A Choir Family Fall Start Up Newsletter!
Saturday Morning 1 August 2015
Amsterdam “from the woonboot Mireille”
Greetings and Happy first day of August! I’m writing you from a sunny and beautiful morning in Amsterdam. The Swan is looking in the kitchen window and trying to steal my peaches! Her neck is really long and she is a quick grabber! Last week I thought she got the avocados, but it was not her, it was a thick and very round little mouse who jumped in from outside and made a feast out of them leaving only the shells and pits.
He was confronted and quickly retreated back outside where he belongs.
I hope you have all had a wonderful and rest filled summer! It’s almost time for a new academic year and choir season! I’m so excited about this upcoming year and all the fun and beautiful music we will create together.
The choir tour was amazing. If you haven’t looked yet, check out the blogs on the home page of the Music area of the website. There are short notes and photos of each day. In the coming week(s) I hope to post some of the audio recordings made during the concerts on the Media page of the website. On the public page you can only listen. On the Choir Family page you will be able to download.
In a couple of weeks I’ll visit with Dr. and Mrs. Rose at their home in England. Dr. Rose and I will make a plan for the January Concert with the Novices and Juniors. This is always a fun visit. After that I’ll return to the US and spend some time with my parents in Florida.
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 boy and his family.
CHOIR CAMP will take place for everyone who can attend on Tuesday 8 September from 2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Please use the 802 Broadway Entrance to come and go, do not go through the school.
5:30: Choir Parent Orientation Sessions. This year we are trying something new!
Two sessions running at the same time. One will be for new families and the other for families that have participated in the past. Please enter at 802 Broadway and someone will lead you to your session.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED for choir camp to help with getting all the choristers vested. This is not a difficult task, but does take time to sort out. If you can help, let me know and what time period during camp that works with your schedule.
If your Chorister is not going to be able to make choir camp, send us their height so we can plan a vestment for him/her.
CAROLING AT THE UNION SQUARE CHRISTMAS MARKET:
We have been asked to consider making musical presentations at the Christmas Market this year. It could be great fun, however – you are busy people. If we had to choose from blocks of time to present on Wednesday and/or Friday between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. what would work best for you and your choristers schedule? I’m just visioning at the moment nothing is set. Your feedback would be very helpful in creating something that is doable and fun. Potential presentations could involve all choristers at some point, but most likely not all at the same time.
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. This seasons link should be ready any time now, keep alert for the announcement.
FIRST SUNDAY BACK, we hope everyone can attend, it is a REQUIRED SUNDAY for ALL: Sunday 13 September
Senior Chorister Call is 9:45 a.m.
Junior Chorister Call is 10:15 a.m.
Novice Chorister Call is 10:30 a.m.
WEBSITE: www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK: MUSIC
CLICK: login
User Name: helfenstein
Password: iheartch0ir (0 is a zero)
CHOIR SCHEDULES 2015 – 2016: REMEMBER Kathy’s Link to our Goggle Doc Schedules, they are ready to go for 2014-2015:
http://gchoirsched.info/home.html
FIRST TWO WEEKS SCHEDULE:
• September
• September 8 (Tuesday) – Choir Camp Day in the Chantry, Church and Music Room for The Choir of Men and Boys and The Girls’ Choir, from 2:00 to 6:30 pm. The day to start with ice cream in the Yard.
* Parent Orientation Meetings from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
• September 10 (Thursday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Senior Boy Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 11 (Friday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Senior Girl Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 13 (Sunday) – Sunday Service with The Combined Grace Church Choirs, Beginning of 121st Season of the Choirs, No Lunch or Afternoon Rehearsals, REQUIRED for All Boy and Girl Choristers
• September 15 (Tuesday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedules Begins for Senior Boy Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
NO Choir activities for LS students today (grades 1 – 4), No afternoon
chorister activities this week.
• September 16 (Wednesday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Senior Girl Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 17 (Thursday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Senior and Junior Boy Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 18 (Friday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Senior and Junior Girl Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 18 (Friday) Music Committee Meeting 8:15 – 9:15 a.m.
Reception Room.
• September 20 (Sunday)–Sunday Service-The Choir of Men and Boys
1:00 – 3:00 REHEARSAL ALL SOPRANO SENIOR BOYS (6)
in the Church. Lunch in Music Room
1:00 – 2:00 High School Singers Weekly Rehearsal begins as arranged
with Mr. Fergus and HS Singers. Music Room.
• September 22 (Tuesday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule for Senior Boy Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 22 (Tuesday) – Regular Afternoon Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Girl Novices 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
• September 22 (Tuesday) – First Tuesday Rehearsal for Boy
and Girl Junior Choristers NO EVENSONG TODAY
• September 23 (Wednesday) GCS Closed for Yom Kippur, No Choir Activities today.
• September 24 (Thursday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule for Senior and Junior Boy Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 24 (Thursday) After School Vocal Coaching begins for 2015-2016. Sign up in advance for each session with PA. Music Office
• September 24 (Thursday) Choir Steering Committee Meeting 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Reception Room.
• September 25 (Friday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal Schedule for Senior and Junior Girl Choristers 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.
• September 25 (Friday) – Regular Afternoon Rehearsal Schedule Begins for Boy Novices 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
• September 27 (Sunday) – Sunday Service-The Girls’ Choir and ATB
1:00 – 3:00 REHEARSAL ALL SENIOR GIRLS (6)
Lunch in Music Room
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
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=king%27s+college+choir&vid=110003f8b24834b111ae4be397650d76&l=5%3A08&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608026301171238103%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dq5n6X9sUznI&tit=O+Holy+Night+%3A+Kings+College%2C+Cambridge&c=2&sigr=11arr3iog&sigt=117mk8a8i&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
Wells Cathedral Choir
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=wells+cathedral+malcolm+archer&vid=c373efcfd3df46151072adc636c2fe0c&l=5%3A21&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608030682034081441%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dyrs5XR9Pd7k&tit=God+is+Gone+Up+%28Finzi%29+—+Choir+of+Wells+Cathedral&c=3&sigr=11ac3plli&sigt=11jlvlhgk&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=wells+cathedral+malcolm+archer&vid=415d1018bf24c3aee0db1ac9e836f0b9&l=4%3A41&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608049227703257238%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXac1w1OdELI&tit=The+Twelve+Days+of+Christmas+—+Choir+of+Wells+Cathedral&c=10&sigr=11aigreat&sigt=11pa650ni&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Aj1K1PW2VDs1RKVFJfzbu2uevZx4?p=you+tube+wells+cathedral+choir&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-901&fp=1
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=youtube+wells+cathedral+have+yourself+choir&vid=853d06e7cf55b5383b84e5d4a1556ae3&l=3%3A22&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608034453018248291%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DAf8nD6KGGec&tit=Have+Yourself+a+Merry+Little+Christmas+—+Wells+Cathedral+Choir&c=0&sigr=11au0j7su&sigt=1207t1bd2&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
St. John’s College Cambridge, A Guest in Cambridge
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=st+john%27s+college+cambridge&vid=9425021b6896bda9a630f27d01e90a6d&l=6%3A52&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608042969937282548%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPSYK5JHgRnA&tit=Haydn-+Insanae+Et+Vanae+Curae+%28St.+John%26%2339%3Bs+College+Choir.%29&c=25&sigr=11apkam02&sigt=11tjuig47&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=st+john%27s+college+cambridge&vid=7264786b7c16e797614ba97ea5fc7ef7&l=14%3A59&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.607990240621363343%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8udJ5MjjLcY&tit=St+John%26%2339%3Bs+College+Choir+Cambridge+1978+under+George+Guest+1&c=21&sigr=11aunqee0&sigt=11vism07r&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
Salisbury Cathedral
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=salisbury+cathedral+choir&vid=0a5806f316d0f326ea4cef4513e591f4&l=4%3A12&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608027666970052142%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzfAO9iCzZJ0&tit=The+Choristers+of+Salisbury+Cathedral+Part1&c=1&sigr=11avnbi5n&sigt=11b62d3g4&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=the+choristers+of+salisbury+cathedral+part+2&vid=64773de37238958c6b12328935c8a115&l=6%3A47&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.607986108865709804%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DE2RY22cAIO4&tit=The+Choristers+of+Salisbury+Cathedral+Part2&c=0&sigr=11a94tmkv&sigt=11bm9mqbj&ct=p&age=0&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=b
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.
Have a wonderful safe remainder of the summer! The rain has stopped, the Swan has moved on to another boat and it’s time to head to the market for the shopping.
With all my love and anticipation of a great new season, Patrick
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:
*Accessing the Secure Choir Family Area of the Music Website:
www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK: MUSIC
CLICK: login
User Name: helfenstein
Password: iheartch0ir (0 is a zero)
*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.