SCOOP Voc/Ens, 12/19/07

1. Rehearsal reminder: Wednesday, Dec. 19th, Nutcracker
2. Nutcracker performance details – chaperones needed
3. Regular rehearsals resume Wednesday, Jan. 9th
4. New Singer auditions on Sat. Jan 12th (for incoming new students)
5. Cantabile office on vacation as of Monday 12/24
6. Grammy Day info from Sonja
7. CD/DVD orders from Jennifer Hsu

1. REHEARSAL REMINDER

• Who: Vocalise and Ensemble members who can do the performance
• When: Wednesday, December 19th
• Time: 5:30-7:30 pm (Everyone. No musicianship class)
• Where: Foothills Congregational, Learning Center (this is the building adjacent to the Parish Hall)

PLEASE BRING YOUR MUSIC FOLDER WITH YOU – WE WILL BE COLLECTING FALL MUSIC. THANKS!

2. NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE – we need chaperones – please contact Karen@cantabile.org if you can help.

• Who: Vocalise and Ensemble members who can do the performance
• When: Sunday, December 23rd
• Where: Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino
• Call time: 12 noon
• Performance time: 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm (we are involved in both)
• Attire: Concert attire – the same thing you wore for the Dec. 1st concert. (Ladies - black palazzo pants and black blouses, black shoes and black socks; guys - black shirts, black pants, ties, black socks, black shoes. Hair pulled back and styled; guys shirts and pants ironed.)

Concert details:
We have been asked to sing in the lobby before each performance for 20 minutes, and also to sing during the first act of the ballet. The ballet organizers tell us that the children are free to go after the first act.

I (Elena) would like to see the singers stay and watch the ballet, then have a meal together before the second show.

There is a chance that our caroling will be done outside in the café area.

Flint Center has a tiny lobby and we might not even fit in. The outside patio has heating lamps and is protected by a tent roof. In this case, the singers must wear coats/jackets/sweaters.

I haven’t been able to get precise directions from the ballet organizers so I went to Flint Center myself last week. It looks like the best place for drop of and pick up is the loading dock of the Flint Center (located in the back of the theatre, opposite of the entrance.) The backstage area is small and safe.

I apologize for not being able to give you all details. Once we find out more (hopefully, by Wed. night) another short email will be sent out. The key to this event is to stay flexible. Chaperones and I will make sure the children are safe,

For tickets, please go to the ballet website - http://www.nutcracker.com/
Unfortunately, Cantabile doesn’t have any discounts for these performances.
See you Wednesday! Elena Sharkova

3. REGULAR REHEARSAL RESUMES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9TH AT FOOTHILLS CONGREGATIONAL.

4. AUDITIONS FOR NEW SINGERS WILL BE ON SATURDAY JAN. 12TH – PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS! To set up an audition, please contact Jennifer Hsu – manager@cantabile.org or CALL CANTABILE OFFICE 650- 424-1410

5. The Cantabile office will be taking vacation from Monday, December 24th until Wednesday January 2nd. We will be checking emails again starting on Wednesday the 2nd. Happy Holidays!
6. GRAMMY DAY – FROM SONJA
Attend Grammy Career Day!
Sonja Palmer, our incoming Board President, is on the Education Committee for the San Francisco Chapter of the Grammy Association and invites any of you who are interested to consider attending the free Grammy Career Day workshop, Wednesday, January 16th at San Francisco State.

This is an annual workshop for high school students with interest sessions, clinics and presentations about careers in the music industry (from business, law, recording to performing). About 800 high school students each year attend. The sessions are led by Bay Area music professionals and even some big name artists. Elena has even been a guest speaker!

You need to fill out and return the attached “Individual Application”. Please list “Cantabile” along with your school name. Once you have applied, the Grammy office will send you additional information.

Sonja will be attending the event and happy to coordinate carpooling that day and get students back to Foothill Church in time for rehearsal. If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact Sonja directly with any questions, sonja@cantabile.org.
7. CD/DVD ORDERS
To order CDs or DVDs of the winter concert on 12/2, send Jennifer a check with the number of each. They will be delivered in January. CDs are $20 each and DVDs are $25 each. Please mail to our office at 953 Industrial Ave, Suite 122, Palo Alto, 94303

Thank you!
Enjoy the holidays everyone, and have a wonderful vacation.

SCOOP 12/3/07 Letter from Elena

Dear Singers, Parents and Staff –

Congratulations to all of you on the fantastic concert past Saturday! The singing was most beautiful, passionate and meaningful. Our audience (almost to capacity!), provided wonderful and warm atmosphere in the Cathedral despite the freezing temperatures! Our committed staff, together with generous parent volunteers, made sure the show went smoothly.

All three choirs showed great singing and dancing and passion for sharing the joy of music with everyone around. The conductors couldn’t be more proud of the singers!

Special thanks to our soloists: Emily Simon (Magnificat)
Clara Takahashi, Laura Wise, Sabine Hines, Jessica Sohn and Zachary Frier-Harrison (Gaudete)
Hillary McKinney, Decatur Macpherson, Tessa DeVaul, Emily Simon, Jessica Sohn (Lauliki)
and the dancers: Emily Simon, Megan Going, Adriana and Elena Mendez Leal, Hannah Katz, Decatur Macpherson.

Great big thank you to Tom Smith, dad of Laila Smith of Vocalise, for running the entire concert as the stage manager, and to Elisabeth Stitt (mom of Julie Stitt-Self in Intermediate), our wonderful concert manager!

Our parent chaperones – Diep Maser, Kelly Takahashi, Jeannette Hung, Robin Scott, Usha Sangam, Loretta Matheson, and Isabel Bauer — thank you for keeping the children
safe and conductors sane!

Our ushers – Tanya Berezin, Desta Krong, Dianne Alexander, Phil Stromer, Karen Hohner, Jasper Cooke, Jeannette Foley, Carolyn Meredith, and Drew Wanderman – thank you for your work with seating our audience!

Our ticket sales team – Catriona Cooke, Ann Saunders and Lisa Burnett – many thanks!  And – our clean up and hospitality team – Steve Hoffman, Steve Krong, and Mor Peleg – we appreciate you!
The energetic team of Cantabile staff and board members — Karen Linford, Jennifer Hsu, Signe Boyer, Barbara Weinstein, Sonja and Olin Palmer and Karen Hohner — thank you!

Finally, all Cantabile families — thank you for supporting these young and talented musicians. It takes dedication and commitment of the whole family to put such a great concert together.

We are done with our biggest Fall show. Our next regular rehearsal is on January 9th.
Singers involved in the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker (Dec. 23, 3:00 and 7:00 pm shows) will be meeting on December 19th (wed.) at Foothills Congregational from 5:30-7:30 pm to practice.

Have great holidays, everyone! Thank you again for the great first half of the season!
Please don’t hesitate to email or call me any time (elena@cantabile.org or 408-230-2232)

ELENA SHARKOVA