Lesson of 2009/2010: Flexibility

Wow. The 2010 Pops Concert will be memorable for so many reasons, both sad, glad, and scary.

Sad: The need to change the concert to a day when we didn't have school. Mr. Berry's trip to the emergency room. Mr. Berry's absence from the pops concert. Paige and Cassidy's laryngitis.

Glad: No need to postpone concert because of snow! Mr. Berry's good prognosis. His Band members stepping up to make him proud in performing 2 of their planned numbers. Kelsey's beautiful senior solo accompanied by Colton Carr. Miss Rudolph's help to make the concert go on as planned (kind of).

Scary: Makaye's switch to alto the day before the concert. Trying on the New Mixed Ensemble Blue tops 1/2 hour before the concert and finding out they need altering. Me losing my place in the music during the Mixed Ensemble's last number. Me stepping in front of the band to conduct it!

Definitely one we won't forget for a while. Get better soon, Mr. Berry. We need you!

Pops Concert 2010 (Changed to Feb. 26- 7:00)

The pops concert is one of my favorite performances of the year. Why? (you might ask)
Glad you did. I'd really like to share some reasons why I like it so much and also some reasons why it may be a little challenging this year. (Let's call this the good, the bad, and the potentially ugly.)

The Good:
Fun music! Who doesn't like 40's swing, popular radio, jazz, and gospel???
Dedicated students! They come in early to practice most days, juggling breakfast and cheerleading and weightlifting and homework. In fact, 3 of the girls were chosen to dance in the All-Iowa Dance Team at the State Basketball Tournament on March 4 (which was our first pops concert date). Hence the date change.
Senior solos! The seniors have the opportunity to choose their own solo. This gives us a chance to showcase our talented seniors and let them express themselves however they want.
Relaxed Audience! Popcorn, dessert, decorations, and tables- what more could you ask?

The Bad:
Late starts, unplowed roads, and inconsistent rehearsals! Enough said.
Cold and flu season! Need I say more?
Changing the date! Sorry, but the only day we could find was on a day when we don't actually have school.

The Potentially Ugly:
Not a chance- this will be a great concert............as long as it doesn't.........snow....

SWI Honor Choir- Winter of 2010 Version!

Well, it didn't start OR end like we had planned. But it was an.............adventure!
It started with a car in the ditch (driver will remain nameless) and ended with the cancellation of the concert. I guess I should say it started with lots of early phone calls, a late school start, and late arrival for the CAM delegation in Council Bluffs. As we were arriving, other schools had been called home by their administrators. Bad news: The parents did not get to hear this fantastic choir sing their hearts out at our informal last run-through/pretend concert at 2:45. Good news: The students still had a productive day of singing, learning, and watching the IWCC show choir. For lots of reasons, this is one we will always remember!

Reflections...

I'm sorry that it has been so long since I posted. I'm not sure anyone reads this blog, but just in case they do, I'll continue to share my thoughts and feelings here about whatever we happen to be doing at the time. Since I'm so far behind, though, I'll try to get caught up with some word associations:
Christmas concert- lovely!
(Of course I can't be content with just one word. I was so proud of the kids. They are making such progress in learning how to express emotion with their music!)

Mixed Ensemble Christmas tour- grueling but rewarding!
(By the 6th performance in one day, they were thirsty and tired. But they persevered and realized that brightening peoples' days was worth it. I still get comments in Atlantic about how well they did!)

Snow Days- schedule- disrupting!
(Besides having to reschedule the Christmas concert, we had less time to prepare our National
Anthem auditions for IHSMA Boys State Tournament. Those results should be coming any time.)

Solo/Ensemble Contest- individual lessons!
(We are hard at work choosing music and beginning our preparation for this contest in April.
I enjoy this time of year because I get to work with more students individually and in smaller groups. Right now we have 24 events signed up, but I need to pare it down for my own sanity and also because I can legally only play for 20.)

Pre-concert Recital- coming soon!
(We will try to have some of our contest pieces ready to sing at an informal recital during PT Conferences on Feb 25. If you can't come to contest on April 17, this would be a good time to hear what your singers are working on!)

SWI Honor Choir- help!!
(Eight students have been chosen to attend this even on Feb 8 at IWCC in Council Bluffs. We
have missed several rehearsals because of snow days and late starts. They need to be practicing at home with their CD's!! I'm also accompanying this concert and the music is HARD!)

Pops Concert- fun!
(Plan to join us on Feb 26. You will really enjoy it. Mixed Ensemble, CAM Band, Senior solos, popcorn, desserts, great music. What's not to like?? One of my favorite events of the year.)

I think I'm caught up now. Whew. Anyone out there???

Thanks for the music!

The All-State concert is a musical gift! It represents years of work, practice, hopes, dreams, ideas, musical growth, frustration, and heartache. It is a gift to the directors, the parents, the audience, and to the participants. And for this gift I must say thank you! Thank you for all the hours of practice and dedication. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for persevering when you wanted to give up. Thank you for using the talent God gave you to bless others. Thank you for creating a musical moment that brought tears, laughter, goosebumps, surprise, and JOY! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Hello from All-State!

We had three separate rehearsals today totaling 7 1/2 hours of hard work and amazing musical moments. The director has a unique style of bringing together all 600 voices for one purpose. At the end of every rehearsal, students are invited to stand up and give their comments and compliments to all or parts of the choir. One student shared, "When we all sing together, it's like nature calling."

We ate dinner at the famous Hickory Park Restaurant with some special family guests. We would like to thank the Music Boosters for their generosity in paying for our meals while we're at All-State. Becca McLeran from Exira is joining us in our All-State experience. She's the fist All-State Chorus member from her school, and a private student of Mrs. Nichols.

Tomorrow we'll have three more rehearsals, and a concert at 7:30 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum on the ISU campus in Ames. We're proud to represent CAM at the most prestigious selective choir in the state.

by Jenna Karas and Mrs. Nichols

Three Performances in 4 Days!

I'm so proud of my students. They did a wonderful job at the Variety Show- the culmination of months of creating, planning, rehearsing, waiting, and work! They had fun and want to do it again! And then, before they (and myself) were fully recovered from that big weekend, we were off to spend the day singing at the Conference Vocal Festival at Payton-Churdan! We represented our school very well. Besides the facts that we were among the best prepared and had one of the best individual school performances (even though they are entirely sick of "Rock This Town") there are at least two more things that make me smile: We had 9 students audition for solo spots, (5 were chosen), AND our entire bass section was moved to the back of the choir by the director so they could lead the rest of the basses. Pretty cool. Also pretty cool was what happened during a break when they were testing our accompaniment CD in the gym sound system. My exhausted, talented, heroic students (many of whom were relaxing by sitting or laying on the floor) heard "their song" and immediately jumped up and began singing and dancing!! I'm just so proud.

Ps.
In the pictures, you can see the blue-shirted bass section and the soloists.