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Santa is loading the sleigh, the clock is ticking. I hope this greeting finds everyone healthy and peace filled.
Here we go:

1. Novices and Juniors have finished choir work for the 2018 year. We will start again when GCS comes back in session the week of January 6. First Tuesday back is January 8th. No Evensong until after our big Treble concert on February 10. All rehearsals will be focused on preparing the music for the arrival of Dr. Rose. (New families, see attached information and have a look at the orientation sheets for the special week of rehearsals leading up to the concert. It’s an amazing week and worth every bit of the effort it requires). Congratulations on a marvelous and very productive music filled fall term.

2. Seniors just have two early mornings left – Tuesday and Wednesday morning practices this coming week. It would be very helpful to have as many as possible at both practices.

3. The dress rehearsal for the Carol Service the Seniors sing on Christmas Eve is on Thursday 20 December from 5:45 to 9:00 p.m. in the Church. Please enter from 802 Broadway and come directly to the church. REQUIRED for all SENIOR CHORISTERS.

4. On Sunday 6 January at 4:00, Menotti’s beautiful opera Amahl and the Night Visitors will be offered in the Church. Sarah Weber is singing the role of Amahl. Come support Sarah and enjoy this wonderful work. It lasts just over an hour.

THIS SUNDAY
• Sunday 16 December
• Morning: The Girls’ Choir with HS Singers and Adults
SENIORS REQUIRED, Novice and Juniors Optional
9:45 a.m. Call, 11:00 a.m. Service, no lunch or afternoon
rehearsal.

A CHOIR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT! It’s coming, thank you everyone who has shown interest in beginning this new endeavor. You most likely know more about this than I as I’ve never done it, but I think the big focus is on photographs. PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP if you have any concern about or wish any photos of your child(ren) not to be used on this site. We want to respect each families wishes as we move towards this mode of communication and expression. Silence is approval.

HOMEWORK FOR ALL CHORISTERS: Have a listen to yourselves in 2014! We will be bringing these pieces back into the repertoire with Dr. Rose for the February Concert! (recorded at 7:00 in the morning after Easter! How many chances do we get? 1 take! 2 ipads! and a lot of hard work. I am so proud of you all!

ESSENTIAL HOMEWORK FOR SENIOR CHORISTERS – Listen to the Berntsein – It’s great NYC music and we will be offering it on the big April 26 Concert! The text is attached. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2g6eu6tJQU

A 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.

Please check the attached “newsletter” for other details and links.

All my love, Patrick

THIS SUNDAY
• Sunday 16 December
• Morning: The Girls’ Choir with HS Singers and Adults.
• SENIORS REQUIRED, Novice and Juniors Optional
• 9:45 a.m. Call, 11:00 a.m. Service, no lunch or afternoon rehearsal.

THIS WEEKS SCHEDULE:
• 16 December to December 24

THIS SUNDAY
• Sunday 16 December
• Morning: The Girls’ Choir with HS Singers and Adults.
• SENIORS REQUIRED, Novice and Juniors Optional
• 9:45 a.m. Call, 11:00 a.m. Service, no lunch or afternoon rehearsal.

• Tuesday Morning – 7:00 – 8:10 a.m. Senior Boy/Girl Rehearsal.
Breakfast Club in the Reception room

• Wednesday Morning – 7:00 – 8:10 a.m. Senior Girl/Boy Rehearsal.
Breakfast Club in the Reception room

• Thursday Evening – 5:45 – 9:00 p.m. DRESS REHEARSAL for the Christmas Eve 8:00 Carol Service, ALL SENIORS REQUIRED.

• Sunday 23 December
• The Adult Choir Singing.

Monday 24 December
4:00, The Christmas Pageant

6:45 p.m. Warm up for all Senior Choristers
8:00 p.m. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

11:00 p.m. The First Holy Communion of Christmas, The Adult Choir singing.

Tuesday 25 December
Christmas Day Holy Communion, The Adult Choir singing.

Patrick Allen, Organist and Master of Choristers
Grace Church in New York
802 Broadway
New York, NY 10003 USA
212.254.2004

Organist, Chapel of the Good Shepherd
The General Theological Seminary

www.gracechurchnyc.org
www.patrickjamesallen.com
www.gts.edu

A Choir Family Newsletter!
Friday 14 December 2018

Wishes for a Holy and Light filled Advent and Happy Chanukah

THIS SUNDAY
• Sunday 16 December
• Morning: The Girls’ Choir with HS Singers and Adults.
• SENIORS REQUIRED, Novice and Juniors Optional
• 9:45 a.m. Call, 11:00 a.m. Service, no lunch or afternoon rehearsal.

THIS WEEKS SCHEDULE:
• 16 December to December 24

THIS SUNDAY
• Sunday 16 December
• Morning: The Girls’ Choir with HS Singers and Adults.
• SENIORS REQUIRED, Novice and Juniors Optional
• 9:45 a.m. Call, 11:00 a.m. Service, no lunch or afternoon rehearsal.

• Tuesday Morning – 7:00 – 8:10 a.m. Senior Boy/Girl Rehearsal.
Breakfast Club in the Reception room

• Wednesday Morning – 7:00 – 8:10 a.m. Senior Girl/Boy Rehearsal.
Breakfast Club in the Reception room

• Thursday Evening – 5:45 – 9:00 p.m. DRESS REHEARSAL for the Christmas Eve 8:00 Carol Service, ALL SENIORS REQUIRED.

• Sunday 23 December
• The Adult Choir Singing.

Monday 24 December
4:00, The Christmas Pageant

6:45 p.m. Warm up for all Senior Choristers
8:00 p.m. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Merry Christmas and a safe and rest filled Winter break for everyone!
May the New Year be full of good health, prosperity and much peace.

SPECIAL LISTENING PROJECT:
Please find a time to watch and listen to these YouTube excerpts. They are from some of our fellow choirs around the world and are lovely and fun. They can help give us all a better idea of our tradition and celebrate the 1000 year old heritage that we participate in. I was in Wells this week and really, the church and choral tradition is just shy of it’s 1000th birthday! This year is the 120th birthday for our choir foundation.

King’s College Cambridge

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=kings+college+all+bells&vid=902f93ee8b3b28415cae01da013ce611&l=4%3A45&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608020223790746048%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DP8TyKNycHes&tit=John+Rutter%3A+All+Bells+In+Paradise+-+Official+Video&c=1&sigr=11aoutisl&sigt=11jh9sqci&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b

ONGOING INFORMATION SOURCES:

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

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

*Sign Up Genius for Choir Parent Volunteer Sign Link:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30E084CADAF2BA1FA7-choir

*Sign Up Genius for After School Vocal Coaching: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0e4ba4a628abf94-after

*Sign Up Genius Tuesday Night Parent Helpers:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a48a9ad2caaf85-juniors

*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.