Amplifying the Fine Arts
Amps meetings are held on the SECOND Monday of the month at 7:00pm in the main office conference room.
Thank you to all who attended and suported
Peddlars Alley
Congratulations to the Marching Band, Color Guard and the staff for a job well done at St.Rita's. 1st Place for Class A
Best Woodwinds
Best Auxillary(Color Guard)
Best Drum Majors
Best Drum Line Way to go !
Directors Notes
Band Newsletter info:
NY Trip - Thank you to all the parents & students who worked so hard to get us to go to New York. From fundraising, to donating water bottles, to traveling with us - THANK YOU! Like any travel, it had some amazing memories along with some down moments (such as food poisoning!). The band and guard had wonderful performances and a great clinic.
Marching Band Camp - This was the first year of doing the band and choir camps separately - and the jury came back saying that they were both successes! The band got more done here at school because students could sleep in their own beds, were better rested, and were more ready to learn.
Our show this year is quite a few notches more difficult than in previous years and the students are doing a great job soaking up the drill. Our leadership team is very new & young, but has proven to be effective and well-respected by their peers. Our summer camp staff was some of the best marching music educators in the state and had many complimentary things to say about our student's attitudes, work ethic, and drive. We can't wait for some fantastic fall performances - hope to see you there!
4th of July - After practicing for NY, this parade seemed very short. The new members did a great job and should be proud of their first performance as Marching Sequoits (if you don't count the Sequoit Summer performance).
Thanks again to all the people who helped carry banners and water.
DCI Trip - 28 students traveled to Tinseltown Kenosha to watch the Drum Corps International Quarterfinals. When I asked if we should do a similar trip next year, the response was yes - but that we should actually go to Indianapolis to see it live! Some might have been inspired that night and in a few years, we may see THEM on the silver screen marching with their favorite corps.
Swing Dance - 9 students traveled to Rumpoles Dance Hall in Twin Lakes, WI and had a great time dancing the night away to the Lakes Area Community Swing Band. Everyone had some awesome dance moves to the fantastic music. We were having such a great time; it was hard for me to get them to leave!
School Year - We’re ready to start another musical year. Special thanks to Karl DeVore, Suki O'Brien, Elizabeth LeClair, Vicki Walker, Shannon LeClair, Meghan Krase, and Anamarie Lynch for the countless hours they devoted over the summer to pass out music, make new pep band folios, organize lockers, etc.
Hope to see you at the Marching Sequoit competitions! Your students will appreciate your support (even if they don't think it is cool to tell you so).
Patrick Hayes
phayes@sequoits.com
847-838-7794
Instrumental Music DirectorAntioch Community High School
Greetings to all!
The choir room is ringing with the enthusiastic singing of the A Cappella Choir, Concert Choir, and the Advanced Treble Choir. We are currently reviewing basic choral skills, vocal techniques, and theory. We’re having fun singing some of the songs we worked at camp, and hitting some new ones for the first time!
There are excellent voices in each of the choirs, and we are already working in sectionals in all of the choirs. Thanks you for the great student leadership all you juniors and seniors! Madrigals and Cardinal and Gray have already performed for back to school, and everyone will be welcome to sing at the Ice Cream Social.
Our choir council is meeting this week to determine T-shirt designs, party dates, homecoming ideas, and our trip destination for next year. Look for information from the meeting in the near future!
Students are signing up to audition for the Illinois Music Educators’ Association district Choral Festival. It is a tough audition, but the choir always sounds great, and this year we are doing a commissioned work by Gwyneth Walker, one of the best of America’s current choral composers. The premier will be at our district festival. I’m really looking forward to hearing it performed!
Melanie Furman and Pam Keubler (Sladek) [Pam got married to Ken!] will be teaching private lessons at school. Melanie teaches voice and Pam teaches piano. Info has been given to your students. They are both great teachers.
As always, if you need to contact me, please do not hesitate to call my home number 847-395-4234. This is a better way to contact me than through the school phone.
Kieth
Presidential Thoughts
Greetings and a warm welcome to all of our AMPS parents.
The Fine Arts Students and the Fine Arts Faculty at Antioch Community High School continue to “raise the bar”.
Last year in addition to their regular scheduled events, the Band and Choral departments participated in the Illinois High School Association Organizational Music Contest. All ensembles received a numerical 1st place rating! The Drama department also participated in state competitions. This winter, four drama students from ACHS who were selected from applicants throughout the state, will participate in a State festival at Illinois State University in Normal. This festival is akin to a professional production as one would see in Chicago or New York.
This past June my wife and I served as chaperones for the Band, Colorguard and Choirs on the New York City trip. I was very impressed with the demeanor and overall conduct of our students on the tour. From preparing for their performances to listening to the New York Philharmonic at the Kennedy Center or attending musicals on Broadway, there were no major problems. Our students were punctual, met the challenges of the trip and performed flawlessly. Our students serve as models and set standards that other school districts wish they could attain.
We need to be supportive of our children’s endeavors and we “owe it” to the kids by attending their shows. Joining the cheering section at a Marching Band competition, or making a special effort to attend a performance or exhibition, goes a long ways in boosting your child’s morale.
For those parents who have contributed in the past, we deeply appreciate your continued assistance. For Freshman parents, or others that have not had the opportunity to participate in the past, please consider assisting AMPS, whether it is baking cookies for an event, serving punch at a reception, tearing down the stage after a production, or sharing your profession technical expertise. Remember, fundraising activities sponsored by AMPS ultimately reduce your out of pocket expenses and provide opportunities that your child may not have otherwise experienced. Without YOU… we cannot give our children the best that they deserve!
It was encouraging to see such a great turn out at our recent Ice Cream Social. We hope you enjoyed the evening and the student performances.
We have a lot of great talent right at our own front doorstep. Don’t miss it… and we’ll see you at the show!
Fall Play Performances November 13, 2008 (Thursday)
November 14, 2008 (Friday)
November 15, 2008 (Saturday)
IMEA Band/Choir District Festival (Band & Choir) November 15, 2008 (Saturday) ******************************************************************************************************
