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Greetings everyone, Happy New Year, Happy Epiphany today and Joyous Orthodox Christmas!

What a great first week back. Rehearsals have been very exciting!

NEXT WEEK: No after school vocal coaching!

THIS SUNDAY:
Morning: The Choir of Men and Boys
SENIORS (REQUIRED)
Novices and Juniors (Optional)
9:45 Call for Seniors
10:15 Call for Novices and Juniors
11:00 Service

NO LUNCH OR AFTERNOON REHEARSAL TODAY

AFTERNOON: Amahl and the Night Visitors offered by the Adult Choir with
Anna Sorensen as Amahl! Bring Family, Friends and Colleagues to this wonderful holiday offering.
It is very child friendly.
4:00 in the Church, FREE Admission.
https://music.gracechurchnyc.org/2017/01/05/amahl-and-the-night-visitors-8-january-at-400-p-m-2/

COMMING SOON: THE Novice/Junior NINTH ANNUAL CONCERT of music for treble voices with guest conductor Dr. Barry Rose!
This is a very special and formative week for all choristers. Details were on the September Orientation sheets and are attached below.

NEW SENIOR 5th Grade Boys – this would have been your year to lead as the oldest Junior Boys, I hope all of you will participate as Senior Mentors and grow through this experience, it is important to do this week.

ALL SENIORS with parents permission are encouraged to participate as Senior Mentors.
https://music.gracechurchnyc.org/2017/01/05/welcome-dr-barry-rose-and-the-ninth-annual-concert-of-music-for-treble-voices-sunday-22-january-2017-at-400-p-m/

THE FIRST AMSTERDAM/New Amsterdam International Festival of Organ Music
January 12-14 in Grace Church!
If you love organ music or if you love music from the 16th – 17th centuries! This is your festival.
Besides a Master Class/Lesson Project that is taking place, there will be five concerts – all free admission!
Thursday 12 January at Noon and 8:00 p.m.
Friday 13 January at Noon and 8:00 p.m.
and
Saturday 14 January at 4:00 p.m.
Each program will last around or just over an hour.
https://music.gracechurchnyc.org/2016/12/18/12-14-january-2017-the-amsterdam-new-amsterdam-international-organ-festival-2/

A NEW FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY! Thank you Cara Wall. Cara has offered the Choir Community a new long term fundraising opportunity through her store Clementine Consignment. A letter from her is attached with the details of how it works. She will have a fill in the blank tax donation letter for you to receive and fill in the amount you think the clothes are worth for your tax purposes. You receive the letter when you drop off the donations at the store. Again Thank you Cara for suggesting this great opportunity for the choir community. The choir will receive money from the store based on a percentage of what the clothes sell for. These monies will go into the Choir Special Projects Fund.

WHAT IS THE CHOIR SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND? This fund was established when the choir began preparing for it’s first international trip – to Bristol England as choir in residence for the Cathedral of Bristol during one week of the summer of 2004. The monies in the fund help cover the costs of tours, recordings and many other opportunities for the choristers beyond what the regular church operating budget can provide. It impacts the life of every choir family over the time that your family participates in the program and provides seed monies for future projects.

Stay Warm and have a magical weekend, Love, P.

The Choir Family News!
Friday 6 January 2017

THIS SUNDAY AT 4:00 p.m. Amahl and the Night Visitors by Menotti offered in the Church.
Anna Sorensen as Amahl. This is a wonderful holiday piece written originally for Television some 50 years ago. It is very child friendly, bring friends, family and colleagues – it’s fun and very beautiful!

Dr. Rose is getting ready to be with us! See the attached information document about the special week with him that runs from January 17 to 22.

FACE BOOK: Did you know there is a Music at Grace Church Facebook page?
There is. We use it to get the word out about all the musical offerings that take place at the Church especially those of the choirs!
HELP US build the community of followers and listeners to the choirs – FRIEND THE Music at Grace Church page and let the word spread 

RECRUITING is never over!
We have an amazing group of novice choristers for the fall term but…
If anyone asks, it is never too late to join the choir and they should reach out to me at: helfensteinch@yahoo.com.

For entering 4th graders it is also not too late to join as novices, we have had good luck at getting them up to speed quickly as your children are the best teachers. What schedule a
4th grader might follow would depend on the child and their family.

SIGN UP GENIUS: Melinda Weir has organized our sign up for helping with choristers activities through sign up genius. She does an amazing job at this, make sure you say Thank you! Sign up Genius has been very practical in making the sign to help as a choir parent helper easy and efficient. Here is the LINK:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040B4CA9A72DA64-choir1

WEBSITE: www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK: MUSIC
CLICK: login
User Name: helfenstein
Password: Stanfordlives1894
CHOIR SCHEDULES 2016 – 2017: REMEMBER Kathy’s Link to our Goggle Doc Schedules, they are ready to go for 2016-2017:
http://www.gchoirsched.info/schedules.html

HOMEWORK FOR SENIOR CHORISTERS:

Please locate a recording with your parents approval and listen to:

1. BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS: Bernstein, Chichester Psalms

NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE

• January 2017

• January 8 Sunday Service, Sunday Service-The Choir of Men and Boys
9:45 Call Senior Boys (REQUIRED)
10:15 Call for Novice/Junior Boys (Optional)

No afternoon rehearsals today

January 8 Sunday – AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS at 4:00 p.m.
Anna Sorensen as Amahl!

• January 10 (Tuesday) –Senior Boys, 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.

• January 10 (Tuesday) – Regular Afternoon Rehearsal for Girl Novices
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. DROP OFF AND DISMISSAL FROM THE HONOR ROOM

• January 10 (Tuesday) – Tuesday Rehearsal for Boy and Girl Junior Choristers
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. DROP OFF AND DISMISSAL FROM
THE HONOR ROOM

• January 11 (Wednesday) –Senior Girls, 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.

• January 11 (Wednesday) After School Vocal Coaching.
Sign up in advance for each session.

• January 12 (Thursday) –Senior and Junior Boy Choristers
7:00 – 8:10 a.m.

• January 12 (Thursday) NO After School Vocal Coaching today.

• January 13 (Friday) –Senior and Junior Girl Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.

• January 13 (Friday) – NO NOVICE BOYS REHEARSAL TODAY

• January 15 (Sunday) – GCS Holiday Weekend, M.L. King Jr,
The Adult Choir singing.

FIN – THE END
Please forgive the length of this newsletter. You all have lots of wonderful questions and this is my attempt to get us organized and put as much information as you have asked about in one place.

ONGOING INFORMATION SOURCES:

*Like us on FACEBOOK! Music at Grace Church in New York

*The Goggle Choir Schedule Calendar Link: http://gchoirsched.info/home.html

*Sign Up Genius for Choir Parent Volunteer Sign Link:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040
B4CA9A72DA64-choir1

*Accessing the Secure Choir Family Area of the Music Website:
www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK: MUSIC
CLICK: login
User Name: helfenstein
Password: Stanfordlives1894

*REMEMBER: If your contact information changes or you notice a typo in a communication don’t hesitate to let PA (P. Allen, not the Parents Association) know. “If you see something, say something”

*REMEMBER…please keep an eye out around the house and make sure you cash all choir checks you have received. When the books are closed at the audit for each operating budget year checks can no longer be redeemed or replaced.

Juniors and Novices: Special Rehearsal week with Dr. Barry Rose from January 17-22 in preparation for Junior Treble Music Concert and Whiting of Novices on January 22 at 4:00.

With parent’s permission, all Seniors are encouraged to participate as Senior Mentors and work on leadership skills as they inspire and support the younger choristers.

New Boy Seniors – especially the fifth grade! It is enthusiastically recommended that you participate in the Junior Festival as this is your year to lead with the fifth grade girls! You will grow so much and have lots of fun!

Rehearsal Schedule for the Ninth Annual Concert of Music for Treble Voices with Dr. Barry Rose January 17 – 22, 2017
Required for all Novice and Junior Choristers
(Enthusiastically recommended for fifth grade senior boys)

Tuesday:
3:20 – 4:30 All Third Grade Choristers
5:00 – 6:30 Fourth and Fifth Grade Choristers
Drop off and Pick up all week in at the Honor Room

Wednesday to Friday
All Novice and Junior Choristers
3:20 – 5:00 p.m.
Novice Choristers will be dismissed at 4:30 on Wednesday and Thursday
(They are welcome to stay if it is easier for family schedules)

Saturday 9:45 – Noon
Dress Rehearsal for Concert – All Choristers
Enter and Exit from 802 Broadway over the weekend

Sunday Call at 2:15, Concert at 4:00

Senior Choristers not participating as mentors should attend and listen!