Holt Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

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The Holt Choirs are invited to perform at the Holt Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Wednesday, November 30th.

Students should arrive no later than 6:15; the ceremony begins in Holt Memorial Park behind the Holt Public Library and Fire Station at 6:30pm.  The ceremony will conclude no later than 7Ppm. Students will provide their own transportation to and from the event.  Singers should dress casually and warm (although the weather forecast is for mid 50s!)

This is not a required event! However, all students are strongly encouraged to attend.  it is a fun social time that you won’t want to miss!  The event is free to the public.

 

Regional Honors Choir Information

MSVMA Regional Honors Choir is just “around the corner”!  The event will be held at Western Michigan University’s Dalton Center this Saturday, December 3rd.  Please peruse the following information and requests:

1. We will need to transport all eleven Holt students to Kalamazoo Saturday morning. We will need to meet in the South parking lot of Holt High School at 6am. We will carpool from there.  If possible I would like to solicit the help of parent drivers (at most 3).  Please let me know ASAP if you are available to drive students to Kalamazoo that morning.  The concert is at 4:30pm.  Sometimes folks spend the day Christmas shopping at the various area malls!

2.  I also need to know of any students who need a ride back to Holt after the concert.  I have a personal obligation that will require me to leave directly from Kalamazoo heading toward Grand Rapids.  Most students ride home with their parents who attend the concert.  If your child needs transportation from the event home, please let me know.  I can arrange for their transport with another student.

3. There is no additional expense for attending on Saturday.  All expenses have been covered via scholarship by Holt Vocal Music Boosters!  Thanks, Booster family!

4. The following information has been forwarded from MSVMA regarding the Regional Honors Choir activities:

A. What will happen at this event?: Each student is expected to arrive at WMU’s Dalton Center no later than 7:30AM, in order to allow each student to check in at the information table in the lobby, find their rooms, find their seat in the Recital Hall for rehearsal, and leave their things in the choir room (women) or band/orchestra room (men) without feeling pinched for time. Students should bring with them the following items:

1) A folder with their name on it

2) their music with their name on each octavo

3) pencils

4) their performance attire (more on that in a minute)

5) water (in a CLOSABLE container please).

It is especially important your students put their names on their folders and music – there will be 121 other folders and copies of music which look just like theirs.

B. Students will be asked to provide their name, but NOT their school affiliation, at the check-in table (the check-in lists will be arranged alphabetically by students’ last names, with school affiliation OMITTED). Upon check-in each of your students will be given a name tag which contains their name, event number, part for which they’re auditioning, and audition time (remember, NONE of those items can be changed on the audition site).

The schedule for the day will be as follows:

7:30AM – 8:00AM § Check-in at the Recital Hall lobby of Western Michigan University’s Dalton Center

8:00AM § Morning announcements in Recital Hall

8:15AM – 10:00AM § All student rehearse in auditorium with Tamara Grove-Williams, this year’s Region B High School Honors Choir Director

10:15AM § SSAA auditions begin

10:15AM – 11:00AM § SSAA Choir go to Choir Room for sectionals – Two SSAA Pieces (and two SATB) § TTBB remain in Dalton Center to rehearse SSAA selections with Mrs. Grove-Williams

11:00AM – 12:00

noon § SSAA move to the Choir room to rehearse SSAA selections with Director § TTBB move to Choir Room for sectionals

12:00 noon –

1:00PM § Lunch in campus cafeteria (the $40.00 per student fee covers lunch)

1:00PM § TTBB auditions begin

1:00PM – 2:30PM § SATB Rehearsal (All Students) in the Dalton Center

2:30PM – 3:00PM § SSAA Rehearsal – TTBB moves offstage into audience.

3:30PM – 3:55PM § All rehearse in auditorium with Master Grove Williams

3:55PM – 4:25PM § Change into performance attire – TTBB in band/orchestra room, SSAA in choir room

4:25PM § Students on stage in performance order (determined during rehearsals)

4:30PM § CONCERT TIME!!! in auditorium

5:00PM § Concert ends – audition results posted in lobby and surrounding areas

5:00PM – 5:30PM § Students change back into casual attire – TTBB in band/orchestra room, SSAA in choir room § Students selected for State Honors Choir pick up State Honors Choir folders in lobby and surrounding areas

3. Attire: Students are to dress in casual attire during the rehearsal until 3:55PM, when rehearsal ends. Please remind students of the following two items:

* Students ARE NOT to wear anything, or bring anything, which identifies their school affiliation. The adjudicators ARE NOT to know what school each student is from during their auditions. As mentioned earlier, I have also extended this to the check-in table outside of the auditorium. Students SHOULD NOT have to identify their school at any time while they are at Western Michigan University.

* While casual attire is fine for rehearsals, students should wear clothing appropriate for wearing to school during the week. Remember, the “casual” outfit your student wears will be the outfit he/she wears when auditioning for the adjudicator.

Students will be permitted to change into performance attire (their school choir outfit if they have one – OR a white dress shirt/black dress pants/black dress shoes/black socks/necktie (NOT a bow tie) for the TTBB students, white top/black dress pants/black dress shoes for the SSAA students) at the conclusion of the rehearsal (3:55PM). Women will change in the choir room while men change in the band/orchestra room. Students will also be permitted to change BACK INTO CASUAL ATTIRE at the conclusion of the concert.

4. Audition procedure: Each student will be expected to leave the auditorium or sectional room approximately 5 minutes prior to their audition time. (NOTE: Each student will be responsible for monitoring the time themselves – they probably should bring a timepiece with them that day in case there are any problems with clocks). There will be NO WARMUP ROOMS and NO WARMUP TIME prior to the auditions (they will have been singing already during rehearsal, so warm-up time should not be unnecessary). At the appropriate time, the guide will ask the student to proceed to the audition room. The student will then audition by singing sections from the following pieces:

EVERYONE LEARNS:

* Sure on This Shining Night (Lauridsen)

o Peermusic Classical 62128-122

* Antiphon from Five Mystical Songs (Vaughn Williams)

o ESC Publishing 1.5028

SSAA ALSO LEARNS:

* Universal Song (Daniel Hall)

o HL 08501722

* Maggie and Milly and Molly and May (Joan Szymko)

o Santa Barbara Music Pub SBMP 588

TTBB ALSO LEARNS:

* Zion’s Walls (arr. Glenn Koponen)

o Boosey & Hawkes 48003922

* Shenandoah (arr. Jameson Marvin)

o Mark Foster MF1066

Your students will need to sing these pieces from memory, and a cappella, or points will be deducted. The adjudicator may ask that your students sing any or all of the songs in their entirety OR any portions of any or all of the songs on their voice part. STARTING PITCHES ONLY will be given for both the audition piece by the adjudicator with a small electronic keyboard. Adjudicators WILL NOT assist students by giving tempos, providing count-ins, singing portions of the audition pieces, or any other means OTHER than giving starting pitches.

Only the auditioning student will be allowed into the audition room. Directors, parents, and anyone else with the student WILL NOT be permitted to enter the audition room with the auditioning student.

Each audition slot is 5 minutes long (4 minutes to complete the audition, and 1 minute for the student to leave the audition room, and for the judge to complete scoring of the auditioner). Scoring will be on the following basis:

* Tone Quality – 25 points

* Memorization – 15 points

* Pitch Accuracy – 15 points

* Rhythm Accuracy – 15 points

* Diction – 10 points

* Interpretation (phrasing, dynamics) – 10 points

* Sight Reading Pitch Accuracy – 5 points

* Sight Reading Rhythmic Accuracy – 5 points

TOTAL – 100 points

A reminder – every student will be REQUIRED to sing for an adjudicator, regardless of whether or not they are auditioning for the State Honors Choirs and All-State Choir. This is to assure that every student has learned their voice parts. Students will also be expected to sing “Sure on this Shining Night” on the Regional Honors Choir Concert, but WILL NOT be expected to audition this piece again.

It is crucial each event be ON TIME – we have an extremely full schedule, and it is not fair to expect students who make the effort to be on time to accommodate other students who show up late. If the student is late for an AUDITION TIME, the student WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO AUDITION.

5. At no time is any director, student, parent, voice coach, or any other individual to talk with any adjudicator in regard to how he/she conducts auditions or about anything else. If there is a problem, please come find me.

6. PLEASE NOTE: Western Michigan University is a smoke-free zone. No smoking is allowed – either inside OR outside the building (smoking is completely prohibited on the property – including parking lots).

7. Please inform all individuals from your school attending this event that they are not to bring valuables of any kind. While the changing rooms will be locked and monitored during the day, neither MSVMA, nor Western Michigan University, will be responsible for anything lost or stolen at this event. Anything left at Western Michigan University at the end of the day will be left and disposed.

8. Students from WMU’s ACDA student chapter will assist in running the event. In spite of whatever performance anxiety individuals from your school may have, please let all individuals from your school attending the auditions know of the importance for them to be polite and considerate to all of these assistants. They have been instructed to be polite, but firm, in enforcing the schedule and guaranteeing the event will run smoothly. If there is a problem, please DO NOT complain to them or to other adult volunteers – please come see me.

9. Other behavioral expectations about which you and your students need to be aware:

· Students, parents, and directors are expected to conduct themselves in a pleasant and courteous manner at all times, demonstrating appropriate behavior which is a credit to them and their school at all times.

· Students will change clothes only in restrooms or designated areas, NOT in lobbies, hallways, women in men’s rooms, men in women’s rooms, etc.

· Students, parents, and directors are expected to refrain from making derogatory comments about students from their own as well as other schools regarding clothing, ability, looks, etc.

· Students, parents, and directors are expected to remain in designated areas and not roam the building.

· Students, parents, and directors will only have food and drink (including water) in designated areas, and NOT in audition rooms, sectional rooms, or the auditorium.

· Students, parents, and directors will quietly and politely leave an audition room if asked.

· Students and parents will inform their school director if they have any problem, who will then inform the Regional Honors Choir Supervisor.

· Socializing is to take place in designated common areas, not in audition rooms, hallways outside of audition rooms, or in rehearsal areas while rehearsal is in progress or while the choir is being addressed.

· Only workers authorized by the Regional Honors Choir Supervisor will be allowed in Headquarters. Please do not interfere with the workers performing their jobs.

10. Results: At the conclusion of the concert (5:00PM), the lists of students selected to participate in the State Honors Choirs will be posted in the auditorium lobby and surrounding areas. If any of your students are selected to participate in the State Honors Choirs, those students will need to pick up their State Honors Choir folder with their folder with music and information regarding the January rehearsals and concert IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONCERT ON DECEMBER 3rd. ONLY THE STUDENT MAY PICK UP THE FOLDER – IN PERSON – directors, parents, voice coaches, friends, or anyone else MAY NOT GET A FOLDER FOR ANYONE ELSE! Failure to follow this procedure may subject your school to discipline from MSVMA as stipulated by the Honors Choir Attendance Policy.

FINALLY – for those students choosing to audition for the State Honors Choirs: If your students are chosen to sing with the State Honors Choirs, they are REQUIRED to participate in the State Honors Choirs Rehearsals in Grand Rapids on Thursday, January 19th (2:00PM to 6:00PM); Friday, January 20 (all day) and Saturday, January 21 (8:00 AM to early afternoon). They ALSO ARE REQUIRED to sing in the State Honors Choir Concert on Saturday, January 21 from 3:00PM to 4:30PM at the DeVos Ballroom in Grand Rapids. Your students will also be expected to have their parts learned and memorized for the additional selections they will need to sing. Each student will be tested individually or in quartets in the first hour of rehearsal for music memorization.Please refer to the MSVMA Website regarding the attendance policies for Honors Choir events and possible penalties for failure of students to attend required rehearsals and performances.

 

Century Resources Fundraiser Delivery Confirmation

 

Dear Parents,

The orders from our recent fundraiser will be delivered on 11/16/2016, so please make sure that your students are prepared to take their orders home on that day. Each student’s order comes in an individually packaged box with handles to make it easy to carry. Some boxes may be heavy though, and some students may have more than one box, so please make sure your student has a way to get their order home. Thank you!

MI/Ohio Concert Choir Holiday Concert Ushers Needed

We are in need of fifteen volunteer choristers to serve this event which will be held at Holt High School.  Ushers need report IN WARDROBE by 1:30pm on Sunday, November 13th.  They will have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular show for free!  They will be finished with their responsibilities at approximately 5:00pm.  Interested students may express interest via responding in comment to this post, or directly to Mr. Bishop at school.  Thanks in advance for all the support!

MOH Continue Tradition of “Tie Painting”

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Men of Holt 2016 Proudly Model Their Distinctive Ties
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A Closer Look at MOH 2016 Artwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Men of Holt continued the tradition of painting their own performance ties for the 2016-2017 performance year.  This has become a bonding activity tradition since Booster alumna Terrie Fielden-Barry designed and created paper ties for MOH to paint.  In recent years we have moved to painting silk clip-on ties.  A big “THANKS” to the Holt Vocal Music Boosters for purchasing the ties and supplies to continue this awesome tradition!

Chocolate Fundraiser to Begin

Retail Products

A shipment of World’s Finest Chocolate will arrive at Holt High School Vocal Music Department.  Choristers will be encouraged to check out boxes of chocolate to sell at $1.00 per bar.  There will be 60 bars per box.  Students desiring to earn their Wardrobe Rental Fee will only need to sell one box of chocolate to fulfill their obligation.  It is our hope that all choristers will sell at least one box to support their choir and Holt Vocal Music Boosters.

Students will be asked to deposit $30 on initial check out. Checks written to Holt Vocal Music Boosters will held until the first box proceeds are turned in, at which time the check will be returned.  Students may check out additional boxes without any additional deposit.

Thanks for your support!

Wardrobe Rental Fee

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Each choral participant will be required to submit a $40 Wardrobe Rental Fee.  This fee is necessary to continue to provide our choristers with superior performance apparel.  Our volunteer Wardrobe Mistress, Becky Barnes is working feverishly to clean, repair, fit assign, alter and hem the wardrobe for our 120+ singers.

Holt Public Schools does not provide budget for performance apparel.  The Holt Vocal Music Boosters has worked hard over the past twenty-two years to provide formal wear for the choristers at no cost. Rising costs and growing need has made it necessary to assess wardrobe rental fees which will also cover wardrobe replacement as necessary.

Checks may be made payable to Holt Vocal Music Boosters , and may be sent to school with your student to be delivered to Mr. Bishop, or may be sent to Mr. Bishop at HHS: 5885 W. Holt Rd., 48842. Those who would like to add a ten-dollar donation to Holt Vocal Music Boosters will be added to the HVMB Patron list, and the total $50 donation will be received as a tax-deductible gift, which will fulfill the wardrobe fee obligation, and a tax letter will be sent.

Students participating in fundraising programs will have their profits applied to their wardrobe fees.  Every effort will be made to allow students to earn their wardrobe fee obligation if they need to do so. All profits earned after the wardrobe fee has been fulfilled will be applied to the-good-of-the-whole.

HHS Choirs’ Calendar 2016-2017

HHS Choirs’ Calendar 2016-17

 

September 2016

            6          First Day of School

13        Parent Meeting/Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting; HHS Choir Rm. 6:00PM

13-14   Musical Auditions;HHS Choir Room; Beauty and the Beast  3:00PM

22        Century Resources Fundraiser Kick-off

23        Homecoming; HHS Choirs sing National Anthem (voluntary performance)

October

  • MSVMA Adjudication Clinic/Performance by Chorale

3          MSU Vocal Leadership Day

HHS Choristers by invitation from Mr. B.

3          Regional Honors Choir Audition Recordings

Scheduled after school by first-come sign up

11           Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

14           Albion College Choralfest

Chorale Only

November

1              Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

1              Wardrobe Fee Due/ $40

24-27     Thanksgiving Break

30           Holt Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonty 6:30PM

Voluntary Activity/Students provide their own transportation

December

                3              MSVMA Regional Honors Choir WMU-all day

Students selected via MSVMA audition only

6              Holt Vocal Music Booster Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

9              MSVMA District 8 Solo and Ensemble Registration Deadline

13           Holiday Concert—Margaret Livensparger Theater HHS 7:00PM

Required Performance for all Choristers

16           Holiday Break Begins (ends January 3, 2017)

January

                3              School resumes

3              Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

13           District Solo and Ensemble Festival-Parma Western HS

14           District Solo and Ensemble Festival-Parma Western HS

19           MSVMA State Honors Choir-Grand Rapids Amway Complex

20           MSVMA State Honors Choir-Grand Rapids Amway Complex

21           MSVMA State Honors Choir-Grand Rapids Amway Complex

 

February

                7              Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meetings HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

22           MSVMA District 8 Choral Festival-HHS-Volunteers needed

23           MSVMA District 8 Choral Festival-HHS-Volunteers needed

24           MSVMA District 8 Choral Festival-HHS-Volunteers needed

March

                4              Emily Armeling Preliminary Vocal Competition-HHS

7              Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

10           Holt Vocal Music Boosters Gala Celebration and Cabaret Variety Show

HHS Center Commons 6:00PM

22           MSVMA District 8 JH/MS Choral Festival-HHS-Volunteers needed

23           MSVMA District 8 JS/MS Choral Festival-HHS-Volunteers needed

24           MSVMA State Solo and Ensemble Festival-Portage Central HS

25           MSVMA State Solo and Ensemble Festival-Portage Central HS

31           Spring Break

April

                1-9          Spring Break

11           Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

26           MSVMA State Choral Festival HHS-Volunteers needed

27           MSVMA State Choral Festival HHS-Volunteers needed

May

                2              Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

18           MYAF/MSVMA All-State Honors Choir-WMU

19           MYAF/MSVMA All-State Honors Choir-WMU

20           MYAF/MSVMA All-State Honors Choir-WMU

23           HHS Choirs’ Spring Concert; Margaret Livensparger Theater 7:00PM

30           HHS Choirs’ Awards Banquet; West Commons 6:00PM

June

                6              Holt Vocal Music Boosters Meeting HHS Choir Room 6:30PM

16           Last Day of School

Wardrobe Assistance Needed!

There is a need for anyone with basic sewing skills to assist with wardrobe alterations.  This year there has been an abundance of new wardrobe purchased; hems, and alterations.  Currently we have twenty gowns that need to be hemmed in addition to other sewing needs.

If you might be able to assist please leave a comment here.  Mr. Bishop or Wardrobe Mistress Becky Barnes will contact you.

Thank you in advance!

becky
Becky Barnes fits MOH student for upcoming Holiday Concert

 

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