Battle Creek Girls Chorus - battlecreekgirlschorus

Hi folks,

We have a big concert coming up!  The concert on Saturday is just the boys and girls! 

The details:
- Dress Rehearsal: Saturday, 2:00-4:00 at First Congregational Church.  Your daughter does not need to wear her dress, but she does need to attend.  Dress Rehearsals are mandatory.  Dress rehearsal will be closed to parents.

- Call time: 7:00 p.m. - First Congregational Church, in the choir room.  Dressed.

- Concert: 7:30 p.m. - First Congregational Church

- Attire: The girls will need to wear their black dresses, black shoes, black headband, and the new scarf.  If you have not gotten a scarf yet, you may purchase them on Thursday night.  They are $4.50.  They are silk, hand dyed scarves.  You'll need to iron them for the concert.  Use a warm, not a hot iron.

- Tickets: are available to purchase through the box office at The Music Center for $10/adult, $5/17 and under.  I'm double checking to make sure we'll have tickets at the door.  However, you may want to plan to purchase them in advance.

- Ushers/Chaperones: I'll need two ushers and 3 chaperones.  The ushers need to take tickets, pass out programs, and help move the chairs afterwards.  Chaperones will need to sit with the kids beforehand and during the performance.  They will watch the concert when not singing this time.  Ushers/chaperones get in free.  Please let me know asap if you are willing to do this.

Finally, a few girls have told me they are unavailable to sing this Saturday.  I would appreciate an email from the parent rather than a verbal announcement from the girl.  It should also be accompanied with an absent form.  I do understand that things come up, but I'm a planner.  You get the schedule at the beginning of the year for a reason and the Shutterfly calendar is at your disposal.  I appreciate as much notice as possible so that I can plan on your daughter not being there.  Each girl brings her own unique personality and voice to the team.  When we miss that, it can throw the other girls off their game.  Everyone is important, even in a large group.

Thanks for reading to the end, and I'll see many of you on Saturday!

Meredith

Hi all,

We covered a great deal in the meeting tonight.

1.  You daughter's received a calendar tonight.  Please look it over and make sure you don't have any questions.  Remember that at each dress rehearsal, the girls are going to wear their dresses.

2.  We sold about $6,000 worth of greens.  Awesome!

3.  Spaghetti Dinner tickets will be available to sell starting the first week back in January.  Due date for the sales is February 17.  We could use a volunteer to contact Norman's and Family Fare to ask for food donations.  Also, we could use a volunteer to make table tents thanking people for coming and writing the name of donors on them.  Ask Dawn Jamann if you have a question about this.  By the way, the Spaghetti Dinner is an all "hands on deck" affair on February 25.  Be prepared to work in the kitchen or supervise the girls.  We need your help.

4.  I'm working on a fun t-shirt for the girls to purchase.  Information forth coming.

5.  We have an new Executive Director at The Music Center.  Her name is Stacey Little.  I hope you will be able to meet her at the December 10th concert.  If you are able, please introduced yourself and welcome her.  She is coming from Kalamazoo Symphony as an assistant development director, which means she know a thing or two about raising money.  Also, she has multiple years of service on the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus board as a member, and as President.

6.  Last one . . . World Choir Games.  Today is December 1, and you should be paid up to $300.  We need to make a $10,000 deposit in 15 days to get the early bird registration discount.  Please get your money in to help with this!

Thanks!

Meredith

Hi all,

There are a few updates to the email I sent on November 17 about "Everything you need to know"

For December 10: 
- Dress rehearsal is from 2:00-4:00 at First Congregational Church.  Please wear black dresses to the Dress Rehearsal.  We will be taking some pictures during the rehearsal rather than during the concert. 
- Also, I know I have a few ushers, I could use 3 or 4 chaperones for the girls backstage.  I won't be able to be with them the whole time. The girls need to bring something quiet to do while they're waiting to go on stage.  They are first and last in the program.  You will be able to see the girls sing, but no one else.  You won't pay if you volunteer.

For the Nutcracker:
- There is a rehearsal at The Music Center from 7:00 to 8:00 on Friday the 16th.  The boys and girls will meet in the Boychoir room for warm-up then walk down the hall to sing with the symphony from 7:30 to 8:00.
- There is a dress rehearsal from 12:30-3:00 on Saturday the 17th.  Please wear black dresses to this as well for pictures.
- The performance is 6:30 - 9:00 on Saturday night.  Please wear black dresses.
- We need 2 chaperones to help with the boys and girls on the afternoon and evening performances.  That's 4 people.  Please let me know if you can do this.
- Last piece, FINALLY, you need to pick your daughter up after intermission during dress rehearsal and performance.

For December 19, Select/Octavio at Rotary:
- Please arrive at Burnham Brook Center, 200 West Michigan Ave, and go to the Lew Boyd Room at noon.  Bring your black dress to change into or arrive in the black dress.  We will then have a quick warm-up and sing from 12:30 to 1:00.

Other questions?  Please ask!

Meredith

Hi all,

This will be a long and informative email.  Please keep this for reference.  This is all on the calendar on Shutterfly, but I thought I'd write you an email reiterating everything.

Week of Nov 20: Rehearsal as usual on Monday.  No Rehearsal on Thursday.

Week of Nov 27: Rehearsal as usual on Monday and Thursday.  PA meeting on Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

Week of Dec 4:
- Monday: Rehearsal as usual. 
- Thursday: Select does NOT have Rehearsal
- Thursday: Concert and Octavio will meet at Schuler's for dinner at 6:00.  Please bring a wrapped $10 secret santa gift (your daughter knows who she has if she was at rehearsal tonight) and music.  Wear black dresses, black headbands, black shoes.  The girls eat from 6:00 to 7:00, sing from 7:00 to 8:00 and have Secret Santa and dessert at 8:00.  You can have dinner there and listen to the girls or drop-off/pick-up.
- Saturday: All Girls Mandatory Dress Rehearsal 2:00-4:00 at First Congregational (street clothes)
- Saturday: All Girls "I Wish" Concert.  Call time 6:30.  Concert at 7:30.  Tickets are purchased at the door this year.  No Advance sales. $16 adults, $8 students and seniors.  Wear black dresses, black headbands, black shoes.

Week of Dec 11:
- Monday: No Competition rehearsal.
- Monday: Select and Octavio will meet at Schuler's for dinner at 6:00.  Please bring a wrapped $10 secret santa gift (your daughter knows who she has if she was at rehearsal tonight) and music.  Wear black dresses, black headbands, black shoes.  The girls eat from 6:00 to 7:00, sing from 7:00 to 8:00 and have Secret Santa and dessert at 8:00.  You can have dinner there and listen to the girls or drop-off/pick-up.
- Thursday: No Rehearsal that I know of yet.  Please watch out for emails pertaining to The Nutcracker
- Saturday: Dress Rehearsal TBA
- Saturday night: All Girls sing for The Nutcracker with the Battle Creek Symphony.  Call time TBA.  Concert is at 7:30.  Wear Black dresses, black shoes, black headbands.  Note: I will not be at this performance as I have one in Lansing.  Megan Boyd will be the director of both the girls and boys.  Tickets can be purchased in advance.

Week of Dec 18:
- Monday: Select and Octavio sing for the Rotary.  This is over lunch time roughly 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Place TBA.  Wear black dresses, black shoes, black headbands.   PLEASE let me know if anyone is going to be out at this one.  We are getting paid $500, and I want to make sure we are giving them $500 worth of singing.


As you can tell, a lot of info.  I hope I haven't missed anything.  Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Meredith

Hi all,

Thanks for the great turn-out tonight at the PA meeting! 

A few items we discussed:

1.  Attached to this note is the Retreat information.  Please read carefully.

2. Greens Fundraiser: forms will be given to the girls at the end of retreat.  Due date for sales is November 3rd, and delivery will be November 19th.  All the prices are the same as last year.  The only change is that we will sell the garland in 5 foot increments in stead of 1 foot increments.

3. World Choir Games invoice due date is December 15.  The more deposits we have by December 15, the better.  Please get payments in!

4.  Spaghetti Dinner has been set for February 24th at the First Presbyterian Church.  We can feed 140 people at a time in the new venue.  We will need one parent for every child working the fundraiser.  This is an all hands on deck fundraiser!  Plan on attending.  We are discussing how to better manage the crowd.  Updates will follow.

5.  Jodi Nickerson and Teresa Phares offered to run the Flower fundraiser this year.  We may be able to take orders at the Spaghetti Dinner.

6.  The company that we use for the polos is having problems obtaining the orange polos.  The last order I placed will come back as red polos.  We will make a shift to a multicolor palette of red, orange, and yellow on the next order.  For now, it will be red and orange.
 

Attachments:

Hi all,

The Miller Foundation performance is next Monday, October 3rd.  We will meet there at 5:15 for warm-up.  We sing at 5:30.  Please arrive early as parking is limited.  Here is a note about transportation from the organizer:Parking at the BCreative event next week is going to be limited. There will be some parking available at the foundation, but more will be open at Mingus Creek and St. Mark's. Additionally, the city trolley will be available for use as a shuttle to the event.

Also, wear polos and khakis.  I'm calling in an order today!  I doubt if it'll be filled by Monday.

Since the performance will cut in to a lot of rehearsal, Competition rehearsal is cancelled. We will however, have Octavio rehearsal from 7:00 to 8:00.

Thanks!
Meredith

Hi all,

To give you a heads-up, we are performing at the Miller Foundation on October 3rd from 5:30 to 6:00.  Please arrive at 5:15 to get set up.  We are wearing the polos.  You can find this on the calendar on Shutterfly.

Also, I'll run a polo shirt order.  Please find last year's order form on Shutterfly and use that to complete your order.  Deadline this time will be next Tuesday, September 27.

Meredith

Hello all,

Welcome back to the new school year!  I'm sure you are all getting in the groove of the new schedule by now.  We have started rehearsals and the girls are singing well already!  If you haven't been at rehearsal, please come back now!  Let me know if you need to know what your schedule is.  There's been a few changes from last year.

A few items of business:

1.  This week is Open House on Thursday.  Select choir is expected to arrive at regular rehearsal time (5:00 p.m.) everyone else, please arrive at 6:30.  Also, wear khakis, polos, white shoes, and black headband.  Oh, and I've only had one parent take me up on the tuition discount for recruiting a singer!  Remember, for every singer you recruit who stays the entire year, you get a discount of $50 on next year's tuition.

If you knew this already, good for you!  You read the calendar on Shutterfly.  ;-)  This year we are going ALL Shutterfly.  To eliminate massive emails and information in various places, we are streamlining to all Shutterfly, all the time.  When you have a question, please check Shutterfly first, and then ask me.  I will do my best to keep everything up to date.

2.  If you haven't registered yet, please do so this week. 

3.  PA meetings will be the first Thursday of the month at 8:00 p.m. starting October 6th.

Thanks a bunch,
Meredith