Wow!  It's been a while since I posted something, huh?

The start to the school year went by like a flash: Freshman Activity Fair, Football Sings, Curriculum Night Performance, more football sings, rehearsals for Bye Bye, Birdie, and POOF!  Here we are at the end of October!

Remember that all choir performance events are posted on the choir calendar, available on this website.  A couple of events coming up in the next month or two include:

     * "Bye Bye, Birdie" - Show dates are November 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, and 13.  Many choir students are in the cast of the show!  Come out and support them!

     * "Celebrate America" - November 16.  We will be travelling to WTVS studios, Detroit Public Television station to record "To Where You Are" for a future broadcast!  This will take place during the school day.

     * Fall Choir/Band Concert - November 20.  This is the end-of-trimester concert and required for all students.  The concert begins at 3pm sharp and students need to be in the choir room no later than 2pm dressed in gown/tuxedo.

     * Berkshire Winter Concert - December 12.  The Groves choir is 'guest-starring' on this concert.

     * Birmingham-Bloomfieild Symphony Orchestra Concert - December 18.  We've been invited to perform with the symphony on it's December concert!  To add to the fun, we'll be sharing our voices with the choir from Seaholm!  Evening concert at Groves.

If you ever have any questions about the choral program, don't hesitate to contact me.

Thanks to all 70+ students who auditioned for lead roles in the GPAC Fall Musical, "Bye Bye, Birdie"!  We heard some great singing and saw some great acting.

Check the home page to navigate to the Bye Bye, Birdie page - there you will find a CAST LIST and a CALLBACK list.  These two lists will be posted on Friday afternoon, June 17.

Good luck with your preparations for callbacks, and I'll see some of you on August 30th at 3pm in the auditorium.

The 2011 - 2012 high school Regional Honors Choir Audition Song has been revealed!  It is:

"Homeland" by Gustav Holst, arranged by Z. Randall Stroope

An excellent performance of the song can be found at the link HERE

Students interested in auditioning for Regional Honors Choir should see Mr. Thomas a.s.a.p. for music and practice files.  Even though the audition isn't until October, it comes up quickly once school begins!  The audition involves singing "Homeland" from memory and acappella, plus a short sight-reading exercise.  Start studying now!

Sign up to work the Choir Car Wash!

Date: Saturday, June 11

Time: 10am - 2pm

Location: Groves front traffic circle

Sign up on list in choir room, OR just show up on Saturday.

Prepare to get wet!!

Attention ALL current AND in-coming choir students:

Please take your parent by the hand, sit them down in front of the computer, go to the home page of our website and have them fill out the parent information form that they will find there.

This is the best way for both the Choir Boosters and I to gather the information we need to keep in contact with them.

While you're at it and when they are finished, you should click the 'Contact Information' link on the left-hand menu and enter or update your information as well.

Please get both of these tasks done by June 1!

Thanks,

T 

It's Official!

The GPAC Musical for 2011 will be Bye Bye, Birdie!

Lead auditions are on June 15 at 3pm in the choir room.

Audition requirements include Singing, Acting, and Dancing.

Audition details are posted on the theatre board

The 2012 choir performance tour planned for Scotland and England can only get off of the ground with LOTS of parental/family help with fund-raisers and other Choir Booster activities.

A parent contact form has been posted on the home page of this site.  All parents of students who will be singing with me at any point next year should fill out the form completely, by June 1st.

After reviewing the responses, I will make a decision on whether to continue pursing the Scotland/England dream or move to a less expensive, 'Plan B', domestic trip.

You can go to the Home page to be taken to the parent contact form.

Questions?  As always, see or email me.

T

Click HERE to go to "Wall Wisher"

It is a place where choir students, parents, alumni, and I can post choir-related information.

The first 5 Groves choir students who post will earn a prize!

There are a total of 10 rehearsals for the Disney Tour Choir.  Calendars have been distributed during Choir.  It is also posted on the choir bullitin board.

You can also download a copy HERE

The annual all-school assembly honoring the memory of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. is scheduled for Thursday, January 13, 2011.  For the assembly, we will be singing "Make Them Hear You". 

I have invited the Groves Staff to join the choir in learning and performing this song on the assembly!  As of this writing, 15 staff members have signed up to sing!  This is going to be cool!

What does this mean to student choir members?  I will be holding a series of 5 after-school rehearsals for faculty to practice the song.  I would like members of the choir to come to those rehearsals to lend their voices and musical knowledge to the adult learning-process.

While this is a volunteer activity, students will earn 1 varsity letter point for each extra rehearsal attended, up to a maximum of 2 points.  You are certainly welcome and encouraged to attend more than 2 rehearsals! 

Rehearsals will run 3:30 - 4:15pm daily, beginning on Thursday, January 6.