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Greetings everyone and happy Friday!

I hope you are all well and having a great day.

Just a few highlights for this week:

1. This Sunday – The Girls’ Choir with Adults and HS Singers are singing. I’ve attached two photos of Saint Paul’s Cathedral – London – please show them to your chorister. One of our anthems Sunday was written by the Organist of Saint Paul’s in the 18th century. Ask your chorister which one 🙂

2. Next Sunday – The last “JUNIOR” Sunday. Please see the attached newsletter for details.

3. The Choir Raffle is approaching. If you have something you would like to donate to the raffle place contact our wonderful Raffle leaders: Meaghan Cheung and Jennie Dunn. They want to hear from you! We will be printing up the tickets and sending them out soon!

4. Thank you for your patience with the schedule this week. The adjustments allowed us to get a lot done this week.
WELCOME SIX NEW SENIOR BOY CHORISTERS and TWO SENIOR GIRL CHORISTERS who completed and brilliantly passed their auditions this week! See the attached newsletter for details!

5. All success and congratulations to Anna Sorensen who will sing The Youth part in Mendelssohn’s ELIJAH tonight and Saturday afternoon with the Choral Society and Orchestra in the Church.

Have a wonderful weekend and keep asking questions – it’s that time of year.

With all my love, Patrick

CHOIR FAMILY NEWS 13 May 2016

Last call for donations to the Choir Raffle that will take place after church on 12 June.
If you are interested in donating an item please be in touch with our
Great organizers:
Meaghan Cheung (meaghanscheung@gmail.com)
Jennie Dunn (bramcote7@aol.com)

From Joshua Parrillo:
Joshua has two requests of our community:
His name is now AJ Stetson and he asks if you will refer to him as AJ or Mr. Stetson rather than Joshua or Mr. Parrillo.

And…….He is following up on the Paris Trip Photos – specifically the ones shot of the group after we sang in front of Chartres Cathedral.
If anyone has a good group shot from that pose, please let me know or send it to me and I’ll forward it to AJ.

Many thanks!

WELCOME NEW SENIOR CHORISTERS – The following choristers have completed and passed with flying colors their auditions:

Girls
Taber Cannon, Julia Geniesse, Kiera Hackett, Lila Hussein, Eleanor Livings

Boys
Bryan Cepeda, Oliver El Hadj, Alabama Embry, Reid Farrington, Xander Farrington, Ian Godfrey, Charlie Head

PLANNING AHEAD:

This week is almost normal 
Wednesday there will be no vocal coaching after school so that the already scheduled senior auditions may take place.

Last Junior Girls Practice on Tuesday 24 May
Last Junior Boys/Girls Practice and Evensong on Tuesday 24 May
Last Wednesday Vocal Coaching 25 May
Last Thursday Vocal Coaching 26 May
Last Friday Junior Boys Practice 20 May (not a mistake, no Friday afternoon reh as
Memorial Day Weekend begins on the 27th )
Last Thursday morning rehearsal for Boys 9 June
Last Friday morning rehearsal for Girls 10 June

Parents of New Senior Choristers who attend GCS. If it can work with your family schedules, may your new senior chorister sing at the MS Closing Exercises? They are invited, but not required to do so. I just need to know so that I can prepare the seating chart. I think it is occurring on Wednesday 15 June at 11 a.m. I think 

*THIS WEEKS SCHEDULE:

Sunday 15 May, The Girls’ Choir with Adults and HS Singers
Pentecost
9:45 Call for New (optional) and Old Senior (REQUIRED) Choristers
10:15 Call for Junior Choristers (Optional)
11:00 Service

No Rehearsals in the afternoon.

Tuesday 17 May
7:00 a.m. Breakfast Club and Morning Rehearsal, Senior Boys
Senior Girls most welcome!

Tuesday 17 May – Novice – now NEW JUNIOR Girls’ Rehearsal
3:20 – 4:30 Gather in the HONOR ROOM,
Drop off and Pick up in the Honor Room!

Tuesday 17 May Junior Boys and Girls Rehearsal
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
 Gather in the HONOR ROOM,
Drop off and Pick up in the Honor Room!
EVENSONG TODAY at 6:00 p.m. in the Church.

Wednesday 18 May
7:00 a.m. Breakfast Club and Morning Rehearsal, Senior Girls
Senior Boys most welcome

Wednesday 18 May
3:20 – 4:30 p.m. Senior Auditions after School in the Music Office

Thursday 19 May
7:00 a.m. Breakfast Club and Morning Rehearsal, Junior and Senior Boys

Thursday 19 May
3:20 – 4:30 p.m. After School Vocal Coaching, Music Office

Friday 20 May
7:00 a.m. Breakfast Club and Morning Rehearsal, Junior and Senior Girls

Friday 20 May – Novice – now NEW JUNIOR Boys Rehearsal
3:20 – 4:30 Gather in the HONOR ROOM,
Drop off and Pick up in the Honor Room!

Sunday 22 May, CALLING ALL JUNIOR CHORISTERS (REQUIRED) and
Senior Mentors (Optional)
9:45 Call for All Junior Choristers (REQUIRED – includes 5th grade and 4th grade Boys – new seniors)
11:00 Service

No lunch or rehearsal after church today.

OLD NEWS FOR REVIEW:

The Novice Class of 2015-2016 has been promoted, they are now called NEW JUNIORS.

The NEW JUNIOR SCHEDULE does not change at all. The time and day commitments remain the same to support all the complicated schedules that we all live through.

Around February 18, the 5th grade Juniors will get their invitation to audition for Senior Chorister. DON’T WORRY! They know the music already, it is not something they must be coached on or need special preparation for. The concert Sunday was the climax of that preparation. DON’T WORRY about rushing to schedule their appointment, we have all the way until Mother’s Day to do it.

The fifth graders becoming Senior Choristers for 2016-2017 will be promoted to Senior on Mother’s Day. Sometimes one or two are away visiting grandparents. They will be promoted in spirit.

Some notes about Holy Communion at Grace Church……

* All baptized Christians are invited, the Episcopal Church welcomes every tradition.
* No one is forced to have communion, that is a decision each family makes on their own.
* Please talk with your chorister about Holy Communion and what you would like them to do.
* If you do not want your child to take communion, just let them know this and ask them to cross their arms over their chest when they go to the communion rail.
The priest will smile and give them a blessing, but not give them communion.
We ask all the children to go to the communion rail for the traffic flow.
* The congregation at Grace respects all faith traditions or the decision not to practice a faith tradition and is thankful that you allow your child to be part of the choir.
Please feel no pressure, each person must make their own choices about their beliefs.
We just ask that the choristers respect where they are and what is going on, and that their “job” is leading/offering music in this house of prayer.
*Please ask questions, I love them and it helps me support you and your children.

REMEMBER……DROP OFF/PICK UP For All JUNIOR CHORISTERS for Tuesday and Friday Rehearsals is now THE HONOR ROOM – Enter from the School via the water fountain and stairs of the tower through the 8th grade dump :-).

IF YOU WENT ON THE FRANCE TOUR SUMMER 2015 – WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS!
Please collect your photo files and send them to Olivia Douglas! She has volunteered to collect our photos and edit them into a fun and special keep sake item for the community. Talk with her for more details!

YOUR CHOIR STEERING COMMITTEE is a great source for information and for continuing to grow and care for our choirs. Here is our great committee, feel invited to ask questions, talk about choir life and just enjoy their wonderful company! You may be a member some day!

Novice Reps:
Dominique Schulte, schulted@me.com
Mary Cannon, medcannon@nyc.rr.com

Junior Reps:
Katherine Keane, kathykeane@gmail.com
Shannon Cave, shannon.cave@gmail.com
Meaghan Cheung,meaghanscheung@gmail.com
Jason Hackett, kieran.jason.hackett@gmail.com
Olivia Douglas, oliviadouglas@me.com

Senior Reps:
Erik Sorensen, esorensen5@gmail.com
Ellen McElduff, ellenmcelduff@aol.com
Shannon Cave, shannon.cave@gmail.com
Kevin Rotheroe, krotheroe@nyc.rr.com
Anne Zaccaro, annezaccaro@pzaccaro.com
Erin Hussein, ezyko@yahoo.com

+Alumni:
Dana Foote, dfoote@gcschool.org
Laura Holt, laurablackholt@gmail.com
Vicky Hurley, vicky.mcgarry@gmail.com

+Technology and PR: Kathy Keane, Tom Evans
+Staff: Patrick Allen, Don Waring

NEW REHEARSAL BATHROOM POLICY: Many choristers have been taking advantage of the honor system of going to the bathroom so the policy must adjust. We can’t have choristers wandering around the facility during rehearsal unsupervised. All Choristers must now make sure to use the bathroom on their way to choir, only in extreme situations will anyone be allowed to leave a rehearsal. I’ve checked with Mrs. Collet, she says you all will be ok 

Secure Area of the Website Password has changed: www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK MUSIC: upper right hand corner CLICK login
It is now:
username: helfenstein
Stanfordlives1894

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! If you are so inclined, please LIKE the Music at Grace Church Page on Facebook!

*AS THE YEAR 2015 HAS COME TO AN END…please look 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.