we participate in, IMPORTANT info from Ms. Fitz, and upcoming events. Please sign up on the left side to receive updates via email. Anytime anything is posted, you will receive an email posted to your email account between 11 pm and 1 am. That way, if you check your email regularly, you won't miss out on anything and you won't have to keep checking back here. We hope if you are not already a follower of our choral groups, you will follow us and check out our performances. We promise you, we will not disappoint!