Virginia Beach Permission Form

Here is a link to the Permission form for the Virginia Beach trip. Students planning to attend the trip must turn in this signed form along with their deposit by October 15th. The medical form needs to be turned in by Wed. April, 30th.

Virginia Beach Permission Form

Virginia Beach Medical Form

What's Coming up in October?

As we head into the month of October, I wanted to post information about what the month has to offer for the music dept.

• Wednesday 10/2 2-3pm: GHS PEP rehearsal
• Thursday 10/3 7pm: Parent Information meeting for Virginia Beach- GHS Auditorium
• Friday 10/4 7pm: Football for GHS PEP. Please report at 6pm
• Wednesday 10/9 2-3pm: GHS PEP rehearsal
• Friday 10/11 Final day for students planning to audition for Central Districts to submit $7 audition fee
• Friday 10/11 7pm: Homecoming Football for GHS PEP. Please report at 6pm
• Tuesday 10/15: Virginia Beach Deposit Payment is due!
• Wednesday 10/16 2-3pm: GHS PEP rehearsal
• Thursday 10/17 6-8pm: Gold Fundraiser collection night
• Wednesday 10/23 2-3pm: GHS PEP rehearsal
• Monday 10/28-11/8: Citrus Fundraiser
• Wednesday 10/30 7pm: Costume Concert!

Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the posted events.

Thank You!

Reminiscing...

I was visiting with the 8th grade band this afternoon and thought I would share this photo. It brings back memories of rehearsing on the stage and wonderful theater productions throughout the years.

I like where we are now. Just saying...

Virginia Beach Trip Information

I am posting general information for our proposed trip to Virginia Beach in the spring. You will see in this document the overall cost of the trip, the proposed payment schedule, itinerary and information about cancellation penalties and optional cancellation insurance.

Virginia Beach Student and Parent Information

Parents will have an opportunity to ask questions and receive additional information at the Oct. 3rd meeting in the GHS Auditorium at 7pm.
During this meeting we will also discuss the planned fundraisers for this trip.

Playing Evaluations

This week I would like to begin some quick playing evaluations by section. 

Wednesday: Flutes and Clarinets

Friday: Trumpets, Saxophone

Monday: Low Brass/Woodwinds, Percussion

Be prepared to play Concert Bb, Eb, and F scales

Music excerpts from Bravura, House of Horrors, Kentucky 1800 (by section)

These will be quick overviews of your playing alone and with your section. Just your section will be in the band room during the playing evaluation.

Percussion will be play the sticking exercises that follow the above scales from Foundations for Superior Performance.

GHS PEP Rescheduled Rehearsal

Due to a NEASC conflict on Wednesday, I would like to meet on Tues. AND Thurs. from 2-3pm this week. We have many good things happening with the group, but there are some areas that some extra reinforcement will help us clean up. Please let me know if you have a conflict with either of theses days. Remember, there is NO game this Friday but there is a game NEXT Friday.

Grafton High School Music: Virginia Beach Trip Informational Meeting

Grafton High School Music: Virginia Beach Trip Informational Meeting: On Thursday October 3rd at 7pm we will be holding an informational meeting in the auditorium at GHS. The purpose of the meeting is to make s...

Welcome 7th Graders!

We had a nice visit with about 55 7th grade band members today. The students and Mr. Singley stopped by the school for a tour of the music facilities and auditorium. It was great to see so many enthusiastic and inquisitive young musicians. They had great questions about the programs we offer and the performing and rehearsal spaces. These numbers of young musicians point to a coming explosion in enrollment for our high school band program. I can't wait!

Creating a student or teacher YouTube Channel

I am linking a past blog posting into this forum to help direct students and teachers to information about creating a YouTube channel from our existing Gmail/Google accounts. Every student and faculty member has a Google account. Creating a YouTube channel allows you the opportunity to upload your own videos, subscribe to other channels, like videos, etc. For some classes, we will be using YouTube videos as a means of self-evaluation and formative assessment.

Creating a YouTube Channel

Pep Rehearsal moves to Thursday

Due to a number of meetings this week, I need to move our PEP rehearsal to Thursday 2-3pm. We do have a game this week on Friday night at 7pm.

Please communicate with me if you have conflicts with the rehearsal or game this week.

Thank You!

Thank You to GHS Music Boosters!

A special thank you to GHS Music Booster volunteers who helped out both organizing and staffing the concession stand at our first home football game on Friday night. They were busy all night with big
crowds of hungry and thirsty patrons.

If you would like to offer a little bit of your time to help out at an event or two throughout the school year, please let me know. Parent and community support of the arts is a vital part of our continued growth and success.

Great First Game For GHS PEP!

It was a beautiful night for football and PEP! on Friday the 13th. Grafton won 6-0 and PEP was in good early season form. If you are interested in getting involved with GHS PEP! we are happy to have you just let me know.

Quick game...

Name that tune!

Virginia Beach Trip Informational Meeting

On Thursday October 3rd at 7pm we will be holding an informational meeting in the auditorium at GHS. The purpose of the meeting is to make sure parents and students understand all aspects of the proposed trip to Virginia Beach from May 8-11th. A representative of Bennet Student Travel will be present at the meeting to help answer any questions or concerns about the trip.
In addition, we will be discussing possible fundraisers that students may participate in to help offset the cost of the trip. We encourage parents to attend this meeting so you have a clear picture of our plans and to have any of your questions answered. The meeting is expected to last 45 min. or so.

Performing & Visual Arts College Fair in Boston

On behalf of college admissions professionals in Boston, I am pleased to inform you of an upcoming event for any of your students who are considering studies in the performing or visual arts.  On Tuesday, September 24th, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will present its annual Performing & Visual Arts College Fair in Boston.

More than 130 of the nation’s premier arts institutions will be represented at the fair, which offers prospective students a first-hand opportunity to ask questions and collect relevant information from schools of interest. This is the only college fair of its size in New England that is specifically geared toward arts students, and it only takes place once per year.

Boston Performing & Visual Arts College Fair
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Boston University, Fuller Building
808 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Free and open to the public

This event will be valuable for high school or college students who are considering undergraduate or graduate studies in the arts. Teachers, guidance counselors, family and friends are welcome. Schools from across the country offering programs in music, dance, theater, graphic and visual arts will be represented.

In addition to the college fair, we will host a pre-fair workshop from 6:10 - 6:50 pm just before the fair on the topic of "Navigating the Audition/Portfolio Process at Performing and Visual Arts Schools." This workshop will take place in the BU College of Fine Arts, Room 500, 855 Commonwealth Avenue.

We would be most grateful if you would announce this event to students and parents, and we encourage you to forward this email to any interested parties. A poster can be downloaded for hard-copy distribution as well.

Students should pre-register to attend this fair at http://www.gotomypvafair.com/Registration. Complete information, including a list of attending schools, is available online.

Thank you for your help in getting the word out about this special event. We look forward to welcoming attendees to the fair later this month!

Sincerely,

Shaun Ramsay
Assistant Director of the School of Music
Admissions & Student Affairs
Boston University
855 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-3341

Music Apps Show and Tell

Social networking may have some redeeming qualities. The ability to share information quickly amongst dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people can be both scary and tremendously empowering. We will attempt to use this power for good whenever possible. I thought I might just put out the question, "What apps are we using to write, listen to, create, or perform music these days?"

I am not being completely benevolent by asking this question. Sure, if you find some cool new apps by what is shared here then, by all means, more power to you. I see it as a means to shave a few hours out of my week searching for potentially applicable apps.

If you share them, I will compile them in a future post to share with others.

Please feel free to comment below with your app, why you love it and how you use it.

Thanks for sharing!

Central District Auditions

Grafton High School is pleased to once again be hosting the Central District Auditions. Auditions will take place on Saturday November 16th. This year, all students auditioning for chorus, band, orchestra, and jazz ensemble will have their auditions on the 16th. Any student who is a member in good standing with a performing ensemble at GHS is eligible to audition. Students selected to perform with a central district ensemble, will be part of a concert at Mechanics Hall in January.

Students electing to audition for central districts must submit a $7 audition fee no later than Friday October 11th. Checks may be payable to Grafton High School.

The Central District Festival is a great opportunity for students to gain experience in preparing audition materials, performing in an adjudicated audition and (for those accepted) rehearsing and performing with many incredible fellow musicians.

I certainly encourage all students to review audition materials and challenge yourself by auditioning.

The Central District audition list and required scales are posted in the important links section.

Please see me if you have any questions.

Thank You Pep Band!

Thanks again to members of GHS PEP! for helping to welcome everyone back at the pep rally on Friday. I am looking forward to a great year working and playing with you.

Course Expectations

Here are links to the course expectations in my classes:

Concert Band

Guitar

Jazz Workshop

Harmony and Theory

Please review the Course Expectations and see me with any questions or concerns.
The Course Expectations are also linked to the right of this post under the Pages heading.

Two Upcoming Events for GHS Performing Ensembles

The year has yet to officially begin, but GHS performing ensembles are already in demand. The PEP band has been asked to perform for the welcome back rally on Friday the 6th at 1pm. We will play for the first 10 minutes or so of the rally as classes are filing in. Members of PEP will be dismissed @12:20 to set up in the gym. We do have a scheduled PEP rehearsal on Wednesday afternoon from 2-3pm.

The Jazz Workshop has been asked to represent the school for the NEASC reception on Sunday Sept. 22nd at 3pm. The group will perform a couple of songs to welcome the visiting NEASC delegation, faculty, and members of the community attending the reception.

You can stay up to date by checking out the music calendar found to the right of this posting.