Butter Braid Pick-Up

Don't forget that Butter Braid pick-up is scheduled for this Thursday (Dec. 14) in the orchestra room from 3:30-5:30 pm.  Without exception, ALL orders must be picked up at this time by the family who sold the product! Please make sure that you have made arrangements not only to pick up the items, but to ensure that they are able to be kept frozen until you deliver them to your customers. Happy holiday pastries to you and yours this month!

End of Semester Wrap-Up

Winter Concert Information

Date:  Tues. Dec. 12
Concert: 7 pm
Call Time: 6 pm
Dress:  Uniforms

There will be no rehearsal for any orchestra on Monday.  Thanks to all who volunteered to donate refreshments - you may bring them to the refreshment table at 6:30 the night of the concert.  If you arrive earlier or the tables are not set up, refreshments can go to the desk in the orchestra room. Don't forget that cello players should bring their instruments to the concert!

FINAL EXAMS - Orchestra final exams consist of 3 parts:

1.  Written - taken at the scheduled exam time. This is nothing that students need to study for and typically consists of reflection based essay questions.

2.  Scales - students must have passed all scales tested in the first semester by Mon. Dec. 18.  Students will have the opportunity to make up scales not previously passed during the days after the winter concert.

3.  Playing exam - students will be tested over material from the winter concert the day following the performance. This ensures that the material is still fresh and it should be very easy for students as they were all prepared to the best of their ability on the music the night before. 

Winter Concert Update

Winter Concert Information

Date:  Tues. Dec. 12
Concert: 7 pm
Call Time: 6 pm
Dress:  Uniforms

The dress rehearsal scheduled for Monday, Dec. 11 will be utilized by any group that needs a final rehearsal to help prepare them for the concert.  Please make sure that the date remains open in case it needs to be utilized - a decision will be made by the end of this week.  Don't forget that cello players should bring their instruments to the concert!

The sign up for post-concert refreshments is now available and we would be most grateful if you would consider helping us out and donating some punch or cookies.  You can click here for the refreshment volunteer list.  Best wishes to you and your family for a strong finish to the first semester!!!

Butter Braid Fundraiser Due

Please get Butter Braid orders in as soon as possible. The last day to turn them in will be this Friday (Dec. 1).  Don't forget that students (or their parents) must pick up their order after school on Thurs. Dec. 14th between 3:30-5:30 pm.  Students orders will be bundled and packaged together, so it is not possible to sort out individual customer items. 

Final Spaghetti Supper Reminders

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday for the Spaghetti Supper!  Please refer to the earlier blog post regarding the rehearsal schedule for the afternoon.  Two more things to add:

1.  Cello players MUST bring their instruments from home!

2.  Everyone should bring a folding stand for the rehearsal (all black stands will be on stage).

ILMEA Information

Please see the attached documents with some preliminary information for students who are participating in the ILMEA District 3 orchestra.  Even though Olivet has said they will provide stands for students, we are still asking students to bring a folding stand.  Dress for the concert will be "nice clothes" (no jeans, tennis shoes, etc. - "shirt and tie" is about the appropriate level).  Bus leaves NCHS at 6 am - plan on being 10 minutes early!!!!
  
Transportation Doc
DVD Orders
Festival Schedule
Campus Map  

Spaghetti Supper Call/Rehearsal Times

Date: Mon. Nov. 13
Performance Time:  6:40 pm
Dress:  Orchestra T-Shirt (arriving this week) and jeans.

We will be having a short rehearsal for each group prior to the event so that they can warm up and briefly practice with the other orchestra they will be performing with. 

5:00-5:20  Chamber & Intermezzo Orchestras
5:30-6:15  Sinfonia & Concert Orchestras
6:20-6:30  All orchestras for tuning
6:40          Performance

Prep Freeze Cook Orders

Don't forget that all Prep Freeze Cook orders are due on Monday (Oct 6).  All checks should be made payable to Prep Freeze Cook and please make sure that all of your customers are aware that they must pick up their product on Nov. 16 at the Prep Freeze facility on Oakland Ave. between 12:00-7:00 pm.

9 Horses in Concert @ ISU

The string group 9 Horses will be in concert at ISU on Wed. Nov. 8 at 7 pm.  Illinois State University's String Project has offered area string students one free ticket to the event. Please email Mrs. Siebenthal asap if you would like to take advantage of this great opportunity and she will provide you with the contact information. There is also an improv masterclass that is free and open to the public. See Siebs for more details if interested!

Prep Freeze Cook Update

Prep Freeze Cook checks should all be made payable to "Prep Freeze Cook", the previous blog update has been corrected to reflect this error. 

Spaghetti Supper Ticket Reminder & NOPA Update

Don't forget that all Spaghetti Supper tickets must be purchased by this Friday, Nov. 3rd.  You can click here for information and the order form.

There are still a few more slots to fill on the Spaghetti Supper volunteer list.  We would be grateful for any help you can give us that night, and I am sure that if there are no NCHS Orchestra spots left the junior high would be appreciative of our help as well.   You can click here to volunteer for the Spaghetti Supper.

Our next NCHS Orchestra Parents Association (NOPA) meeting will be this Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 pm in the orchestra room.  Door J around the back of the building will be open.  We will be putting the finishing touches on our plans to feed the masses at Spaghetti Supper and will continue fundraising plans. 

Fundraising Update

A few updates and reminders regarding our current fundraisers:

1.  All Butter Braid orders must be picked up by you or your student on Dec. 14th in the orchestra room from 3:30-5:30 pm.  This is different than the information that came home last week.  All orders will be packaged up in one big bundle for your student and it is not possible to distribute to individual customers.  Please make sure that you inform anyone you have sold product to that they will NOT be able to pick it up that day and that you will deliver it to them. 

2.  Don't forget that Prep Freeze Cook orders are due this Monday, Nov. 6th.  Students should bring their order forms and money (all checks made payable to PREP FREEZE COOK) to school no later than that day in an envelope with their name clearly marked.  Customers for this fundraiser absolutely CAN pick their items up and all items should be picked up at their facility on Nov. 16th between 12:00-7:00 pm.  Please make sure you and your customers have made arrangements to pick up your meals. 

Fundraiser Customer Info Sheets

Students were sent home with an info sheet that they can cut apart and give to customers when they order.  Each slip contains the pick-up information for either Butter Braid or Prep Freeze.  You can click here if you need more of the slips.  Let's sell, sell, sell!!!  Don't forget to send in your Spaghetti Supper ticket orders.

Fundraiser Information

Prep Freeze Cook and Butter Braid fundraiser packets went home with students today.  Prep Freeze orders and money are due no later than Nov. 6, and Butter Braid orders and money are due no later than Dec. 1st.  Please look the packets over carefully and make sure that students inform their customers of pick-up information!!!!  Prep Freeze orders must be picked up at their facility on Oakland Avenue on November 16th between noon - 7:00 pm.  Butter Braids must be picked up in the orchestra room on December 14th between 3:30-5:30 pm.  This pick-up info is critical information to provide to your customers as we will have no way to store any of the product nor deliver it.  All fundraising checks should be made payable to NCHS Orchestras.

Spaghetti Supper Ticket Information

Spaghetti Supper tickets are now on sale through Friday Nov. 3rd.  Please print the attached order form and return to school with your student NO LATER than Friday Nov. 3rd.  There will only be 150 tickets available at the door that night for purchase, so it is critical if you and your family plan on eating that night, you pre-order your tickets through us. Read the order form carefully and please make sure that you accurately indicate the number of meat sauce, marinara sauce, and gluten free meals that you need. Tickets will be sent home with students as soon as they bring in the form and payment. Checks should be made payable to Unit 5 Music Parents. Click here to print off the Spaghetti Supper Ticket Order Form.

The volunteer list for Spaghetti Supper is also now available and the orchestra is responsible for working the 4:45-6:00 time slot (will not conflict with orchestra performances). There is also a need for some stage crew parents and the 3:00-4:45 food prep slots. Please help us fill up these spots quickly and join us for food and music on Nov. 13th! You can click here to volunteer for the Spaghetti Supper.

Hauntcert Kudos

The 23rd Annual Hauntcert is now in the books and I would just like to take this opportunity to give a couple of huge shout outs to all of our students and parents.  The kids really turned it on the last week and made a great final push to help put some really top notch music on stage.  Even though Concert Orchestra didn't perform on this concert, over HALF of the ensemble volunteered and got themselves involved in the program in some way! We are so proud of all of our orchestra students and their efforts over these last few weeks - great job!!!

When working on the program, the acknowledgement page of the program grew and grew the closer we got to the show. The orchestra program and I are so grateful to have so many wonderful parents who got involved in helping out with this huge production.  There is just no way we would be able to put on a show of this magnitude without the help of a strong parent group backing us up! We are simply unable to express how deeply thankful we are to each and every individual who took time out of their busy schedule to help ensure we had a great production - thanks again for all of your help!!!!

Welcome to Tech Week

Hauntcert tech week is upon us, and here is a quick run down for Chamber, Intermezzo, and Sinfonia commitments this week:

1.  Monday Oct 16 - rehearsal with percussion from 3:30-6:00 pm.  Plan to pick up students promptly at 6:00 at door J.

2.  Tuesday Oct 17 - dress rehearsal 6-9 pm.  Again, pick up should be at door J.  **Please note "dress rehearsal" is the theater term for the final run through before a performance.  Students should NOT wear their uniform to this rehearsal.**

3.  Thursday Oct 19 - call time for students will be 6:00 pm.  Students should report to the orchestra room dressed in their uniform and be ready to tune at 6 pm.  If you volunteered to bring cookies, they can be dropped off at the table in the atrium if there is someone there to accept the donation.  If no one is at the table yet, students can leave donations on the desk in the orchestra room.  The show starts at 7 pm and is always standing room only.  Plan on getting there early if you want a good seat!

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD Update

Musicians love food! And we need some food related help.... 

1. There are still a few spots available to work the concession stand at this Friday night's football game. Please click here to help us fill the remaining openings.

2.  The cookie cupboard for Hauntcert 2017 is a little bare and we are really short on refreshment donations. No baking required (school district actually mandates items must be store bought)!!! So please consider adding a few items to your grocery list this weekend and help us feed the post-Hauntcert army. You can click here to add yourself to the Hauntcert refreshment list.

NCHS Orchestra Update Oct. 2

Orchestra updates for the week of Oct. 2 

1.  Our next Hauntcert combined rehearsal is this Thursday morning BEFORE SCHOOL, will be from 7:00-8:20 am, and will involve Chamber, Intermezzo, and Sinfonia orchestras. Students will need to bring their folding music stands from home to school that morning and cellists will need to bring their instruments to school that day as well. Equipment crews please plan to arrive 15 min early to help with set up (we cannot set up the night before due to Battle of the Bands).

2.  We are getting down to Hauntcert crunch time and really need to complete the volunteer list - our most pressing need is to fill the spots for dry ice helpers for our mad scientist experiments.  You can click here to volunteer for Hauntcert 2017. 

3.  The refreshment sign up list is also now available as we try to feed an army of over 800 at the end of the Hauntcert. Please consider helping us out and bringing some cookies or punch for the event! You can click here to donate refreshments for Hauntcert 2017.

4.  We are now collecting various items to be used in the Hauntcert production - items can be donated or returned to you if you are willing to let us borrow them.  We are in need of power strips, extension cords, and batteries (mostly AA and AAA but a few C's as well for stand lights - batteries will not be returned). We are also in need of any decorations pertaining to the this year's theme. As it is the year for "scary music", any Halloween decorations will work, but if you specifically have things related to a mad scientist/laboratory, we are especially interested! Please clearly label anything that you would like returned and send items to school by the end of this week so that we can begin planning decorations. We are also looking for unusual percussion instruments such as siren whistles, duck calls, slide whistles, bike horns etc. (if it makes a weird, loud sound, we'd love to consider it!)

5.  Our first NY trip fundraiser is to work the concession stand at the October 13th football game. Please allow those students and parents going on the trip "first dibs" on the sign up sheet - after this Friday, remaining spots can be filled by anyone. Click here to sign up to work concessions at the October 13th football game. Don't forget if you are going on the trip, the October payment is now due!

6.  Melissa Miles is looking for an interested parent to help coordinate some fundraising event for the New York trip. Please let Mrs. Siebenthal know if you would like to join her in our efforts to raise money for the trip!

7. Our next NCHS Orchestra Parents meeting will be Tuesday Oct 10 at 7 pm in the orchestra room (door J around the back will be open). This is our final meeting before Hauntcert and we would love to have a great turn out to continue planning the event. We are also still looking for three people interested in shadowing some of our NOPA executive board members so that they can take over those offices next year.  The positions don't involve a huge amount of commitment, so if you are interested in the offices of president, treasurer, and refreshment chair, please let Mrs. Siebenthal know.

8.  Parent teacher conferences are also looming on the horizon the week after the Hauntcert. As per the district's new initiative and restructuring of the process, parents must now contact each individual teacher if they wish to arrange a face-to-face conference. I will be available for conferences Oct 23-26 before school. Please keep in mind that even filling every available spot only allows me access to a little less than a 1/3 of the orchestra students. I humbly ask that you save the face-to-face conference spots for students who are struggling with the course and/or their grade and really need that time with me.  If your student is not struggling with the material or grades and you would like to touch base with me, I would love to receive an email from you to check in on how things are going with your student! Hopefully this new structure for parent-teacher conferences will help us teachers reach those students who need it the most. Please contact me via email as soon as possible if we need to meet face-to-face, and sometime during the week of scheduled conferences if you would like to touch base and have a "mini-conference" via email. Contacting me during that week for an email conference will ensure that all of the grading is complete and ready to go so that I can provide you with appropriate updates.  

Hauntcert T-Shirts

Hauntcert T-shirts are again available for purchase this year. All shirts will be black with your choice of teal, lime, hot pink, or neon orange ink. Shirts are also available in either long ($14) or short sleeve ($11). Hauntcert shirts are completely optional, but are a fun way to show a little orchestra pride and spirit. Click on the following links and pay online. Shirts will be delivered to school sometime the week of the Hauntcert.  ALL ORDERS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 2nd!!!!

Black long or short sleeve shirt TEAL ink

Black long or short sleeve shirt LIME ink

Black long or short sleeve shirt HOT PINK ink

Black long or short sleeve shirt NEON ORANGE ink

Hauntcert Rehearsal #2

Orchestra updates for the week of Sept. 25th: 

1.  Our next Hauntcert combined rehearsal is this Wednesday afternoon (Sept 27), will be from 3:30-6:00 pm, and will involve Chamber, Intermezzo, and Sinfonia orchestras. Students will need to bring their folding music stands from home to school that morning and cellists will need to bring their instruments to school that day as well. Students will need to again be picked up at door J around the back of the building. Please make arrangements to carpool if you are unable to pick your student up promptly at 6:00 pm. 

2.  Other than a few back ordered items, all uniform parts have now been distributed. Please make sure new items fit and that arrangements have been made to have them hemmed. Also please make sure that you have double checked the uniform policies in the syllabus and have provided the appropriate shoes, socks, etc.

3.  We still have a number of openings on the Hauntcert volunteer list that we are looking to fill. You can click here to volunteer for Hauntcert 2017. A new position has been added to the volunteer list and we are looking for a couple of "dry ice wranglers" to help us with "mad scientist experiments". 

4. We are also still looking for three people interested in shadowing some of our NOPA executive board members so that they can take over those offices next year.  The positions don't involve a huge amount of commitment, so if you are interested in the offices of president, treasurer, and refreshment chair, please let Mrs. Siebenthal know.

4.  If you have signed up for the NY trip, please make sure that you have your deposit in and that the next payment (Oct 1st) is on your mind. Our first payment to the travel agent is due at the beginning of October and we need to make sure that there is enough money in the account to cover the bill.

Hauntcert Rehearsal Reminder

Some updates as we get back into the swing of things:

1.  Hauntcert combined rehearsal on Tuesday night (Sept 19) will be from 6-8 pm and will involve Chamber, Intermezzo, and Sinfonia orchestras. All students must be dropped off and picked up at door J around the back of the building. Marching band will be using the faculty parking lot and pickup/drop off in the bus lane will NOT be an option. Students will also not be allowed to go through the building to the main entrance. Please make sure that your student is picked up promptly at 8:00 at door J.

2.  Uniforms have been shipped and will be arriving any day (although we won't know whether or not any items are back ordered until we get the shipment). They will be sent home with your student next week. Please make sure that all pieces are checked for size and you have made arrangements to have pants/skirts hemmed. 

3.  Thanks to everyone who attended our first NCHS Orchestra Parents Association meeting this week! We are still in need of volunteers and would love to have you get involved. If you would be interested in shadowing for a position on the executive board, please contact Mrs. Siebenthal. The positions don't involve a huge amount of commitment and we have 3 parents of seniors who will be "graduating" with their kids at the end of this year. We are looking for people to shadow (and fill next year) the offices of president, treasurer, and refreshment chair. We still have a number of openings on the Hauntcert volunteer list as well that we are looking to fill. You can click here to volunteer for Hauntcert 2017.

4.  Last call to sign up for the New York trip!!! Please visit the trip blog to get registered and put down your deposit. Reminder to everyone who has signed up all ready: please make sure that you have filled out the Google form to register in addition to making your deposit, and if you are on the payment plan the Oct. 1st payment will be due soon. If you have signed up to go on the trip, make sure to subscribe to the trip blog so that you receive all blog updates as an email. Once you enter your email address, you will need to click on the link that the blog sends to your inbox to activate your subscription. 

A few reminders and updates as we get back into the swing of things:

1.  Don't forget to add our first NCHS Orchestra Parents Association (NOPA) meeting to your calendar and join us next Tuesday night (Sept 12) at 7 pm in the orchestra room. The meeting is open to all orchestra parents and is a great low-key way to get involved in your student's high school experience. Come out and meet some other parents, get involved, and have some cookies! Door J around the back of the building will be unlocked.

2.  Please consider helping us fill our Hauntcert volunteer list this year. We still have a number of openings and would love to have it filled by next week. Click here to volunteer for Hauntcert 2017 - "Halloween Spooktacular"

3.  Student homework assignments are due by Friday, and include the course syllabus signature page, uniform page and fee, blog sign-up verification, and a survey that students can access through Google Classroom. If you have received this email in your inbox and have not sent the blog verification portion to school, simply print the email and send with your student!

Welcome Back, Iron Strings!!!

Welcome back to another great year of music making in the NCHS Orchestra program! We are extremely excited this year to be adding a fourth orchestra to our music family, and now are home to the Concert Orchestra (6th hour), Sinfonia Orchestra (5th hour), Intermezzo Orchestra (4th hour), and Chamber Orchestra (2nd hour). We hope everyone has had a great start to their school year and are now back in the swing of things!

Our first project of the year is to take care of some administrative things. Lockers have been assigned and uniforms have been distributed - please check men's wear carefully for any missing buttons and let us know immediately if there are any missing! The remainder of the the administrative "stuff" can be taken care of by clicking this link for the NCHS Orchestra Syllabus 2017-2018. Please click on the link, read through the course information with your student, and complete the following steps:

1.  Print, sign, and return page 7 of the syllabus indicating that you have received all of the information, calendar dates, policies, etc. and return to school with your student.

2.  Print, sign, and return page 8 of the syllabus and return to school with a check for $15 (uniform fee) indicating that you are familiar with all of the NCHS Orchestra uniform policies

3.  Follow all instructions on page 9 of the syllabus to ensure that at least one parent has signed up to receive the NCHS Orchestra blog updates. Return the proper verification to school with your student.

Trip Meeting Reminder

A reminder that we will be holding a kick-off meeting for the 2018 New York City trip on Tuesday, May 30 at 6:30 pm in the Auditorium.  Anyone interested in learning about the trip, including incoming freshman for 2017-2018, is welcome to attend!  We will present the tentative itinerary, and discuss costs, fundraising, and how to sign up.

Please park in the faculty lot in front of the auditorium, and enter the school through Door E.  The meeting should be 1 hour or less.  If you can't make it to the meeting, check back to this website for more information.

We're getting excited for an awesome trip in June 2018!

Spring Concert Update

Reminders regarding the upcoming Spring concert and rehearsals:

Event:  Rehearsal #1
Date:  Wednesday, May 10
Time:  3:30-5:30 pm
Personnel:  CHAMBER ORCHESTRA ONLY

Event:  Rehearsal #2
Date:   Monday, May 15
Time:  3:30-5:30 pm
Personnel:  TBA (Chamber Orchestra and seniors will definitely be rehearsing, Sinfonia and Concert only if needed due to lack of preparation; seniors will rehearse the last part of the rehearsal, time TBA)

Event:  Spring Concert
Date:   Tuesday, May 16
Time:   7:00 pm
Call:   6:00 pm
Dress:   Uniform (seniors will be formal attire)
**STUDENTS MUST BRING CLOTHES TO CHANGE INTO AS ALL UNIFORMS MUST BE RETURNED BEFORE STUDENTS LEAVE THE BUILDING**

Please consider helping us out with the post-concert reception and donate something for our refreshment table!  Click here to view the SignUp Genius list. We are currently working to schedule our ice cream party honoring our seniors and sign ups will be available soon. 

Unit Orchestra Rehearsal and Apparel Update

Reminders regarding the upcoming Unit Orchestra concert and rehearsals:

Event:  Unit Combined Rehearsal #1
Date:  Tuesday March 14
Time:  4-6 pm
Location:  NCHS Cafeteria



Event:  Unit Combined Rehearsal #2
Date:  Monday March 20
Time:  6:30-8:30 pm
Location:  Normal WEST High School

Event:  Unit Orchestra Concert
Date:  Tuesday March 21
Time:  7:00 pm
Location:  Normal WEST High School
Dress:  Concert Black (uniforms)
Call Time:  6:20 pm

**Please note that rehearsal times are what time tuning is to begin.  Students are expected to be 5-10 min early so that they are seated and ready to begin before tuning starts.  Students are expected to be picked up from rehearsal PROMPTLY at the time the rehearsal is scheduled to end.**

Unit 5 Orchestra spirit wear is once again available and can be ordered online.  Products will be delivered to students at school and the deadline for orders is March 22nd at 8 am.  Show your orchestra pride!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NCHS ORCHESTRA PROGRM!!!!  We took 2nd in the STATE at the IHSA Solo and Ensemble contest this past weekend!!!  There were 22 solos and 25 ensembles that participated, and all of those students contributed to our win!  Congratulations to Ethan, Felicia, and Bradley on their piano trio's "Best of Day" at the event as well.  Well done, Iron Strings!!!

The orchestra program would also like to congratulate Ethan on his 2nd place finish in the senior youth division of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's "Talent Among Us" competition last month. Well done!!!