Week 34

Good Evening Grissom Choir,

Thank you to those that have been turning in assignments on time.  I have been very impressed with your vulnerability and accuracy with these assignments.  I realize that it is hard to record yourself singing alone and submit for me to view, and you should be proud of the work you are putting in!  For those that are still not submitting assignments, your name will be handed over to your grade level counselor/assistant principal this week.




This Week in Choir…

All Choirs:
Submit a video recording of you singing the Melodic Minor Scale followed by the Melodic Minor Sequence.  Please use hand signs.  I have posted a video of me reviewing this scale & sequence for those that have never learned this before.  Remember, I am looking for effort, not perfection.  If you do not have access to a device with a working camera (phone, other laptop, etc), please message me on Canvas telling me that you can only submit audio, and submit an audio recording only.  This assignment will be used as part of your Concert/Chamber Choir auditions, so practice beforehand!

Vocal Lab:
Complete MusicTheory.net Assignment - Note Ear Training: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-note/iinbhyngnefyyyjy
Students should submit their completed Progress Report to Canvas to prove that they completed the exercise. To create a report,  finish the exercise, then click on the Actions icon in the top right corner of the exercise and select “Show Progress Report”
Next, sign the report by entering your name and clicking “Sign Report”.
After signing, a Verification Code appears. You should then right-click on this code and select “Copy Link”, “Copy Link Location”, or “Copy Shortcut” (depending on the web browser) to copy its web address. Then paste this link into the submission box on Canvas for this assignment and submit.




End-of-the-Year Slideshow Pictures

This Thursday at 7 p.m., we will premier our End-of-the-Year Slideshow that would normally play at our Spring Concert.  This slideshow features pictures from throughout the year, acknowledges the choral achievements of students, our seniors, and scholarship recipients.  If you have any photographs from this year, please submit them at www.grissomchoir.com/submit-photos.


Departmental Fees

Make sure that you and your family are keeping up with Charms and paying your Choral Department fees! We rely on these funds to purchase music, pay our accompanist, tune the piano, purchase any necessity that will enhance the students music education, and more (of which these necessities were already purchased for this school year!). Our wonderful treasurer has been sending out emails to students who still owe. Please make out checks to GCPA and send to our Treasurer’s house at 2502 Wynterhall Rd. SE Huntsville, AL 35803. Names will be sent over to our school bookkeeper for those that have yet to pay starting in May. Remember, underclassmen will not be considered for Concert or Chamber choir, and will NOT be able to register for next year’s classes if your fee has not been paid, and seniors will not be allowed to walk! Should you have any questions on how too log into your Charms account, do not hesitate to ask.


Leadership Team Applications

These applications are due this Friday!  I only have 3 people signed up to run!  Open positions include: Vice-President/President-Elect, Secretary, Social Chair, Librarian, (must be registered for Vocal Lab), & Recruitment Chair. Student must fill out the digital application found at www.grissomchoir.com/students, complete an interview with myself and our current student Presidents & President-Elect through Google Meet, and record a short video to be presented online to the Grissom Choir student body concerning why they wish to be on the Leadership Team.  An online voting form will be given to all other students to express who they think will be best in each position.  If you wish to co-run for a position, you must speak with Mr. Ratcliff beforehand.


Concert Choir Auditions

The audition consists of a relatively easy sight-reading portion, along with our scales that we do everyday in class. THESE AUDITIONS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF AS PART OF YOUR WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRISSOM CHOIR ON CANVAS.  If students have been participating in class and putting their best effort forward, these auditions will not be difficult or scary. The Concert Choir member list will be posted online at the end of the semester.


Chamber Choir Auditions

These applications are due this Friday!  Being the top advanced ensemble, this audition will be a little more involved. Each auditioning student will be required to fill out the digital application and get 2 teacher recommendations found at www.grissomchoir.com/students. The application is a Google Drive Form, and the 2 Reference Forms are SEPARATE Google Drive forms that must be filled out by your references, and submitted by them (simply email your references the link!) All 3 of these documents (digital application and 2 digital reference forms) are due no later than May 1st. Late applicants will not be considered.  Performance wise, students will sight-read a more advanced passage of music, and will be required to learn “Star Sonnet” using sheet music and provided practice tracks (see Canvas & website).  WE WILL BE USING GOOGLE MEET FOR ONLINE VIDEO AUDITIONS.  You must also sign up for an audition time slot found on the website at www.grissomchoir.com/students.  Please enter your name in a time slot that is during your normal choir time based on the e-learning schedule posted on Canvas.  The Chamber Choir member list will be posted at the end of the semester.


Trip Updates:

European Performance Tour - 8th installment of $177 is due THIS WEEK, Thursday April 30th. Please make out checks to GCPA and send to our Treasurer’s house at 2502 Wynterhall Rd. SE Huntsville, AL 35803.  Please make sure you have registered for our Trip Protection plan!  If you have not, see the email sent out earlier in the week.