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October 9, 2019 - Several Important Messages

  • Aug 28, 2020
  • 3 min read

Hi all,

Contents of this note

  1. St Olaf on Sat (SO)

  2. BOPA newsletter (all)

  3. BOPA contact info collection (all)

  4. Program ad sales/legacy messages (all)

  5. Letter from Principal Shoemaker (all)

  6. Calendar change for CO/Sinfonia

  7. Orch Spiritwear sale (all)

  8. Opera for Cardinal

  9. Attic Angels on 11/17 (CO/Sinf)

  10. Annual Soiree

1) The St Olaf Orchestra performs on Saturday night at 7:30 pm in the PAC.  Tickets are $10 general admission and free for students.  The Symphony Orchestra will perform one piece with them as well.

Schedule for the day:

  • 3-4 pm Symphony and St Olaf do a side-by-side activity

  • 5:30-6:30  The 2 groups eat supper together

  • 7:30 performance (SO is first on 2nd half)

It was with a bit of dismay that I saw how many students are not able to attend any part of the event.  Saturday concerts are difficult at times, and it is appreciated when all students can attend--our group is diminished when people are missing.

2) The BOPA newsletter is now a thing of the past, for the most part.  Each year we will create a beginning of the year print copy and mail it out--coming soon!  Newsletter content is now found at the BOPA web page at www.middletonbandorchestra.org .  The start of year one is also found HERE .

3) BOPA, in order to better serve the music education of your students, would like to collect everyone's contact information.  It will not be heavily used--mostly to contact volunteers and to call people who have not yet picked up their fruit :) and nothing will ever be used outside the BOPA realm.  PLEASE fill out this quick form  with contact info as soon as possible.

4) Program ads are still for sale, and we can still use some help with the collection of business ads.  HERE is a letter from Vice President Laura Guse talking more about the program and HERE is the application form to purchase an ad or student shout-out.

5) Principal Shoemaker has composed a letter addressing an incident that happened in Marching Band in the spring.  Please read this important message.

6) Due to several factors, we are adjusting the performance calendar for Cardinal Orchestra and Sinfonia for May 2020.

  • THURSDAY MAY 7 is the new performance date for Cardinal, Sinfonia, and 8th grade

  • Mon 5/11 is Kromrey area grades 4 + 5 with Philomusica

  • Tues 5/12 is now only grades 6 and 7

  • Thurs 5/14 is Glacier Creek area grades 4 + 5 with Philo

Mark your calendars please!

7) Orchestra spiritwear will be on sale soon--check our website in the next several days!

8) On Wed 10/30 the Cardinal Orchestra will be join the sophomore choir and the Advanced Music class down at the Overture Center for the Madison Opera performance of Verdi's La Traviata.  Look for more info and a FeePay sign up and payment option in the next week or so.

9) As we have done in past years, we are collaborating with the Pheasant Branch Strings, an orchestra of adult beginners and returners through the UW Division of Continuing Studies.  The Cardinal Orchestra and Sinfonia are invited to join PBS on their concert on Sunday 11/17 at 3:30pm at Attic Angel.  There is no requirement of attendance and we will not be performing anything ourselves.  Our job will simply be support for these brave adult musicians.  More details soon.

10) The annual Orchestra Soiree is coming up on Friday 11/1.  After a mandatory rehearsal for all orchestra musicians from 4-5pm, there will be fun and games and food and inflatables.  More details and a call for assistance coming soon!

Thanks for making it all the way to the end!

SK

 
 

September 3, 2019 - Welcome back & several other items

  • Aug 28, 2020
  • 1 min read

Hi all!

I hope the summer has treated you all well.  Can't believe it is September!

1) Students WILL need instruments for the first full days of classes so please have them bring their own instruments

  • Sinfonia (Symphony Block 2) on Wed

  • Symphony (Block 3) on Wed

  • Cardinal Orchestra Block 6 on Thurs

After a week or so, we will know how many school instruments are available to use at school.  Don't own an instrument?  No trouble--we will make sure you can use one.  The small fee for school instrument use/rental will be run again through FeePay.

2) Attached is a copy of this year's calendar of orchestra events.  Please please please enter these events on the family calendar and prioritize them as important for your student's musical education.  If there are any adjustments, I will send out that info as soon as I can.

3) Back to School Night is coming up next Wednesday 9/11.  Hope to see many of you there!

That is all for now!  Please drop me a note if you have any questions.

Steve Kurr

829-9870

 
 

May 19, 2019 - Approaching the End of the Year

  • Aug 28, 2020
  • 2 min read

Hi Orchestra folks!

We are getting close to the end of the year and orchestra things are coming to a conclusion.  Here is a run down of much of the remainder of the year.

1) MONDAY 5/20--sorry for the late communication!

ALL ORCHESTRA STUDENTS

The Music Department hosts its annual Awards Reception in the MHS Courtyard.  This event time has been in some flux for the past week, as the band concert originally slated for 5/9 needed to be moved to 5/20 because of the jazz band's participation in the Essentially Ellington Competition in NYC.  The Awards Reception will now take place ahead of the concert:

  • Monday 5/20

  • MHS Courtyard

  • Cake Punch at 5:30

  • Program at 6:00, done by 7:00

Given out will be Orchestra letter recognition, medals and certificates for Solo & Ensemble, summer camps scholarships, State Honors qualifiers, and more.  All music students and their families are invited and encouraged to attend, and any awards not able to be collected on that evening will be handed out to students in class over the following class days.

2) WEDNESDAY 5/29

ALL ORCHESTRA STUDENTS

The Symphony Orchestra will present its Almost Summer Concert on 5/29 at 7:30pm in the PAC.  Featured will be music by Sibelius, Turina, Walker, Albinoni, Finzi, and the incredible Finale from the Shostakovich Symphony No.5.  All orchestra students are asked to attend--Orchestra Awards are conferred and graduation seniors are honored.  Sinfonia and Cardinal members do not perform, instead getting a preview of musical worlds to come, receiving some of the awards, and partaking in the post-concert reception.

3) SENIORS: All graduating seniors have to complete all assignments for orchestra by the start of the Almost Summer Concert on 5/29.  My grades are due for seniors by noon on 5/30.

4) The Philomusica Picnic will take place on Saturday 6/1.  The location is the Kurr House, the exact time is TBA.  Watch for details!

5) Students in Cardinal and Sinfonia will indeed need their instruments through their final exam periods.  Symphony students will need their instruments through Monday 6/3.

WED 6/5

ASR 8:25-9:55   Orchestra room available for lessons and other orchestra work [FlexiSCHED as usual)

Block 1 10:05-11:35

  Lunch

Block 4 12:40-2:10

Make-Up 2:20-3:44 Orchestra room available for lessons and other orchestra work

THURS 6/6

Block 5 8:25-9:55  Block 6 10:05-11:35  CARDINAL ORCHESTRA FINAL--presentation of projects    Lunch  Block 7 12:40-2:10  Make-Up 2:20-3:44 Kurr not available during this time

FRI 6/7  Block 2 8:25-9:55   SINFONIA FINAL--presentation of projects  Block 1 10:05-11:35  SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FINAL--Seminar and Thor Awards (seniors are invited to return for this time!)

ALL ORCHESTRA ASSIGNMENTS are due by Friday at noon.    Lunch  Make Up 12:40-2:10  Make-Up 2:20-3:44

Thanks--drop me a note if you have any questions!

 
 
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