PRACTICE LOGS DUE

Chamber Singers and Treble Chorus January practice logs (signed by a parent, for the first 3 weeks of January) are due NO LATER than tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26th.  They will be a part of the 2nd Quarter grade and no sheets can be accepted after tomorrow.

Week of 1/4/10 Reminders

Choral Sharing Day (7th and 8th graders) is this Thursday, January 7th from 8:45 AM until 1:45 PM.  If you did not hand in your permission slip before Winter Break, you must do so immediately in order to attend the trip.  To receive a grade for handing in your permission slip on time, you must have turned it in by Friday, Dec. 18th.  You must bring your own lunch and drink on the field trip.  If you are buying a school lunch, you must bring your $3 payment to school with you on Thursday morning.

All choral students (6,7,8) interested in participating in the Howard County Solo and Ensemble Festival on February 6th must return registration forms and payment (cash or check made out to Patapsco Middle School) to Mrs. Mills by this Friday, January 8th.  You should have arranged for a piano accompanist prior to turning in your registration form so that accompanists’ schedule for the day can be arranged without conflicts.  A list of accompanists is in the Solo and Ensemble packet.  Please see Mrs. Mills next week to arrange rehearsal times.

CHORUS THIS WEEK

Dress Rehearsal (no concert dress required): Chamber Singers, Treble Chorus, percussionists, Tone Chimes, and accompanists ONLY. This Wednesday, 12/16, 3-4:30 p.m. Patapsco Cafeteria. Bring a snack to eat at 3.

Concert (see appropriate attire in handbook on the wikispace): This Thursday, December 17th, 7 PM, Howard High School

6th Grade Chorus report to the CHORAL ROOM at 6:30 p.m.

Chamber Singers and Treble Chorus report to the AUDITORIUM (assigned seating) at 6:45 p.m.

Caroling: Dec 18th, 21st,22nd, 23rd… report (for the day you signed up) at 7:30 AM, drop off books at locker and meet in the front hallway by the office.

Chamber Singers/ Treble Chorus HW: Practice logs due Wed 12/16 for TC and Thurs 12/17 for CS. All permission slips for Choral Sharing Day due no later than Friday 12/18.

Congratulations!

to the following students, who were selected to participate in the 2010 Jr. All-State Chorus:  Meg Ross and Rahul Sitaram!!  We also congratulate Ben Browne and Christina Mattera of Mt. Hebron High School on their acceptance to the group this year.  Best of luck as you learn your music and thanks for representing Patapsco!  ~Mrs. Mills~

So You Want to Be a Music Major?

Sponsored by the River Hill HS Dept of Music, this event will take place on Monday, November 23, at River Hill HS beginning at 6:30 PM. “So, You Want to Major in Music?” will cover topics including choosing a music school, how to prepare for an audition, degree choices, teacher recommendations, campus visits, financial aid, and what to expect.  Many of your students participated last year – the folks at RHHS hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity again this year.  Please visit their website at www.riverhillmusic.org for more information.

TONE CHIMES MOVES TO THURSDAY!

We are moving Tone Chime Choir to Thursdays because there are so many other intramurals running on Wednesdays.  Please see me ASAP if you are interested in joining; our next meeting will be next Thursday, November 12th.  ~Mrs. Mills~

Tone Chime Choir begins!

Attention Patapsco Students: The Patapsco Music Department has purchased a new set of Tone Chimes!  Mrs. Mills is beginning a Tone Chime Choir Intramural. Tone Chimes are played like handbells and each player is responsible for playing one or two chimes as part of a group performance.

The only tools necessary are a good sense of steady beat and basic rhythm reading skills in 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures.  The Tone Chime Choir will meet on Wednesdays and will perform in an April concert, as well as accompany the Patapsco choirs.

There are a limited number of playing positions in this ensemble.

Any interested students should attend the INTEREST MEETING for the TONE CHIME CHOIR INTRAMURAL next Wednesday, November 4th after school in the Music Room, D-11.

Parents should pick students up from the meeting at 3:30 p.m.

Students: Watch AM Patapsco on Monday, November 2nd to see what it looks and sounds like to play Tone Chimes!

Listening Examples:

http://www.suzukimusic.com/education/tonechimes/

Click on the first Audio Example, “Bach BMV 147”

You can also listen from Video Example 3 or 6

Rehearsal .mp3’s

Patapsco Chorus is taking a ride on the digital highway this year!  In order to save our precious in-school rehearsal time for working out finer musical details and performance practices, I have recorded all individual section parts for each Winter Concert and Choral Sharing Day piece and uploaded them onto the Wikispace!

Please trade off with your folder partner bringing the music home and rehearsing parts on your own time so you feel more comfortable with them and we won’t have to spend as much rehearsal time learning parts (while other sections become…. well, bored!

Remember, your colleagues in Band and Orchestra have been practicing on their own at home for YEARS.  It is time that we took a cue from them and rehearsed at home for the benefit of the ensemble.  Later in the quarter, practice charts will be sent home as homework so I can monitor your practice minutes.  For now, just work on the parts as frequently as you can.  It will become very obvious in rehearsal once everyone has taken the responsiblity to do some work on their own at home.

When at home, don’t forget about dynamics (which are not performed in the recordings) and other score markings.  Pure vowel shapes and low breathing are a must at all times!

Now, click on the Wikispace link and go get started!!  ~Mrs. Mills~

AIDA!

Patapsco Students and Families:  Join the Patapsco Music Boosters for Elton John and Tim Rice’s “AIDA” at Toby’s Baltimore on Thursday, November 5th.  Fill out the order form attached here and return to the front office.

TOBY’s AIDA ORDER FORM.  Hope to see you there!  ~Mrs. Mills~

G/T Chorus 2009 Singers

Congratulations go to the following students, who were selected to represent Patapsco in the 2009 Howard County G/T Middle School Chorus:  Kristen DiStefano, Madeline Dennis, Ramya Harshavardhan, Erica Naglik, Paige Needham, Meg Ross, Kaeli Tilghman, Oznur Tuluoglu, and Sarah Uebersax!!   The group’s final performance is free and open to the public and will be held at Howard High School on Saturday, November 7th at 7 p.m.  Here’s to a job well done!