Noteworthy News - Orchestra
Good afternoon REC Orchestra Families! Here are your reminders and updates for Week 15 – Winter Concert Week!
Help needed:
Winter Concert is THIS WEEK!
STILL TO COME
FMCMEA – We’ll need a lot of help running this on 12/9 – responsible students (and adults as well), please sign up here you’re available to help us Friday evening or Saturday as a volunteer. It’s an early and long day, but you get some yummy food and LOTS of volunteer hours!
LAST DAY FOR LATE WORK is Monday, December 18th. I will NOT accept thing to be graded after this date. Please help your student make sure all work/tests/quizzes are in or have been made-up no later than December 18th.
During Finals Week (12/15-21)
This year for our final we’ll be “caroling” around the district and our community. I’m working on more detailed itineraries, but here is a quick rundown:
Reyburn Families –If you have not yet paid your $25 for a polo, please get payment in ASAP. You can pay with cash or check (made to Timberwolves Foundation) and submit that payment in a sealed envelope to the black mailbox OR you can pay and order online using this link.
Clovis East Families - Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $150-200 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
Clovis East Families - CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $200-250 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
EVERYONE - CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
Here’s what’s coming up through December
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions. All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary attached
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
I hope you all have a great week and I’m looking forward to seeing you all THURSDAY at our Winter Concert at Shaghoian!
Help needed:
- I’m still looking for a 4th period (Reyburn Intermediate Orchestra) VIOLIN parent to help me with a pizza pick up this Wednesday, December 13th for the reward party for 4th period Violins for winning the highest selling basket at our Fall Concert. Pick up at 12:20pm and drop off to Reyburn at 12:40ish. Please let me know if you can help!
- Thank you to Mrs. Usine Ricon for your help with pizza for 3rd period (CE Chamber Orchestra) parent to help me with a pizza pick up on Thursday, December 14th.
Winter Concert is THIS WEEK!
- Itinerary attached and posted to google classroom
- Thursday, December 7th at Shaghoian Concert Hall
- Attire:
- Reyburn: Green Polo Shirts, LONG BLACK SLACKS, long black socks and nice black dress shoes. Start looking for slacks now, they can be hard to find for our petite girls. Try amazon, Old Navy, Kohl’s (boys also have luck at Target and Walmart)
- I’ve emailed for an update on polos but they did originally promise to get those to us by Thursday – finger crossed!
- Clovis East: Concert Black – NICE BLACK CLOTHES - same as what you wore for the Visalia concert. No jeans. Skirts/dresses MUST BE BELOW THE KNEE WHEN SEATED and also require black nylons/tights.
- If you have questions please ask me now. Do not wait until concert week.
- Reyburn: Green Polo Shirts, LONG BLACK SLACKS, long black socks and nice black dress shoes. Start looking for slacks now, they can be hard to find for our petite girls. Try amazon, Old Navy, Kohl’s (boys also have luck at Target and Walmart)
- Students meet at orchestra room at 4:00pm – load busses
- Sound Check at Shaghoian
- Pizza will be available for pre-order for performing students to eat during sound check at Shaghoian - please order your pizza here by Tuesday – if you do not pre-order there will be NO dinner for your student during our sound check. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclJRTAgLbPW8fWvATxpud_wNAIkr9Hlkdv8P_adjLZxFE6HA/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Cash is the easiest method of payment for this, but if you need to you can pay online with credit card (I’m sorry, fees are automatically tacked on) using this link – just check out under “dessert café” for now based on the amount due. So if your student is getting 2 slices of pizza, choose “dessert café” for the item and then ask for 4 items = $4.
- 1 slice = $2
- 2 slices = $4
- 3 slices = $5
- 4 slices = $7, etc…
- Cash is the easiest method of payment for this, but if you need to you can pay online with credit card (I’m sorry, fees are automatically tacked on) using this link – just check out under “dessert café” for now based on the amount due. So if your student is getting 2 slices of pizza, choose “dessert café” for the item and then ask for 4 items = $4.
- Doors open at 6:45pm
- Please, if you can reserve the chairs in the lobby while you’re waiting to go in for the handicap and elderly that would be very appreciated.
- Concert starts at 7pm
- We have a $5 suggested donation per person (REC Students, Staff and Orchestra Alumni are free as well as children 5 and under). Please know we will take ANY AMOUNT you can donate. If you can only donate $5 for your entire family of 4 that is OK. I’d rather have you in the audience supporting your child than sitting at home because of the cost. We’ll accept cash, checks made to Timberwolves Foundation and there will be a QR code for credit card payments available as well at the door. There will be no advanced tickets for this event. Thank you!
- Concert should end around 8:30pm
- DESSERT CAFE: I’m not sure if I did something wrong possibly on the sign up genius but as of 12:30pm today we still don’t have anyone signed up for desserts. I have decided to CANCEL the café portion of this concert. Please DO NOT worry about brining desserts, cider, hot chocolate items. We’ll just need some waters, plates and napkins for pizza for the kids before the concert. Thank you!
- HELP NEEDED: front entrance ticket taker - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA8AF22A2FAC52-46394261-winter - thank you Mrs. Esteban for your help with this – we need a young family to take over. Mrs. Esteban has been managing this for us for 6 years now, we want to make sure we can survive without her next year 😉
STILL TO COME
FMCMEA – We’ll need a lot of help running this on 12/9 – responsible students (and adults as well), please sign up here you’re available to help us Friday evening or Saturday as a volunteer. It’s an early and long day, but you get some yummy food and LOTS of volunteer hours!
LAST DAY FOR LATE WORK is Monday, December 18th. I will NOT accept thing to be graded after this date. Please help your student make sure all work/tests/quizzes are in or have been made-up no later than December 18th.
During Finals Week (12/15-21)
This year for our final we’ll be “caroling” around the district and our community. I’m working on more detailed itineraries, but here is a quick rundown:
- Friday 12/15 – 1st period will perform at the District Office for Transportation, VAPA, Sports and Rec, Warehouse, Technology, and any others in the area at the time. These students will miss about 20 minutes of 2nd period and will be required to have a blue slip from their 2nd period teacher in order to attend.
- Monday 1st and 3rd periods will each visit 1 elementary school
- Tuesday 1st period will visit 3 elementary schools and 4th period will visit 2 retirement homes (lunch off campus at Sierra Vista Mall – send students with some cash)
- Wednesday 2nd period will visit 2 elementary schools and 6th period will visit 2 retirement homes (lunch off campus at Sierra Vista Mall – send students with some cash)
- Thursday 3rd period will visit 1-2 elementary schools and the District Office and play for the superintendent and other upper admin and staff.
- Currently, if everything follows my schedule, students will NOT be missing any other class time.
- All students are encouraged to dress up in fun colorful/wintery/festive gear, including ugly Christmas sweaters, reindeer ears and jingle bell necklaces 😉
- If you’re interested in chaperoning for any of these events, please let me know ASAP to ensure you are cleared by the district.
Reyburn Families –If you have not yet paid your $25 for a polo, please get payment in ASAP. You can pay with cash or check (made to Timberwolves Foundation) and submit that payment in a sealed envelope to the black mailbox OR you can pay and order online using this link.
Clovis East Families - Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $150-200 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
Clovis East Families - CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $200-250 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
EVERYONE - CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
- Saturday, December 9th – Tower Quartet – watch our very own Miss Hill perform with the central valley’s premiere chamber ensemble! 7pm at University Presbyterian – $20 for general admission, $10 for students
- Monday, December 11th – Musica Viva (violin and cello) – University Presbyterian Church 1776 E. Roberts Avenue – 7pm – FREE
- Saturday, December 16th – Fresno Philharmonic, Home for the Holidays – Saroyan Theater Downtown – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 3rd – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Sunday, February 4th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 10th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Sunday, February 18th – Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Love Conquers All – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, March 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Saturday, March 9th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Funday, April 21st – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm - prices vary
Here’s what’s coming up through December
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions. All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary attached
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
I hope you all have a great week and I’m looking forward to seeing you all THURSDAY at our Winter Concert at Shaghoian!
WEEK 14
Good afternoon REC Orchestra Families! Welcome back! I hope your week/Thanksgiving vacation days were restful and delicious. I always enjoy the time with my family and friends. And of course the sleeping in and food 😉
Here are your reminders and updates for Week 14
FMCMEA – the deadline to sign up to audition is THIS WEDNESDAY!!! Please visit fmcmea.org/orchestra to sign up to audition by 11/29 – auditions are here at the REC on 12/9 followed by a 3 hour rehearsal that afternoon for any student that makes the ensemble. 1 full day of rehearsal January 12th, a final check in on the 13th and a concert at Shaghoian on January 13th in the afternoon and that’s it! AN AMAZING experience, playing with the best of the best in Fresno and Madera Counties, students grow sooooo much, it’s dang fun, and you get some awesome bragging rights (and a cool medal from the district at the end of the year😉). Chamber orchestra students ALLLLLLLL should be auditioning. You all have a really good shot at making this group! Any student REC Orchestra is welcome and encouraged to audition. Keep practicing!
We’ll also need a lot of help running this on 12/9 – students (and adults as well), please sign up here you’re available to help us Friday evening or Saturday as a volunteer. It’s an early and long day, but you get some yummy food and LOTS of volunteer hours!
Help needed:
Winter Concert is NEXT WEEK!
During Finals Week (12/15-21)
This year for our final we’ll be “caroling” around the district and our community. I’m working on more detailed itineraries, but here is a quick rundown:
Clovis East Families – looking ahead to the Spring Semester. This semester we’ll have two big overnight trips that I’m in the process of getting board approved. I NEED chaperones for these trips and we’ll need you to go through the fingerprinting and all that fun that we needed for Hawaii. Here is a very rough itinerary for those two trips. A few parents have emailed me. I hope to lock in costs, a more detailed itinerary and all chaperones by the end of the semester. If you THINK you might want to chaperone please let me know so that I can figure out rooming. My plan is to put 2 chaperones to a room, each in their own bed. Let me know if you want to pay the difference for your own room. Please look it over the rough itinerary below let me know if you would like to be considered as a chaperone.
Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $150-200 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $200-250 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
Here’s what’s coming up through December
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Registration Closes ∙ Wednesday, November 29th
Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions
All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary TBD (similar to Fall concert but with no fundraising dinner/silent auction)
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
Finally, we played a fun game today in class, I had the kids play one of our standard warm-ups (well, standard for 8th – 12th grade classes) and got a little creative with the “spelling”. We played in the key of E Major and ended the “secret message” with the spelling “B-A-B-E”. Golden Baby #3 (holy cow what did we do?!?!) coming this June 2024! Our family is very excited for this addition and I’ve been anxious waiting to share with my students and you all. So far everyone is safe and healthy, mama’s just very tired and nauseous. Hopefully your students haven’t noticed too much 😉 Since I’m due right when school is out, we are hoping that I can make it to the end of the year, or at least very close to the end. Which means hopefully no big impacts on our students/performances this year!
I hope you all have a great week and I’m looking forward to seeing you all next week at our Winter Concert, Thursday at 7pm at Shaghoian!
Good afternoon REC Orchestra Families! Welcome back! I hope your week/Thanksgiving vacation days were restful and delicious. I always enjoy the time with my family and friends. And of course the sleeping in and food 😉
Here are your reminders and updates for Week 14
FMCMEA – the deadline to sign up to audition is THIS WEDNESDAY!!! Please visit fmcmea.org/orchestra to sign up to audition by 11/29 – auditions are here at the REC on 12/9 followed by a 3 hour rehearsal that afternoon for any student that makes the ensemble. 1 full day of rehearsal January 12th, a final check in on the 13th and a concert at Shaghoian on January 13th in the afternoon and that’s it! AN AMAZING experience, playing with the best of the best in Fresno and Madera Counties, students grow sooooo much, it’s dang fun, and you get some awesome bragging rights (and a cool medal from the district at the end of the year😉). Chamber orchestra students ALLLLLLLL should be auditioning. You all have a really good shot at making this group! Any student REC Orchestra is welcome and encouraged to audition. Keep practicing!
We’ll also need a lot of help running this on 12/9 – students (and adults as well), please sign up here you’re available to help us Friday evening or Saturday as a volunteer. It’s an early and long day, but you get some yummy food and LOTS of volunteer hours!
Help needed:
- I’m looking for a 4th period (Reyburn Intermediate Orchestra) VIOLIN parent to help me with a pizza pick up this Wednesday, December 13th for the reward party for 4th period Violins for winning the highest selling basket at our Fall Concert. Pick up at 12:20pm and drop off to Reyburn at 12:40ish. Please let me know if you can help!
- Also hoping to get a 3rd period (CE Chamber Orchestra) parent to help me with a pizza pick up on Thursday, December 14th for the reward party for 3rd period for winning the top class average in coupon book sales. Pick up at 12:20pm and drop off to Reyburn at 12:40ish. Please let me know if you can help!
Winter Concert is NEXT WEEK!
- Itinerary attached and posted to google classroom - you can ignore page 3 for now ;-)
- Thursday, December 7th at Shaghoian Concert Hall
- Attire:
- Reyburn: Green Polo Shirts, LONG BLACK SLACKS, long black socks and nice black dress shoes. Start looking for slacks now, they can be hard to find for our petite girls. Try amazon, Old Navy, Kohl’s (boys also have luck at Target and Walmart)
- Clovis East: Concert Black – NICE BLACK CLOTHES - same as what you wore for the Visalia concert. No jeans. Skirts/dresses MUST BE BELOW THE KNEE WHEN SEATED and also require black nylons/tights.
- If you have questions please ask me now. Do not wait until concert week.
- Students meet at orchestra room at 4:00pm – load busses
- Sound Check at Shaghoian
- Pizza will be available for pre-order for performing students to eat during sound check at Shaghoian - please order your pizza here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclJRTAgLbPW8fWvATxpud_wNAIkr9Hlkdv8P_adjLZxFE6HA/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Doors open at 6:45pm
- Concert starts at 7pm
- Concert should end around 8:30pm
- HELP NEEDED: LOST of desserts, Hot Chocolate packets, Small Plates, Cups for Hot Beverages, Unfiltered Apple Juice, Fresh Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks, Oranges
- HELP NEEDED: front entrance ticket taker, dessert café workers, pizza pick up/delivery/distribution - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA8AF22A2FAC52-46394261-winter
During Finals Week (12/15-21)
This year for our final we’ll be “caroling” around the district and our community. I’m working on more detailed itineraries, but here is a quick rundown:
- Friday 12/15 – 1st period will perform at the District Office for Transportation, VAPA, Sports and Rec, Warehouse, Technology, and any others in the area at the time. These students will miss about 20 minutes of 2nd period and will be required to have a blue slip from their 2nd period teacher in order to attend.
- Monday 1st and 3rd periods will each visit 1 elementary school
- Tuesday 1st period will visit 3 elementary schools and 4th period will visit 2 retirement homes (lunch off campus at Sierra Vista Mall – send students with some cash)
- Wednesday 2nd period will visit 2 elementary schools and 6th period will visit 2 retirement homes (lunch off campus at Sierra Vista Mall – send students with some cash)
- Thursday 3rd period will visit 1-2 elementary schools and the District Office and play for the superintendent and other upper admin and staff.
- Currently, if everything follows my schedule, students will NOT be missing any other class time.
- All students are encouraged to dress up in fun colorful/wintery/festive gear, including ugly Christmas sweaters, reindeer ears and jingle bell necklaces 😉
- If you’re interested in chaperoning for any of these events, please let me know ASAP to ensure you are cleared by the district.
Clovis East Families – looking ahead to the Spring Semester. This semester we’ll have two big overnight trips that I’m in the process of getting board approved. I NEED chaperones for these trips and we’ll need you to go through the fingerprinting and all that fun that we needed for Hawaii. Here is a very rough itinerary for those two trips. A few parents have emailed me. I hope to lock in costs, a more detailed itinerary and all chaperones by the end of the semester. If you THINK you might want to chaperone please let me know so that I can figure out rooming. My plan is to put 2 chaperones to a room, each in their own bed. Let me know if you want to pay the difference for your own room. Please look it over the rough itinerary below let me know if you would like to be considered as a chaperone.
Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $150-200 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $200-250 (once I know more I’ll let you know!)
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
- New to my list - Thursday, November 30th at 7pm – Save Mart Center – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2nd – Sequoia Symphony plays ELF , Visalia - 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, December 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Sunday, December 3rd – Youth Orchestras of Fresno plays Beethoven – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, December 9th – Tower Quartet – watch our very own Miss Hill perform with the central valley’s premiere chamber ensemble! 7pm at University Presbyterian – $20 for general admission, $10 for students
- Saturday, December 16th – Fresno Philharmonic, Home for the Holidays – Saroyan Theater Downtown – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 3rd – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Sunday, February 4th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 10th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Sunday, February 18th – Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Love Conquers All – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, March 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Saturday, March 9th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Funday, April 21st – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm - prices vary
Here’s what’s coming up through December
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Registration Closes ∙ Wednesday, November 29th
Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions
All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary TBD (similar to Fall concert but with no fundraising dinner/silent auction)
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
Finally, we played a fun game today in class, I had the kids play one of our standard warm-ups (well, standard for 8th – 12th grade classes) and got a little creative with the “spelling”. We played in the key of E Major and ended the “secret message” with the spelling “B-A-B-E”. Golden Baby #3 (holy cow what did we do?!?!) coming this June 2024! Our family is very excited for this addition and I’ve been anxious waiting to share with my students and you all. So far everyone is safe and healthy, mama’s just very tired and nauseous. Hopefully your students haven’t noticed too much 😉 Since I’m due right when school is out, we are hoping that I can make it to the end of the year, or at least very close to the end. Which means hopefully no big impacts on our students/performances this year!
I hope you all have a great week and I’m looking forward to seeing you all next week at our Winter Concert, Thursday at 7pm at Shaghoian!
Good afternoon REC Orchestra Families! Here are your reminders and updates for Week 13
First, I’m so sorry to have had to miss the past several days with our kiddos. My own kids were sick and as I’m sure many of you have experienced, it trickled through the family. Luckily we have some awesome coaches that were able to ensure our students could still rehearse without a music sub while I was gone. I’m back today, and as long as I don’t get a turn with the bug, I plan to be here the remainder of the week.
TOMORROW NIGHT (THURSDAY 11/16) EAT PIZZA – please share this flyer with anyone and everyone – post to social media – eat pizza! Please enjoy some Mountain Mikes at Ashlan and Fowler on Thursday, November 16th between 11am and 9pm and 40%, yes 4-0-% comes back to the orchestra program. Again, please blast your social media accounts with this ASAP!
Winter Concert – important details (official itinerary coming soon)
This year for our final we’ll be “caroling” around the district and our community. I’m working on more detailed itineraries, but here is a quick rundown:
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra – the deadline to sign up to audition is coming up. Please visit fmcmea.org to sign up to audition by 11/29 – auditions are here at the REC on 12/9 followed by a 3 hour rehearsal that afternoon for any student that makes the ensemble. 1 full day of rehearsal January 12th, a final check in on the 13th and a concert at Shaghoian on January 13th in the afternoon and that’s it! AN AMAZING experience, playing with the best of the best in Fresno and Madera Counties, students grow sooooo much, it’s dang fun, and you get some awesome bragging rights (and a cool medal from the district at the end of the year😉). Chamber orchestra students ALLLLLLLL should be auditioning. You all have a really good shot at making this group! Any student REC Orchestra is welcome and encouraged to audition. Keep practicing! We’ll also need a lot of help running this on 12/9 – students (and adults as well), please let me know if you’re available to help us that day as a volunteer. It’s an early and long day, but you get some yummy food and LOTS of volunteer hours!
REMINDERS
Clovis East Families – looking ahead to the Spring Semester. This semester we’ll have two big overnight trips that I’m in the process of getting board approved. I NEED chaperones for these trips and we’ll need you to go through the fingerprinting and all that fun that we needed for Hawaii. Here is a very rough itinerary for those two trips. A few parents have emailed me. I hope to lock in costs, a more detailed itinerary and all chaperones by the end of the semester. If you THINK you might want to chaperone please let me know so that I can figure out rooming. My plan is to put 2 chaperones to a room, each in their own bed. Let me know if you want to pay the difference for your own room. Please look it over the rough itinerary below let me know if you would like to be considered as a chaperone.
Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $125
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $175
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
No School ∙ Monday, November 20th – November 24th ∙ Happy Thanksgiving!
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Registration Closes ∙ Wednesday, November 29th
Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions
All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary TBD (similar to Fall concert but with no fundraising dinner/silent auction)
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving break. We host about 50 family members at my parent’s each year for a 1-2 night sleepover and all-out Gilroy Family fun. It’s always a little nutty, but I still LOVE seeing my extended family and feel so lucky to be able to. I hope you all enjoy your special traditions or are able to make some new, happy ones this year.
Although I do enjoy the week vacation and time with my own family, I wanted to take a moment to emphasize that I am personally very thankful to have the opportunity to work with your students each and every day. I’m lucky enough to grow with many of these kids, and your entire families, for 6+ years (some of you just finished 6 years with me and are back for another 6 😉 ha!) It’s really very cool, it’s a huge privilege and I get mushy when I think about it too much. Thank you for all you do for your student’s music education and for our orchestra here at the REC. I love our orchestra family and I hope you all do too! Rest well! PRACTICE! Perform for your family! See you on the 27th
First, I’m so sorry to have had to miss the past several days with our kiddos. My own kids were sick and as I’m sure many of you have experienced, it trickled through the family. Luckily we have some awesome coaches that were able to ensure our students could still rehearse without a music sub while I was gone. I’m back today, and as long as I don’t get a turn with the bug, I plan to be here the remainder of the week.
TOMORROW NIGHT (THURSDAY 11/16) EAT PIZZA – please share this flyer with anyone and everyone – post to social media – eat pizza! Please enjoy some Mountain Mikes at Ashlan and Fowler on Thursday, November 16th between 11am and 9pm and 40%, yes 4-0-% comes back to the orchestra program. Again, please blast your social media accounts with this ASAP!
Winter Concert – important details (official itinerary coming soon)
- Thursday, December 7th at Shaghoian Concert Hall
- Attire:
- Reyburn: Green Polo Shirts, LONG BLACK SLACKS, long black socks and nice black dress shoes. Start looking for slacks now, they can be hard to find for our petite girls. Try amazon, Old Navy, Kohl’s (boys also have luck at Target and Walmart)
- Clovis East: Concert Black – NICE BLACK CLOTHES - same as what you wore for the Visalia concert. No jeans. Skirts/dresses MUST BE BELOW THE KNEE WHEN SEATED and also require black nylons/tights.
- If you have questions please ask me now. Do not wait until concert week.
- Students meet at orchestra room at 4:10pm – load busses
- Sound Check at Shaghoian
- Doors open at 6:45pm
- Concert starts at 7pm
- Concert should end around 8:30pm
- NEED: LOST of desserts, Hot Chocolate packets, Small Plates, Cups for Hot Beverages, Unfiltered Apple Juice, Fresh Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks, Oranges
- NEED: adult volunteers to work: front entrance ticket taker, dessert café workers
- PRACTICE – please, please, please encourage your child to play their instrument over this Thanksgiving break. With a week off and only 7 rehearsals upon our return to finish preparing for the concert, it is VITAL students play a bit over break. Even 10 minutes each day or 20 every other day will go a long way. Encourage your child to play for their family over the break as well, it’s a great way to practice working through nerves.
This year for our final we’ll be “caroling” around the district and our community. I’m working on more detailed itineraries, but here is a quick rundown:
- Friday 12/15 – 1st period will perform at the District Office for Transportation, VAPA, Sports and Rec, Warehouse, Technology, and any others in the area at the time. These students will miss about 20 minutes of 2nd period and will be required to have a blue slip from their 2nd period teacher in order to attend.
- Monday 1st and 3rd periods will each visit 1 elementary school
- Tuesday 1st period will visit 3 elementary schools and 4th period will visit 2 retirement homes (lunch off campus at Sierra Vista Mall – send students with some cash)
- Wednesday 2nd period will visit 2 elementary schools and 6th period will visit 2 retirement homes (lunch off campus at Sierra Vista Mall – send students with some cash)
- Thursday 3rd period will visit 1-2 elementary schools and the District Office and play for the superintendent and other upper admin and staff.
- Currently, if everything follows my schedule, students will NOT be missing any other class time (other than 1st on 12/15)
- All students are encouraged to dress up in fun colorful/wintery/festive gear, including ugly Christmas sweaters, reindeer ears and jingle bell necklaces 😉
- If you’re interested in chaperoning for any of these events, please let me know ASAP to ensure you are cleared by the district.
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra – the deadline to sign up to audition is coming up. Please visit fmcmea.org to sign up to audition by 11/29 – auditions are here at the REC on 12/9 followed by a 3 hour rehearsal that afternoon for any student that makes the ensemble. 1 full day of rehearsal January 12th, a final check in on the 13th and a concert at Shaghoian on January 13th in the afternoon and that’s it! AN AMAZING experience, playing with the best of the best in Fresno and Madera Counties, students grow sooooo much, it’s dang fun, and you get some awesome bragging rights (and a cool medal from the district at the end of the year😉). Chamber orchestra students ALLLLLLLL should be auditioning. You all have a really good shot at making this group! Any student REC Orchestra is welcome and encouraged to audition. Keep practicing! We’ll also need a lot of help running this on 12/9 – students (and adults as well), please let me know if you’re available to help us that day as a volunteer. It’s an early and long day, but you get some yummy food and LOTS of volunteer hours!
REMINDERS
Clovis East Families – looking ahead to the Spring Semester. This semester we’ll have two big overnight trips that I’m in the process of getting board approved. I NEED chaperones for these trips and we’ll need you to go through the fingerprinting and all that fun that we needed for Hawaii. Here is a very rough itinerary for those two trips. A few parents have emailed me. I hope to lock in costs, a more detailed itinerary and all chaperones by the end of the semester. If you THINK you might want to chaperone please let me know so that I can figure out rooming. My plan is to put 2 chaperones to a room, each in their own bed. Let me know if you want to pay the difference for your own room. Please look it over the rough itinerary below let me know if you would like to be considered as a chaperone.
Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $125
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $175
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
- Saturday November 18th – Fresno Philharmonic – Shaghoian Concert Hall - 7:30pm – prices vary
- Sunday, November 19th – Fresno Philharmonic – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm – prices vary
- Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2nd – Sequoia Symphony plays ELF , Visalia - 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, December 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Sunday, December 3rd – Youth Orchestras of Fresno plays Beethoven – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, December 9th – Tower Quartet – watch our very own Miss Hill perform with the central valley’s premiere chamber ensemble! 7pm at University Presbyterian – $20 for general admission, $10 for students
- Saturday, December 16th – Fresno Philharmonic, Home for the Holidays – Saroyan Theater Downtown – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 3rd – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Sunday, February 4th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 10th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Sunday, February 18th – Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Love Conquers All – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, March 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Saturday, March 9th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Funday, April 21st – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm - prices vary
No School ∙ Monday, November 20th – November 24th ∙ Happy Thanksgiving!
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Registration Closes ∙ Wednesday, November 29th
Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions
All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary TBD (similar to Fall concert but with no fundraising dinner/silent auction)
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving break. We host about 50 family members at my parent’s each year for a 1-2 night sleepover and all-out Gilroy Family fun. It’s always a little nutty, but I still LOVE seeing my extended family and feel so lucky to be able to. I hope you all enjoy your special traditions or are able to make some new, happy ones this year.
Although I do enjoy the week vacation and time with my own family, I wanted to take a moment to emphasize that I am personally very thankful to have the opportunity to work with your students each and every day. I’m lucky enough to grow with many of these kids, and your entire families, for 6+ years (some of you just finished 6 years with me and are back for another 6 😉 ha!) It’s really very cool, it’s a huge privilege and I get mushy when I think about it too much. Thank you for all you do for your student’s music education and for our orchestra here at the REC. I love our orchestra family and I hope you all do too! Rest well! PRACTICE! Perform for your family! See you on the 27th
Good afternoon REC Orchestra Families! Here are your reminders and updates for Week 12
It’s a short week – just 3 more days! All of Clovis Unified will have Friday off to honor Veteran’s Day. Please thank the Veteran’s in your life for their service to our country and community.
This week we are also celebrating Unity Week here at the REC. We’ll have special announcements each morning for our students as well as fun lunchtime activities. When the Reagan Educational Center Diversity Education Council was formed originally, the goal at the time was to come up with ways to promote the variety of cultures on our campus and develop ways for our students to come together and be more connected to each other. After a few meetings, it was decided that we will have a Unity Week, which will consist of an assembly (UNITY), informational messages, and various lunchtime activities that will focus on Unity/Cultures/Empathy. We want our students to understand that we are more alike than we are different. The purpose of this week is to spread cultural awareness, encourage cultural appreciation, improve the overall atmosphere on campus, and teach empathy. UNITY Week is about coming together and being joined as one, because that’s what it means to be a part of the Wolfpack. Everything culminates on Thursday for our double assemble UNITY ASSEMBLY. I encourage you to engage with your student about some of the things they might be learning about to seeing around campus this week. It’s a great opportunity for ALL OF US to grow and learn together as a closer community.
Testing went very well last week. Congrats to all of our students! I hope to have all grade into the gradebook by Tuesday along with my notes from each student’s test. Please make sure your student reviews my notes. That’s where I type as fast as I possibly can to get a few thoughts to them on what went well and where they can improve. Remember, if your student is not happy with their score from the test they can schedule a time with me to retake the test.
Our 2nd grading period for Semester 1 closes this week. Please make sure all late work is submitted no later than Wednesday to ensure it get put into the gradebook. Again, I’ll be updating things for orchestra this Tuesday.
Reyburn Families – Friday I sent home an order form with all new students to order their orchestra polo. These polos will be used for the winter concert, fall kick-off concert and all festivals. We’ll use them again for the 2024-25 school year as well. I’m sorry I forgot to put on my updated order form that the polos are $25 each. You can pay with cash or check (made to Timberwolves Foundation) and submit that payment, along with the white order form and your selected size in a sealed envelope to the black mailbox by next Monday, November 13th OR you can pay and order online using this link. I sized each student myself last week in class and I included on that paperwork that went home the size I felt looked best on your child and what they felt comfortable in as well. These polos do run a bit large. We encourage you to order the size I suggested OR 1 size up if you’re worried about your student fitting into their polo next school year as well. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Clovis East Families – looking ahead to the Spring Semester. This semester we’ll have two big overnight trips that I’m in the process of getting board approved. I NEED chaperones for these trips and we’ll need you to go through the fingerprinting and all that fun that we needed for Hawaii. Here is a very rough itinerary for those two trips. Please look it over and let me know if you would like to be considered as a chaperone.
Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $125
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $175
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
REMINDERS
Fair Share turn in was this past Friday, November 3rd. Remember, you can now pay with your credit card HERE. Please be sure to send cash or checks with your student in a labeled envelope. I do have some here at school too if needed.
CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
Here’s what’s coming up through December
*Clovis East ONLY - Performance @ College of the Sequoias ∙ Friday, October 27th
Annual Invitational String Orchestra Festival at College of the Sequoias in Visalia *detailed itinerary to be determined & distributed.
Membership Donations/Fair Share Contribution Installment Due ∙ Friday, November 3rd
2nd Grading Period Closes ∙ Friday, November 10th
No School ∙ Friday, November 10th ∙ Thank a Veteran
No School ∙ Monday, November 20th – November 24th ∙ Happy Thanksgiving!
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Registration Closes ∙ Wednesday, November 29th
Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions
All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary TBD (similar to Fall concert but with no fundraising dinner/silent auction)
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
I hope you have a wonderful week and for those celebrating Halloween – stay safe!
Ali Gilroy Golden (Pronouns: she/her (What’s This?))
Director of Orchestras
Reagan Educational Center
o. (559) 327-4731
aligilroygolden@cusd.com
timberwolvesmusic.com
It’s a short week – just 3 more days! All of Clovis Unified will have Friday off to honor Veteran’s Day. Please thank the Veteran’s in your life for their service to our country and community.
This week we are also celebrating Unity Week here at the REC. We’ll have special announcements each morning for our students as well as fun lunchtime activities. When the Reagan Educational Center Diversity Education Council was formed originally, the goal at the time was to come up with ways to promote the variety of cultures on our campus and develop ways for our students to come together and be more connected to each other. After a few meetings, it was decided that we will have a Unity Week, which will consist of an assembly (UNITY), informational messages, and various lunchtime activities that will focus on Unity/Cultures/Empathy. We want our students to understand that we are more alike than we are different. The purpose of this week is to spread cultural awareness, encourage cultural appreciation, improve the overall atmosphere on campus, and teach empathy. UNITY Week is about coming together and being joined as one, because that’s what it means to be a part of the Wolfpack. Everything culminates on Thursday for our double assemble UNITY ASSEMBLY. I encourage you to engage with your student about some of the things they might be learning about to seeing around campus this week. It’s a great opportunity for ALL OF US to grow and learn together as a closer community.
Testing went very well last week. Congrats to all of our students! I hope to have all grade into the gradebook by Tuesday along with my notes from each student’s test. Please make sure your student reviews my notes. That’s where I type as fast as I possibly can to get a few thoughts to them on what went well and where they can improve. Remember, if your student is not happy with their score from the test they can schedule a time with me to retake the test.
Our 2nd grading period for Semester 1 closes this week. Please make sure all late work is submitted no later than Wednesday to ensure it get put into the gradebook. Again, I’ll be updating things for orchestra this Tuesday.
Reyburn Families – Friday I sent home an order form with all new students to order their orchestra polo. These polos will be used for the winter concert, fall kick-off concert and all festivals. We’ll use them again for the 2024-25 school year as well. I’m sorry I forgot to put on my updated order form that the polos are $25 each. You can pay with cash or check (made to Timberwolves Foundation) and submit that payment, along with the white order form and your selected size in a sealed envelope to the black mailbox by next Monday, November 13th OR you can pay and order online using this link. I sized each student myself last week in class and I included on that paperwork that went home the size I felt looked best on your child and what they felt comfortable in as well. These polos do run a bit large. We encourage you to order the size I suggested OR 1 size up if you’re worried about your student fitting into their polo next school year as well. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Clovis East Families – looking ahead to the Spring Semester. This semester we’ll have two big overnight trips that I’m in the process of getting board approved. I NEED chaperones for these trips and we’ll need you to go through the fingerprinting and all that fun that we needed for Hawaii. Here is a very rough itinerary for those two trips. Please look it over and let me know if you would like to be considered as a chaperone.
Sonoma State Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period CE Chamber Orchestra and optional for 1st period CE String Orchestra. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued. Please also know that students will have to C’s or higher in all classes and be in good standing for behavior for all classes and activities as well in order to be considered to attend ‘optional’ trips.
Anticipated Cost: $125
Wednesday, March 13th – depart around 2pm for San Francisco Ballet with a stop for dinner en route
Watch San Francisco Ballet perform Midsummer Night’s Dream
Go to hotel in Sonoma area
Thursday, March 14th – early morning wake up and report to Sonoma State Festival
Chamber Orchestra performs and gets cliniced. We are required to sit in the audience for the entire morning portion of the day.
After lunch, depending on the master classes being offered we will stay for session or leave to go home.
Home Thursday evening between 5-10pm.
CMEA State Large Ensemble Festival – this trip is required for 3rd period and is not open to 1st period. Please understand that NO REFUNDS will be issued.
Anticipated Cost: $175
Thursday, April 4 – depart around 2pm for Disney Concert Hall with a stop for dinner en route
Watch LA Philharmonic Perform – Elgar Cello Concerto, Vaugh Williams, etc.
Go to hotel in Redondo Beach area
Friday, April 5th – drive to UCLA, campus tour, possible clinic, lunch
Drive to 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier for free time
Meet for Dinner together. 1 more hour of anticipated free time before bus departs for hotel
Saturday, April 6th – depart early morning for festival at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Perform, get cliniced, leave for home. Dinner en route home. Anticipated arrival 11:30pm
PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE. Chaperone costs will be the same as students.
REMINDERS
Fair Share turn in was this past Friday, November 3rd. Remember, you can now pay with your credit card HERE. Please be sure to send cash or checks with your student in a labeled envelope. I do have some here at school too if needed.
CONCERT REPORTS - Remember ALL Students need to attend 1 professional level concert this school year and write a report on their experience at the concert. This is due in May, but don’t wait, the deadline always sneaks up on people. This is the same drill as it’s been for the past 11 years, but for my new families, students will use the questions provided in their google classroom assignment as a guide for their analytical responses, and attach a typed report that explains their experience at the Concert. Students should not respond to the guided questions in a bulleted format. Reports submitted in the bulleted format will result in an automatic deduction of 50%. Reports should be submitted in an essay format using appropriate punctuation and grammar. Formatting requirements are listed in the assignment. Failure to follow instructions will result in point deductions. Students must submit the assignment to google classroom no more than 2 weeks after the attended concert in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Upcoming Concert Opportunities for Concert Reports:
- Saturday November 18th – Fresno Philharmonic – Shaghoian Concert Hall - 7:30pm – prices vary
- Sunday, November 19th – Fresno Philharmonic – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm – prices vary
- Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2nd – Sequoia Symphony plays ELF , Visalia - 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, December 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Sunday, December 3rd – Youth Orchestras of Fresno plays Beethoven – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, December 9th – Tower Quartet – watch our very own Miss Hill perform with the central valley’s premiere chamber ensemble! 7pm at University Presbyterian – $20 for general admission, $10 for students
- Saturday, December 16th – Fresno Philharmonic, Home for the Holidays – Saroyan Theater Downtown – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 3rd – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm – prices vary
- Sunday, February 4th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Mahler – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm – prices vary
- Saturday, February 10th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Sunday, February 18th – Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Love Conquers All – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm
- Saturday, March 2nd – Fresno State Symphony Orchestra – at Fresno State – 7:30pm - $10 for students with ID and $15 for general admission
- Saturday, March 9th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Sequoia Symphony, Visalia – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Saturday, April 20th – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 7:30pm - prices vary
- Sunday, April 21st – Fresno Philharmonic plays Brahms – Shaghoian Concert Hall – 3pm - prices vary
Here’s what’s coming up through December
*Clovis East ONLY - Performance @ College of the Sequoias ∙ Friday, October 27th
Annual Invitational String Orchestra Festival at College of the Sequoias in Visalia *detailed itinerary to be determined & distributed.
Membership Donations/Fair Share Contribution Installment Due ∙ Friday, November 3rd
2nd Grading Period Closes ∙ Friday, November 10th
No School ∙ Friday, November 10th ∙ Thank a Veteran
No School ∙ Monday, November 20th – November 24th ∙ Happy Thanksgiving!
FMCMEA Honor Orchestra Registration Closes ∙ Wednesday, November 29th
Auditions ∙ Saturday, December 9th – FMCMEA Honor Band and Honor Orchestra Auditions
All Auditions will take place at the Reagan Educational Center. Chamber Students should all audition!!!
*Performance ∙ Thursday, December 7th – REC Orchestras Winter Concert – Detailed Itinerary TBD (similar to Fall concert but with no fundraising dinner/silent auction)
All Concert Ensembles Perform at Shaghoian Concert Hall
Hot Cocoa and Dessert Sales before/during/after the concert
*Performances ∙ Community Performances – all REC Orchestras will perform for the community in an organized class event during FINALS week. With the exception of 1st period missing a few minutes of 2nd period, all other classes should not be missing time in their other classes for these performances. Itineraries will be out in the next few weeks.
1st Semester Grading Period Closes ∙ Thursday, December 21st
No School ∙ Friday, December 22nd – Monday, January 8th ∙ Winter Break
I hope you have a wonderful week and for those celebrating Halloween – stay safe!
Ali Gilroy Golden (Pronouns: she/her (What’s This?))
Director of Orchestras
Reagan Educational Center
o. (559) 327-4731
aligilroygolden@cusd.com
timberwolvesmusic.com