NCHS ORCHESTRA UPDATE 11.5.26 – HAUNTCERT THANK YOU'S & EXTRAVAGANZA REMINDERS

HAUNTCERT 2026 – THANK YOU!

The 32nd Annual Hauntcert, Fiddling with Fear, is officially in the books, and I want to extend an enormous THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this year's production possible!

Hauntcert is so much more than an orchestra concert. Between the music, acting, costumes, sets, lighting, special effects, decorations, trick-or-treating, and the countless details that go into producing two shows in one evening, it truly takes an army of people to pull it off.

To our parent volunteers who spent hours building, decorating, organizing, ushering, collecting donations, working backstage, and helping with all the little things that audiences never see – THANK YOU! To our students who helped behind the scenes in addition to performing, to the National Honor Society for taking on our preshow trick-or-treating, and to Key Club and the NCHS Orchestra Parents for helping decorate the building, we are so grateful for your time and efforts. A special thank you also goes to Ellie Marvin for her work coordinating the trick-or-treating activities and the NCHS Key Club for helping out with decorations.

And, of course, thank you to our performers for the countless hours of preparation and for bringing another wonderful Hauntcert production to life!

HAUNTCERT PHOTOS & VIDEO

A special thank you to Gina Bainter, our official Hauntcert photographer, for capturing so many wonderful moments from this year's production! We've created a shared Google Drive folder for Hauntcert pictures. Please take a look, and if you have photos of your own, we'd love for you to upload them to the folder as well! Between the performances, costumes, decorations, and behind-the-scenes chaos, there are plenty of memories worth sharing.
CLICK HERE FOR HAUNTCERT PHOTOS – VIEW & SHARE YOUR PICTURES
We also have a video recording of the production available for anyone who would like to watch it again, share it with family, or finally figure out what was happening during the parts they couldn't see from their seats!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HAUNTCERT 2026

MUSIC PARENTS EXTRAVAGANZA – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Our next performance is right around the corner! ALL FOUR NCHS ORCHESTRAS – Concert, Sinfonia, Intermezzo, and Chamber – will perform at the U5 Music Parents Extravaganza on Monday, November 9, beginning at 5:30 PM.

IMPORTANT STUDENT INFORMATION:

Performance: Monday, November 9, 5:30 PM
Personnel: ALL NCHS orchestra students
Uniform: NEW long-sleeve NCHS Orchestra T-shirt and jeans
Rehearsal: ALL students will remain at school after dismissal for our dress rehearsal before the performance.
Students MUST bring their performance clothes to school that morning! There will not be an opportunity to go home and change between school and the performance. Please help your student plan ahead so no one discovers at 5:15 PM that their orchestra shirt is sitting on their bedroom floor!

EXTRAVAGANZA FOOD ORDERS

Remember, there is NO admission charge to hear your student perform! Families are welcome to attend the performances without purchasing a meal.

However, the Extravaganza is also a fundraiser for the Unit 5 Music Parents, and purchasing food is a great way to support the organization that does so much for our music students and programs. At the time of this posting, food orders are still open! If you're planning to eat at the event, please consider ordering through the link below.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER EXTRAVAGANZA FOOD

Thank you again for your incredible support of NCHS Orchestras. We couldn't do what we do without our students, families, and volunteers!

HAUNTCERT – THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

We're just a few days away from the 32nd Annual Hauntcert! A few final reminders and requests as we prepare to bring Fiddling with Fear to life!

HAUNTCERT VOLUNTEERS – INSTRUCTIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Our Hauntcert Volunteer Instruction Document is now available! If you've signed up to help, please take a few minutes to review the instructions for your position before your shift. The document includes important information about reporting times, locations, responsibilities, and other details to help everything run smoothly.

CLICK HERE FOR HAUNTCERT VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTIONS

We still have some volunteer positions available, and there is still time to jump in! We especially need an Assistant Stage Manager, ideally a parent of an underclassman who can learn the ropes this year and help facilitate the transition for future productions. There is a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes coordination involved in Hauntcert, and having someone familiar with the process from year to year is invaluable. If you haven't signed up yet, please take one last look at the list. Every additional pair of hands makes a difference!

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER FOR HAUNTCERT

HAUNTCERT WEEK – QUICK REMINDERS

Sinfonia, Intermezzo, and Chamber Orchestras ONLY:
Monday, October 26: Combined rehearsal with percussion, 3:30–6:00 PM. Rides must be waiting promptly at 6:00 PM in the bus lane, not at the front of the building. Cellists who do not ride the bus should bring their instruments from home. Students must have all necessary materials with them, as they will not be permitted to return to their lockers.

Tuesday, October 27: Dress rehearsal, 6:00–9:00 PM. NO concert uniforms! "Dress rehearsal" is simply the industry term.

Thursday, October 29: Student call time is 5:00 PM, with performances at 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Full concert uniforms required.

Please help your student plan ahead for meals, homework, transportation, and the long days ahead!

HAUNTCERT DECORATIONS – ONE LAST CALL!

We could still use some general Halloween decorations to help transform the auditorium and surrounding areas. Skeletons, spiders, cobwebs, bats, spooky decorations, and medieval or castle-themed items are all welcome!

We also have room for a few more items in our Phobia Walk, where we're displaying ordinary (and not-so-ordinary) objects alongside vintage signs identifying the fears associated with them.
Some of the phobias we currently have represented include:
Ailurophobia – Fear of cats
Selachophobia – Fear of sharks
Ophidiophobia – Fear of snakes
Climacophobia – Fear of climbing, including ladders
Cathedraphobia – Fear of chairs
Gakkiphobia – Fear of musical instruments
Linonophobia – Fear of string and rope
Megalophobia – Fear of large things
Grammaphobia – Fear of letters of the alphabet
Apotemnophobia – Fear of amputation or losing body parts
Bathmophobia – Fear of stairs or steep slopes
Vestiphobia – Fear of clothing
Bibliophobia – Fear of books
Siebsophobia – Fear of Mrs. Siebenthal (yes, we invented that one!)

We're especially interested in larger, visually interesting items that would make an impression along the walkways. If you have something unusual around the house, there's a good chance we can find a phobia to go with it. A tiny jar of pickles isn't going to turn many heads, but an enormous stuffed pickle? Now we're talking!
If you have something larger that we might be able to use, send me an email so I can create a sign for it. All decorations and borrowed items must be at school no later than Tuesday, October 27. Items can be sent to the orchestra room with your student or brought to Tuesday evening's rehearsal. Please clearly label anything you'd like returned with your name.

EXTRAVAGANZA FOOD ORDERS – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 DEADLINE!

Don't forget that Friday, October 30, is the deadline to order food for the U5 Music Parents Extravaganza on Monday, November 9, at 5:30 PM.
All four NCHS orchestras will be performing, and students will remain after school for rehearsals before the event. Food-ordering information and event details are available at the link below.

CLICK HERE FOR EXTRAVAGANZA FOOD ORDERS

Remember, there is no admission charge to hear your student perform! Food purchases are completely optional.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, donated supplies, loaned decorations, and helped us get this production ready. We're almost there!

NCHS ORCHESTRA NEWS – CRASHING INTO HAUNTCERT TECH WEEK!

HAUNTCERT WEEK – REHEARSAL & PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

The following schedule applies to Sinfonia, Intermezzo, and Chamber Orchestras ONLY. Concert Orchestra students are not involved in these rehearsals or performances.

Monday, October 26 – Combined Rehearsal, 3:30–6:00 PM
All three orchestras will rehearse together with our percussionist. Students should arrive with their instruments, music, and all necessary materials. Rides must be waiting promptly at 6:00 PM in the BUS LANE, not at the front of the building. Cellists who do not ride the bus should bring their instruments from home. Students will not be permitted to return to their lockers after rehearsal.

Tuesday, October 27 – Dress Rehearsal, 6:00–9:00 PM
This is our final full rehearsal before the performances. Students do NOT need to wear their concert uniforms! "Dress rehearsal" is simply the industry term for this type of rehearsal. Please arrive prepared with instruments, music, and everything needed for the evening.

Thursday, October 29 – 32nd ANNUAL HAUNTCERT!

• Student call time: 5:00 PM

• First performance: 6:00 PM

• Second performance: 7:30 PM

• Uniform: Full concert uniform

HAUNTCERT VOLUNTEERS – YES, WE ARE STILL BEGGING!

We are now down to the final days before Hauntcert, and we still have several essential volunteer positions unfilled. These are not optional extras. They are jobs that directly affect whether we can successfully produce the show.
Some of our most pressing needs include:

Usher Coordinator: Without someone coordinating our ushers, we cannot effectively collect the donations that help support our orchestra program. This is a critical position!

Videographer: Without someone to record the performances, we will have no video record of this year's Hauntcert. This is quite possibly one of the easiest volunteer jobs we have! You simply push the record button at the beginning of the show, let the camera run, and turn it off at the end. No editing, no fancy camera work, and no previous experience necessary.

Assistant Stage Manager: This is an especially important position for the future of Hauntcert. We would love to have a parent of an underclassman step into this role, learn the ropes, and help ensure a smooth transition for next year's production. There is a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge involved in putting on this show, and having someone learn the process now would be invaluable.

Tech Work Day – Saturday, October 24: We need additional hands to help finish set pieces, decorations, and special effects. There are plenty of tasks that do not require technical expertise. If you're willing to help build, assemble, decorate, or simply follow directions, we can put you to work!

I know I sound like a broken record, but we cannot produce this show without volunteers. We have students who have worked incredibly hard to prepare an entertaining evening, and we need the adults to help us get the production across the finish line.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

HAUNTCERT PHOBIA DECORATIONS

This year's theme, Fiddling with Fear, explores phobias of all kinds, and we would love to extend that theme into the walkways and areas surrounding the auditorium.

The idea is to borrow larger, visually interesting objects that can be labeled with their corresponding phobia. Think of it as a walk-through collection of things people are afraid of, ranging from the genuinely creepy to the completely ridiculous. If you have it in your house, chances are there is an officially Google searchable phobia attached to it... Here are some examples to get your imagination going:

Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders – giant spiders, webs, etc.
Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes – large stuffed or rubber snakes
Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns – clown dolls, figures, or decorations
Pediophobia: Fear of dolls – large dolls or creepy doll displays
Automatonophobia: Fear of human-like figures – mannequins or human-shaped figures
Megalophobia: Fear of large objects – oversized versions of ordinary items
Entomophobia: Fear of insects – oversized bugs or insect decorations
Scoleciphobia: Fear of worms – giant worms or worm-like props
Globophobia: Fear of balloons – large balloon displays
Pogonophobia: Fear of beards – a particularly impressive fake beard or bearded figure
Ailurophobia: Fear of cats – large stuffed cats or cat figures
Cynophobia: Fear of dogs – large stuffed dogs
Arctophobia: Fear of bears – large stuffed bears
Plutophobia: Fear of wealth or money – an oversized pile of fake money

And those are just a few possibilities! There are phobias associated with an astonishing variety of objects, animals, situations, and experiences. If you have something large, unusual, or downright ridiculous sitting around your house, there's a good chance we can find a phobia to go with it.

Larger objects create a bigger visual impact - A small jar of pickles probably won't make much of an impression along a busy hallway. A six-foot stuffed pickle, on the other hand? Now we're talking! A large stuffed animal, an oversized household object, a creepy mannequin, or an enormous inflatable could all become part of the display with a cleverly worded phobia sign.

If you have something we might be able to borrow, please send me a picture! We can figure out whether it fits the theme and how we might use it. Please clearly label anything you would like returned with your name. We want to make sure borrowed items find their way back to their rightful owners after Hauntcert.

OTHER DECORATIONS & AAA BATTERIES

We are also still collecting other decorations and supplies for Hauntcert.

AAA Batteries: We need batteries for our orchestra stand lights. Donations can be sent directly to school with your student.

Castle/Medieval Decorations: Shields, banners, faux torches, armor, prop swords, crowns, stone-wall decorations, and anything else that fits our medieval quest theme.

General Halloween Decorations: Skeletons, spiders, bats, cobwebs, and other school-appropriate spooky decorations.
Smaller items can be sent to the orchestra room. For larger or bulkier items, please send a picture first so we can coordinate getting them to school.

ONE FINAL REMINDER – PLAN AHEAD!
Please be especially mindful of the rigorous schedule this week. Students will have some long days, and we want them to arrive rested, prepared, and ready to perform. Help them plan ahead for meals, homework, transportation, and everything else that needs to happen around rehearsals and performances. This is not the week to discover at 4:00 pm that your uniform has an issue!

EXTRAVAGANZA FOOD ORDERS – DEADLINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30!

Please click here for food-ordering details

NCHS Orchestra News – Hauntcert, Extravaganza & Upcoming Events

Hauntcert is just around the corner, and we have several important reminders, deadlines, and opportunities for families to help. Please take a few minutes to read through everything below!

HAUNTCERT VOLUNTEERS – WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP!

We still have a number of critical volunteer positions that must be filled in order to produce Hauntcert!

Hauntcert is an enormous production, and while our students are working hard to prepare the musical portion of the evening, there is a tremendous amount of work happening behind the scenes. Many of the remaining volunteer positions are not simply extra helpers who would make things a little easier – they are jobs that are essential to making the show happen.

If you have not yet signed up to help, PLEASE take a look at the volunteer list and find a place where you can contribute. There are a variety of jobs available, and you do not need special musical knowledge or previous Hauntcert experience.

We are rapidly approaching the point where unfilled positions become a serious concern. It's better to spend these final two weeks preparing our students and polishing the performance than sending repeated requests for volunteers!

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER FOR HAUNTCERT

Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered. We truly cannot do this without you!

COMBINED HAUNTCERT REHEARSAL – MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

Our next combined Hauntcert rehearsal is Monday, October 19, from 3:30–6:00 PM for Sinfonia, Intermezzo, and Chamber Orchestras only. Concert Orchestra students do not attend.

A few important reminders:

• Cellists who do not ride the bus should bring their instruments from home for rehearsal that morning.

• Students should bring all homework and other materials needed for rehearsal. They will not be permitted to return to their lockers after rehearsal.

• Rides must be waiting promptly at 6:00 PM. Please make transportation arrangements in advance.

• All students must be picked up in the BUS LANE, NOT at the front of the building.
  Thank you for helping us keep rehearsals running smoothly and ensuring everyone can leave promptly at 6:00 PM!

NOPA MEETING – MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 6:30 PM

Our next NCHS Orchestra Parents Association (NOPA) meeting will be Monday, October 19, at 6:30 PM in the orchestra room (Room 50). Doors J around the back of the building will be open. With Hauntcert just around the corner, we'll be working to finalize the remaining details and volunteer needs for the production.

We would really love to see more orchestra parents get involved! NOPA is a great way to support our students, help shape the activities and opportunities available to them, and get to know other orchestra families. You don't need to hold an office or make an enormous time commitment to participate. Sometimes simply having a few more people willing to take responsibility for a project makes all the difference.

HAUNTCERT – BATTERIES & DECORATION DONATIONS

• We are looking for a few additional supplies to help bring this year's Fiddling with Fear theme to life!
  AAA Batteries: We need AAA batteries for our orchestra stand lights. Donations can simply be sent to school with your student and brought to the orchestra room.
  Decorations & Props: This year's Hauntcert explores phobias and fears, with a medieval castle/quest atmosphere woven throughout the show. We would welcome donations or the opportunity to borrow items that might help us create that environment, including:

• Medieval or castle-themed decorations, banners, shields, prop swords, armor, crowns, and similar items

• Stone or castle-wall backdrops, dungeon-themed decorations, and faux torches

• Spooky but school-appropriate decorations, including skeletons, spiders, cobwebs, bats, and other fear-inspired items

• Other unusual props or decorations that might fit our Fiddling with Fear theme

If you have something you would like returned, please clearly label it with your name so we can get it back to you after the concert.

Smaller items can be sent to school with your student. For anything too large or bulky to transport to school easily, please send me a picture first so we can determine whether and how we might use it.

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA – FACULTY PREVIEW CONCERT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21

Our Chamber Orchestra will perform a special preview concert for NCHS faculty on Wednesday, October 21, which is a half day for students. Chamber Orchestra students will remain at school after the regular student dismissal. We will rehearse, enjoy lunch together, and then perform for the faculty at approximately 12:45–1:00 PM. Students will be free to leave following the performance.
A few important details:

• Who: Chamber Orchestra only

• Lunch: Students should bring a sack lunch from home.

• Uniform: New long-sleeve NCHS Orchestra T-shirt and jeans

• Dismissal: Following the faculty performance, approximately 1:00 PM
  Please make sure your student has lunch and transportation arrangements in place for the afternoon.

EXTRAVAGANZA FOOD ORDERS – DEADLINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

The U5 Music Parents Extravaganza is coming up, and families who would like to purchase food at the event should review the accompanying flyer for ordering information.

The deadline to order food is Friday, October 30.

There are also opportunities for families to volunteer and help support the event. Please see the flyer for food-ordering details and volunteer sign-up information.

You do NOT need to purchase food or pay admission to hear your student perform!

U5 MUSIC PARENTS EXTRAVAGANZA – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9

All four NCHS orchestras – Concert, Sinfonia, Intermezzo, and Chamber – will perform at the U5 Music Parents Extravaganza on Monday, November 9, beginning at 5:30 PM.

Students will remain at school after dismissal that afternoon for rehearsals prior to the performance. Additional details regarding the rehearsal schedule, performance order, and student logistics will be shared as the event approaches.

The Extravaganza is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy performances by our Unit 5 music students while supporting the efforts of the Unit 5 Music Parents organization.

Again, there is no admission charge to attend the performances!

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES – SIGN-UPS COMING SOON

Parent-teacher conference sign-ups will be available soon.
Please be mindful when scheduling conferences that there are not enough available slots to accommodate every family. If you are happy with your student's progress and have no specific concerns, there is no need to schedule a conference. Leaving those slots available is especially helpful for families who have concerns or questions about private lessons, collegiate music opportunities, or other aspects of their student's musical development. Of course, I am always happy to meet with families who have questions or concerns!

THANK YOU!

The next few weeks are some of the busiest of our orchestra year, and we appreciate the support of our students and families. Between Hauntcert, the faculty preview concert, and Extravaganza, there are a lot of moving pieces!

Please pay particular attention to the Hauntcert volunteer list. Having those positions filled is one of the most important things our families can do to help us put together a successful show.
Thank you for your continued support of NCHS Orchestras!