Grafton Music Parents - Fall Musical Notes Newsletter
September 27, 2010
NEWS FROM THE GMP BOARD
All parents of music students are GMP members and are invited to attend our meetings to support our fine music programs. The meetings start at 7:15PM and are held in the Grafton High School Band Room. Here is a list of our Mondaymeeting dates: 10/4/10, 11/1/10, No December Meeting, 1/3/11, 2/7/11, 3/7/11 and April TBA. They last about 45 minutes to an hour.
GMP provides funding for all grade levels to purchase equipment and curriculum enhancements not covered in the music teachers' budgets. Last year we donated funds for a SMART Board for GES, Snare Drums and Brass Bell for JLMS, and a Sound System for GHS.
We participate in the We Care Program at Pick 'N Save, please indicate #290825.
Our magazine sale has been extended to Thursday, October 7.
Here is the 2010 - 2011 Executive Board:
Meg Canepa - President
Brenda Corner - Vice President
Mary Burczyk - Secretary
Rita Pampel - Treasurer
Make sure to visit our website at:
If you have questions or comments, please contact Meg Canepa at 262-375-1232 or .
GHS CHOIR NEWS BY MRS. HEMMING
376-5464 or
We are off to a tremendous start. Please review the following to ensure that you are up-to-date!
- Our first required concert is on Sunday, October 24th at 3:00PM in the GHS Auditorium. Students will need to arrive between 1:30-2:30PM. More details will be provided next month. Singers should wear their concert dress. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children Pre-K through 12th grade. All proceeds benefit the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Please read the press release below for more information.
- Please review the on-line choir handbook and email me confirming you’ve reviewed class grading, expectations, and concert schedule.
- Please review the volunteer opportunities with Grafton Music Parents or the musical. Schedules are hectic, but one hour of your time keeps the fine arts programs thriving!
- Familiarize yourself with the GHS choir web page!
- Go to
- Point cursor to Grafton High and scroll down to Activities
- Point and click on Choir
- Find schedules under “Calendar” and click on the appropriate month
- Find the handbook under “Concert Choir” or “Chorale”
As always, thank you for your support. The spirit of the ensembles this year is especially positive and inspiring. Please contact me with any questions.
Grafton Choirs Give Back: 2nd Annual Benefit Concert (Press Release)
Whether at school or at home, many Grafton High School choir members have a friend or sibling who has been treated for a temporary or permanent illness. Therefore the students designated Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin as this year’s beneficiary for the second annual benefit concert. Under the direction of Anna Hemming, the GHS ensembles performing include Chorale, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Men’s Choir, Women’s Pop Ensemble, and Vocal Jazz Ensembles. Joining them are director Kristin Dillahunt and the choir students from Grafton Elementary, Kennedy, and Woodview schools. Reminisce about your childhood listening to performed repertoire inspired by Sesame Street®, “Disney®, and Mother Goose®. Children are especially encouraged to attend!
The event will take place on Sunday, October 24th at 3PM in the Grafton High School Auditorium located at 1950 Washington Street in Grafton, Wisconsin. Adult ticket prices are $5 and children Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade are $3. All seats are general admission, and tickets will be available for purchase one hour prior to the concert. All profits directly benefit Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Please call Anna Hemming at (262)376-5464 with any questions. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, please send a check payable to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to the following address: Grafton High School, Attn Anna Hemming, 1950 Washington Street, Grafton, WI 53024
2010 Grafton High School Musical
“Suessical the Musical”
Adult Volunteer Form
Volunteers are essential to the success of the Grafton High School Musical. There are various ways that you can help to make this year’s musical another positive experience for all the students participating. Please be generous with your time.
______Costumes You don’t need to be an accomplished seamstress, just the desire to help out where needed.
(THERE WILL BE A COSTUME MEETING FOR ALL COSTUME VOLUNTEERS ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 4thAT 6:30 PM IN THE MUSIC ROOM)
Please contact Pat Schindler if you are interested, but unable to attend.
377-8405 or
______Thank you party Help set up for the thank you party held after the final performance on Sunday, November 21st at 6:00 in the high school cafeteria.
FOOD
- For those of you who are new to the high school musicals, we would like to explain the wonderful program we have to feed the cast, crew and orchestra during dress rehearsal and performance week.
- The week of dress rehearsal (November 15th –17th) and during the performances (November 18th –21st ), the students are required to stay after school, or be at the high school about 4 hours before the performance to allow time for last minute rehearsals, make-up, hair and costumes.
- To make sure that they eat properly and keep healthy, we provide nutritious meals for everyone involved in the production. But WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!!!!
Food Volunteers:
____ Prepare and serve food 3:30 – 5:30____ Clean-up 5:30 – 6:30
(Indicate which days you would be able to help)
___Monday___Monday
___Tuesday___Tuesday
___Wednesday___Wednesday
___Thursday___Thursday
___Friday___Friday
___Saturday___Saturday
___Sunday 10:30 –12:30___Sunday 12:30-1:30
Everyone will be asked to bring a food item. Please bring only what you are asked to bring by 3:00 to the music room or another location indicated only on the day you are asked to bring it. Some items are fresh for a short period of time and will be used the day you bring it.
Please return this form to Pat Fox-Schindler at 749 Shady Ridge Ct., Grafton or to the school office, by October 11th in order for you to be recognized in the Musical Program.
Name:______Phone Number:______
Email address:______Alternate Phone Number:______
GHS BAND ROOM NEWS BY MR. DIMMER
376-5463 or
Hello from the band room! Important upcoming events include...
Football Game Pep Band – Wednesday, October 20
GHS Musical – Thursday through Sunday, November 18-21
Grafton Christmas Parade – Saturday, November 27
GHS Band Holiday Concert – Sunday, December 5
A special finale will end our Holiday Concert. Adults that play traditional band instruments and students grade six and up are invited to play along for the last song of the concert. All audience members that do not play an instrument will be encouraged to sing along with the massed band. The band is performing very well and will play many holiday favorites at the concert. We hope you will join us, and please bring a friend!
Preparations will soon begin for the solo and ensemble festival. Students are encouraged to prepare solos and small ensembles for adjudication at the festival. Large ensembles will also be forming soon. Please contact Mr. Dimmer for more information.
Is your son or daughter looking for a fun way to spend an evening? The basketball season will soon be underway, and the GHS Pep Band is performing at many games. Check the pep band schedule and join us for some evenings of fun music. Parents – be sure to join us for GHS Pep Band Parents’ Night on an evening to be announced – and bring your instrument!
Still looking for more to do? Jazz Combo and Chamber Ensemble will begin rehearsing at the end of November. New members are always welcome.
Questions? Please contact Mr. Dimmer by e-mail at or call him at school at 376-5463. See you at the performances!
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JLMS BAND/STRINGS NEWS BY MRS. POUND
376-5869 or
Looking forward to another year of music making for the JLMS Bands!
Listed below are JLMS Bands Concert Dates for 2010-2011:
- Saturday, November 27th - Grafton Christmas Parade
- Tuesday, December 7th at 7:00p.m - Holiday Concert
- Sunday, February 13th at 11:00 – Grafton Music Parents Chili Day at GHS
- Saturday, February 26th – Solo and Ensemble Festival at Port Washington
- Tuesday, May 10th at 7:00 – Spring Band and Choir Concert
- Monday, May 30th at 10:00 – Grafton Memorial Day Parade
Outside of band, there are other morning groups that the JLMS students can get involved in. They are as follows:
- JLMS Strings – This group meets on Monday morning at 7:10 and is open to all continuing string performers.
- Beginning Strings – Have you ever wanted to learn how to play a violin, viola, or cello? Here is your opportunity! The beginning strings meet on Tuesday mornings at 7:20 in the band room.
- JLMS Jazz – The jazz band meets on Friday mornings at 7:10 and is open to all instruments including piano and guitar.
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JLMS CHOIR ROOM NEWS BY MR. ARENDT
376-5826 or
The choirs at John Long are off and running. I would like to welcome those families that are new to the program, and certainly welcome back the families from last year. We are ready for another exciting year that will include concerts, clinics and the annual musical opportunity for our student body. The Grafton Music Parents helps to make these things possible.
Preparations for our musical, “The Sound of Music” are in full swing. Over 80 students of John Long Middle School have been cast in the show with the crews yet to come. This will bring participation in the show up to nearly one-fourth of our total student body. The cast is having fun and it looks to be a fantastic show on November 5th, 6th and 7th, so mark your calendars.
The Grafton Music Parents is not a group of people that exists only by name, but an active parent group that works with the faculty for the betterment of our programs for students. At the end of October, 6 students will represent Grafton in the Wisconsin State Middle-Level Honors Choir in Madison. The students are: Mikaela Bolker, Tim Brzakala, Caroline Fossum, Riley Luettgen, Bailey Moorhead and Nick Pavelic. These students auditioned as 7th and 8th graders and will now have the opportunity to work with one of the top choral directors and composers in the nation, Rollo Dilworth. The tuition for these students for this honor was paid in full by the Grafton Music Parents.
Also this year, as in the past, many students will choose to attend a summer music camp with scholarship assistance from the Grafton Music Parents. Additionally, our Solo & Ensemble preparation is greatly aided by our digital piano at John Long, which was purchased with the financial assistance of the Grafton Music Parents. A big thank you to the GMP for all of these opportunities for our students, and thank YOU for your assistance in the fund-raising efforts that make them possible.
Please mark your calendars with our performances this year. First, our Holiday Concert this year is Tuesday, December 7th at 7:00pm in the JLMS Gymnasium. Concert attire for this concert is black shoes and bottoms (pants or knee length or longer skirts) and white top for the grade-level groups (solid white please), or performance shirt for the Chorale, Treble or Cambiata.
Our second performance will be at Chili Day on Sunday, February 13th at 11:30am in the GHS Cafeteria. Concert attire for that performance is nice dress clothes. Our final concert, the Spring Concert, will be on Tuesday, May 10th at 7:00pm in the JLMS Gymnasium.
Have a great school year, and I look forward to seeing you at our performances.
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WOODVIEW NEWS BY MR. MARONDE
376-5790 or
It's September and the glorious sound of music is wafting through out the hallways of Woodview School. Virtuoso instrumentals and soothing vocals abound. One of these days I'll even let the kids join in. Just kidding! Seriously, the school year is off to a great start. The enthusiastic energy of the students in music classes and band lessons is fun to be a part of and makes teaching a very special vocation. Don't miss the incredible performances of these students at Christmas, Chili Day and special concerts throughout the year. Their joy of music is infectious and will leave you with a song in your heart. Special thanks to the music parents who support, supply needed funds and equipment to the entire music department.
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GES NEWS BY MRS. JAKUBOWSKI, NBCT
376-5468 or
Music is alive and well at GES! Since before the school year, music activities have been rocking!
5th Graders throughout the district came to Recruiting Night in August and tried lots band instruments and signed up for 5th Grade Band! There are 70 new musicians ready to learn how to play flutes, saxophones, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, French horns, trombones, baritones, xylophones and drums!
4th & 5th Graders are studying the symphony orchestra in preparation for their trip to the Pabst Theater in October. They will hear lots of songs by the great composer, Ludwig van Beethoven.
We are off to a great start!
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KENNEDY NEWS BY KRISTIN DILLAHUNT
376-5678 or
As we begin the New year, students are gearing up for some very special events.
- Sign up for G Group was successful we have over 50 interested singers. Anyone still interested should see Mrs. Dillahunt.
- The Kennedy G Group and also any interested 4th and 5th grade student have been invited to participate in a benefit concert for the Milwaukee Children’s Hospital. The date is Sunday October 24th. Mark your calendars and come make a difference. See Mrs. Dillahunt for more information.
- Many students are not aware that I also am one of the directors for the Milwaukee Children’s Choir. I encourage any students in the area to become part of this wonderful organization. Even if you do not join, the Children’s Choir hosts an event in April, called ”Roots and Wings.” I plan to take interested singers from 3-5 grade at Kennedy and 4th and 5th students from Woodview to this event. Watch for more information soon.
- Finally, for our younger singers the Milwaukee Children’s Choir offers 4K and 5K early childhood classes, also the youngest choir begins for 1st-3rd grade students. I direct both of these classes in Mequon on Thursday evenings. If you are interested please contact Mrs. Dillahunt.
Please take a moment to discuss these events with your child and sign up today. Thank you.