Weekly SCOOP Prep/Int, 6/16/08

1. CD Orders
2. Summer Packets
3. Summer Camp
4. Music Folders
5. Uniforms Donation

1. CD Orders – please contact sonja@cantabile.org

What amazing concerts we have had over the past 2 months! CDs will be available in July. If you would like to order one, or more, just send a check to the office noting which concert date and how many you would like.

2. Summer Packets
It has been a fantastic season and we are gearing up for our 15th anniversary. We wish you a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you again soon. Summer packets containing new season registrations, updated policy information, calendars, choir placement recommendations, etc will be mailed in early July.

3. Summer Camp
If you have children between 5-10 years old or know friends looking for a wonderful summer camp consider enrolling in Cantabile’s Summer Fine Arts Day Camp, August 11-15. Our camp will be lead by Darva Campbell, Preparatory conductor, along with two other fine educators. For more information and registration forms go to http://cantabile.org/youth/chorister/youth/sumcamp/index.html or call 650-424-1410.

4. Music Folders
If you did not turn in your music folder at the end of your concert please contact the office at 650-424-1410 to make arrangements for return. Families not returning music folders by July 15 will be billed $25 for replacement of items. Thank you!

5. Uniforms Donation
Have you outgrown your uniform or will you not be returning next season (we hope that is not the case!)? Consider donating back your uniform items for use for families who need assistance. Uniform donations will be given a tax receipt for a gift in kind. Call the office at 650-424-1410 to schedule a drop at the office or just mail your items to the office with a note. You can also turn in uniform items the first few weeks of fall rehearsals. Thank you for helping out!

Weekly SCOOP Voc/Ens, 6/16/08

1. Concert Congrats
2. CD Orders
3. Summer Packet
4. Summer Camp
5. Music Folders
6. Uniforms Donation

Dear Families,
I wanted to share my own personal thanks for a job well done (see below). Elena and her family left Sunday for a well deserved vacation for the week. You will be hearing from her very soon!

Congratulations on such a wonderful performance! You are one of the best youth choirs I have heard. I am not just saying that because I work here. Its the honest truth. In my career, I have had the opportunity to work some of the best choirs, artists and conductors in the world and I would not hesitate to put you in that category. Your command of the music and voice would rival many professional groups…accuracy, precision, beautiful tone and color along with true emotional connection. Bravo!

Congratulations to Maestra Sharkova as well. She IS one of the best in her field and I hope you understand the incredible opportunity to work with her. She is hired all over the world  as a guest conductor and clinician and we get the privilege of learning from and being inspired by her every week! It is a gift.

Thank you to our wonderful staff; Karen Linford, Shane Troll, Darva Campbell, and accompansits, Jeffrey Jones and Elena Levina. The are a rock-star team and make Cantabile such a well-rounded program. They juggle an immense amount of work and make it look effortless! Thank you for the dedication to Cantabile!
Thank you also for all the wonderful parent volunteer support. Your time and expertise is greatly appreciated. There is no way we could run such a wonderful show without your support. How impressive it is to know (and say) that we even have parents so quick on their feet that fainting kids have loving hands to catch them as well as parents with medical training jumping up to tend to their needs!

Our volunteers were:   Eitan and Barbara Weinstein, Dianne and Phil Alexander, Alan and Kelly Takahashi, Desta Krong, Laura Katz, Karen and Randy Hohner, Cindy McColl, Barbara Windham, Maria Kaul, Ariana Promessi, Tanya Berezin, Diep Maser, Lori Mirek, Jeannette Foley, and Ann Saunders – and to anyone else we may have missed – an enormous thank you!

Be proud of who you are and what your music does for so many. Cantabile is a magical organization. There is “heart” in everyone who is a part of Cantabile. Thank you for touching my own life so tremendously.

I look forward to seeing you all in a few months. Have a wonderful summer.
Sonja Palmer, Executive Director, Cantabile Youth Singers (Yes, I am officially back!)

2. CD Orders
What amazing concerts we have had over the past 2 months! CDs will be available in July. If you would like to order one, or more, just send a check to the office noting which concert date and how many you would like.

3. Summer Packets
It has been a fantastic season and we are gearing up for our 15th anniversary. We wish you a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you again soon. Summer packets containing new season registrations, updated policy information, calendars, choir placement recommendations, etc will be mailed in early July.

4. Summer Camp
If you have children between 5-10 years old or know friends looking for a wonderful summer camp consider enrolling in Cantabile’s Summer Fine Arts Day Camp, August 11-15. Our camp will be lead by Darva Campbell, Preparatory conductor, along with two other fine educators. For more information and registration forms go to http://cantabile.org/youth/chorister/youth/sumcamp/index.html or call 650-424-1410.

5. Music Folders
If you did not turn in your music folder at the end of your concert please contact the office at 650-424-1410 to make arrangements for return. Families not returning music folders by July 15 will be billed $25 for replacement of items. Thank you!

6. Uniforms Donation
Have you outgrown your uniform or will you not be returning next season (we hope that is not the case!)? Consider donating back your uniform items for use for families who need assistance. Uniform donations will be given a tax receipt for a gift in kind. Call the office at 650-424-1410 to schedule a drop at the office or just mail your items to the office with a note. You can also turn in uniform items the first few weeks of fall rehearsals. Thank you for helping out!

Weekly SCOOP Voc/Ens, 6/11/08

1. Mandatory Last Rehearsal before the Concert - -TIME ADJUSTMENT!
2. Concert reminder:  Saturday, June 14th, Le Petit Trianon
3. Help still needed for concert on June 14th
4. Music and binders collection
5. Ticket upgrades (repeat)
6. Next season schedule (repeat)
7. Tour info for next season
8. Concert attire reminders (repeat, but please review for this weekend!)

DATE REMINDERS – please continue to check our website for dates and call times.  http://www.cantabile.org/youth/chorister/youth/calendar.shtml

1. Wednesday, June 11th  – Foothills Congregational Church
Please note time adjustment:
5:00    All Singers (Ensemble and Vocalise together)
6:30    Ensemble Singers Dismissed
(if your singer needs to stay until 7:30, no problem. All children will be supervised until picked up.)
8:45    Vocalise dismissed

Girls: please bring your concert uniform pants so we can check hems.

2.  SPRING CONCERT “I DREAM A WORLD” June 14th, Saturday – Ensemble/Vocalise 2008 Spring Concert (Le Petit Trianon, San Jose)
7:00 Performance, 5 pm  – call time.

Please, provide snack for your singer to eat before the performance.
Cantabile will provide water.

DIRECTIONS TO LE PETIT TRIANON  -
To view a map, visit our website:

http://www.cantabile.org/youth/directions.shtml#trianon
Le Petit Trianon
72 North 5th Street,
San José, Ca.

From Guadalupe Parkway/Highway 87

• Exit onto The Alameda/Santa Clara Street in Downtown San José.
• Head East on Santa Clara Street.
• Turn Left on North 5th Street.
• Le Petit Trianon — also known as Mother Olsen’s Inn — will be on your right in the first block.
• Parking will be on your left in a lot in the next block or on the street.

3. VOLUNTEER UPDATES – contact Karen@cantabile.org
Thanks to those of you who are able to help out – we appreciate you!
We still need:

• Chaperones:  (you will not miss the show!)  1 still needed for June 14th
• Ushers:  1 still needed for June 14th
• Clean up crew – 1 still needed (short job of making sure our rehearsal room is left clean and the theater is picked up)

4.   At the last rehearsal on Wednesday and immediately after the concert, we will be collecting music and binders from all singers. Please remind your singer to bring all music to the rehearsal – including the pieces that have been distributed but are not being performed at the concert,

5. Ticket upgrades
How do I order more or upgrade? Additional tickets can be purchased by calling, 650-424-1410, emailing sonja@cantabile.org, or online at www.cantabile.org. Upgrading family tickets to Premium or Benefactor reserved seating can be done by turning in your 2 Family Tickets and paying an additional $25 for Premium and $75 for Benefactor. The increased price allows you to sit in preferred seating and applies the extra revenue to the Signe Boyer Scholarship Fund.

6. Next Season Schedule and Other Changes
Next year will be Cantabile’s 15th Anniversary Season and we are finalizing exciting plans. All concert, guest appearances, festivals, tour dates and any other changes to schedules or policies will be confirmed and communicated the first week of June. Important dates to know for now are:

• September 19-21 Vocalise/Ensemble Retreat - Jones Gulch YMCA Camp.
• October 11-14 Cantabile will host a visiting German choir with workshop and performance on Sunday October 12.
• October 26 (tentative) Performance in the Grace Cathedral Youth Choir Festival
• December 13 Annual Holidays with Cantabile concert

7. Tour
Cantabile staff are currently finalizing plans for our Summer 2009 Tour to the Baltics. We are working on getting bids from several tour companies in an attempt to secure the best prices. Additionally, we are working on fundraising efforts to help defray expenses. Final details and estimated expenses will be sent to families over the summer (most likely in late June with Summer Packets). At that time, we will ask families to indicate their intent to go on the tour and pay a refundable deposit. Current time frame is late June to early July 2009, with travel to Tallin Estonia, Helsinki Finland and St. Petersburg Russia.

8. CONCERT ATTIRE REMINDERS – THINK BLACK!
Please make sure your singer is wearing the following:
Girls:  Black Cantabile blouse, Black velvet Palazzo pants.  Pants should be hemmed at the ankle – but not so long that they are dragging on the floor.  Best to hem with the shoes you plan to wear.
Shoes:  Black, with closed toe.  Please NO sandals, hiking boots, boots, tennies, etc.  Girls: no heels higher than 2 inches, black flats are best.
Again: please make sure the pants are hemmed well.  Stockings:  Black please.  Hair:  Long hair should be pulled away from the face.  If you use a hair band or barrette, please make sure it is black.  Please do not wear jewelry, perfume, or scents of any kind. (hairspray, lotion, etc)  Please do wear blush and light lipstick.

Boys:  Black Cantabile Dress Shirt, Black pants.  Your outfit should be ironed, please!  Black leather belt.  Black dress shoes and black socks.
Hair combed.  See above for note about scents.

Weekly SCOOP Voc/Ens, 6/04/08

1. DRESS REHEARSAL THIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4TH – 5-9 PM, Le Petit Trianon (you do not need to wear your choir uniform, but please bring a snack.)
2. Help still needed for concert on June 14th
3. CD and DVD orders from the May 17th St. Mark’s concert (please note 2 different procedures for ordering)
4. Cantabile Chorale Fundraiser (adult choir)
5. Music for Change Fundraiser
6. Summer help from Cantabile alumni Ariana Promessi
7. Ticket upgrades (repeat)
8. Next season schedule (repeat)
9. Tour info for next season
10. Concert attire reminders (repeat)

DATE REMINDERS – please continue to check our website for dates and call times.  http://www.cantabile.org/youth/chorister/youth/calendar.shtml

Dear Parents and Singers,
Please be reminded that rehearsals remaining are mandatory for participation in the Spring Concert. If for any reason your child might be missing June 4 or June 11 rehearsal, his/her concert  participation is at the conductor’s discretion.

Wednesday, June 4th – Dress rehearsal for spring concert, 5-9 pm, Le Petit Trianon Theater (please note, this is the week before the actual concert) Ensemble singers will be released at 8 pm or a bit earlier. You can either pick up your singer as soon as the rehearsal is finished or he/she can wait for your arrival inside. We appreciate your flexibility.

Please make sure to give ample time for the trip – downtown San Jose traffic might be slow.
Both June 4th and the following June 11th rehearsals are mandatory for those participating in the concert.

DIRECTIONS TO LE PETIT TRIANON -
Le Petit Trianon
72 North 5th Street,
San José, Ca.

From Guadalupe Parkway/Highway 87

• Exit onto The Alameda/Santa Clara Street in Downtown San José.
• Head East on Santa Clara Street.
• Turn Left on North 5th Street.
• Le Petit Trianon — also known as Mother Olsen’s Inn — will be on your right in the first block.
• Parking will be on your left in a lot in the next block or on the street.

Saturday, June 7th – New Singer Auditions (this is for singers who would be entering our program this fall – tell all your friends!)  By appointment only.  To set up an audition, please contact Sonja@cantabile.org.

Wednesday, June 11th – Regular rehearsal – Foothills Congregational Church
Girls: please bring your concert uniform pants so we can check hems.

June 14th, Saturday – Ensemble/Vocalise 2008 Spring Concert (Le Petit Trianon, San Jose)
7:00 Performance, 5 pm  – call time.

2. VOLUNTEER UPDATES – contact Karen@cantabile.org
Thanks to those of you who are able to help out – we appreciate you!
We still need:
Riser help and chaperone help for our dress rehearsal this week
Chaperones:  1 still needed for June 14th
Ushers:  2 still needed for June 14th
Clean up crew – 3 needed (short job of making sure our rehearsal room is left clean and the theater is picked up)
3.  CD AND DVD ORDERS
May 17 CD Orders: Concert CDs are $20 each and can be ordered by contacting the office. (Sonja@cantabile.org) You can mail a check to the office, noting on the memo line the date of concert and quantity requested. (953 Industrial Ave, Suite #122, Palo Alto, Ca. 94303) You may also purchase over the phone (424-1410) and pay via credit card. CDs will be ready for distribution mid-summer.
May 17th DVD orders – Dvd’s are $25.00  If you wish to have a video of the May 17th performance at St. Mark’s, you will need to order directly from Joe Oliverio Productions.   Download the DVD order pdf form.  You will need to mail or fax your order directly to Oliverio Productions.  Please do not send your order form to the Cantabile office.   Thank you!

4.  Cantabile Chorale (adult chorus) Fundraiser
Cantabile Chorale is holding their annual fundraiser drawing on June 8. Great prizes for families! Drawing tickets are $5each or 5 for $20 and can be purchased by contacting Sonja@cantabile.org. Need not be present to win. View the prize list

5.  Change for Music, Music for Change Fundraiser
We are nearing the end of our Spring fundraiser so bring your coin collection cans to the next rehearsals. Fundraising results and individual winners will be announced in summer family packets. Great work everyone and thanks for supporting Cantabile!

6.  Welcome Ariana Promessi
Ariana Promessi, Cantabile alumna who just finished her first year at Cal Berkeley (Go Bears!), will be working in the office this summer assisting with a variety of activities. Welcome back, Ariana!

7. Ticket upgrades
How do I order more or upgrade? Additional tickets can be purchased by calling, 650-424-1410, emailing Sonja@cantabile.org, or online at www.cantabile.org. Upgrading family tickets to Premium or Benefactor reserved seating can be done by turning in your 2 Family Tickets and paying an additional $25 for Premium and $75 for Benefactor. The increased price allows you to sit in preferred seating and applies the extra revenue to the Signe Boyer Scholarship Fund.

8. Next Season Schedule and Other Changes
Next year will be Cantabile’s 15th Anniversary Season and we are finalizing exciting plans. All concert, guest appearances, festivals, tour dates and any other changes to schedules or policies will be confirmed and communicated the first week of June. Important dates to know for now are:
September 19-21 Vocalise/Ensemble Retreat - Jones Gulch YMCA Camp.
October 11-14 Cantabile will host a visiting German choir with workshop and performance on Sunday October 12.
October 26 (tentative) Performance in the Grace Cathedral Youth Choir Festival
December 13 Annual Holidays with Cantabile concert

9. Tour
Cantabile staff are currently finalizing plans for our Summer 2009 Tour to the Baltics. We are working on getting bids from several tour companies in an attempt to secure the best prices. Additionally, we are working on fundraising efforts to help defray expenses. Final details and estimated expenses will be sent to families over the summer (most likely in late June with Summer Packets). At that time, we will ask families to indicate their intent to go on the tour and pay a refundable deposit. Current time frame is late June to early July 2009, with travel to Tallin Estonia, Helsinki Finland and St. Petersburg Russia.

10. CONCERT ATTIRE REMINDERS – THINK BLACK!
Please make sure your singer is wearing the following:
Girls:  Black Cantabile blouse, Black velvet Palazzo pants.  Pants should be hemmed at the ankle – but not so long that they are dragging on the floor.  Best to hem with the shoes you plan to wear.
Shoes:  Black, with closed toe.  Please NO sandals, hiking boots, boots, tennies, etc.  Girls: no heels higher than 2 inches, black flats are best.
Again: please make sure the pants are hemmed well.  Stockings:  Black please.  Hair:  Long hair should be pulled away from the face.  If you use a hair band or barrette, please make sure it is black.  Please do not wear jewelry, perfume, or scents of any kind. (hairspray, lotion, etc)  Please do wear blush and light lipstick.

Boys:  Black Cantabile Dress Shirt, Black pants.  Your outfit should be ironed, please!  Black leather belt.  Black dress shoes and black socks.
Hair combed.  See above for note about scents.

Weekly SCOOP Voc/Ens, 5/28/08

1. Upcoming date reminders – Wed. May 28th (theory test 5:45) Thurs., May 29th ( individual evaluations)
2. Volunteer update for June 14th concert – we still need help!
3. Evaluations: sign up and procedures
4. Ticket packets/upgrades for June 14th
5. Questions/Answers with Sonja this Wed. from 5-6:30 pm
6. Next Season’s Schedule – dates for your calendar
7. Donate your outgrown uniforms!
8. Fundraiser cans – how to turn in
9. Concert Attire reminders (repeat)

1. DATE REMINDERS – please continue to check our website for dates and call times.  http://www.cantabile.org/youth/chorister/youth/calendar.shtml

Dear Parents and Singers,
Please be reminded that rehearsals remained are mandatory for participation in the Spring Concert. If for any reason your child might be missing May 21, 28, June 4 or June 11 rehearsal, his/her concert  participation is at the conductor’s discretion.

Wednesday, June 4th – Dress rehearsal for spring concert, 5-9 pm, Le Petit Trianon Theater (please note, this is the week before the actual concert)  (Ensemble singers will be released at 8 pm or a bit earlier. We appreciate your flexibility.)
Both June 4th and the following June 11th rehearsals are mandatory for those participating in the concert.

Saturday, June 7th – New Singer Auditions (this is for singers who would be entering our program this fall – tell all your friends!)  By appointment only.  To set up an audition, please contact Sonja@cantabile.org

Wednesday, June 11th – Regular rehearsal – Foothills Congregational Church
Girls: please bring your concert uniform pants so we can check hems.

June 14th, Saturday – Ensemble/Vocalise 2008 Spring Concert (Le Petit Trianon, San Jose)
7:00 Performance, 5 pm  – call time.

2. VOLUNTEER UPDATES – contact karen@cantabile.org
Thanks to those of you who are able to help out – we appreciate you!
We still need:

• Chaperones:  1 still needed for June 14th
• Ushers:  2 still needed for June 14th
• Stage crew – 1 needed to assist our concert manager Sara
• Clean up crew – 3 needed (short job of making sure our rehearsal room is left clean and the theater is picked up)

3. Evaluations for Ensemble and Vocalise (updated) May 29th (Thursday) 4-9 pm.

All singers need to sign up for a 12-min individual evaluation with Elena. A sign up sheet will be available again this Wed. at rehearsal. If May 29th doesn’t work for you, several time slots will be available on June 7th.  (for a June 7th time, you must email Sonja@cantabile.org)

We are changing the procedure a bit this year: the theory portion of the evaluation will be given at the beginning of the rehearsal (5:45) on Wed. May 28th and will last about 20 min.

Singing/aural evaluation on May 29th will consist of the following:

1. Vocalization and scales.
2. Singing diatonic major and natural minor scales with Curven (Solfege) hand signs
3. Singing a short section from one of the pieces in the current repertoire
4. Sight singing:
a) 8 measure melody in a major key with 3 or 4 raised or lowered scale
degrees (FI, LE, and  TE.) Vocalise melody – more complex rhythmically
and melodically (wider intervals, more skips)
b) 8 measures of a rhythmic dictation: 4/4 or 3/4, dotted rhythm, triplets and
syncopation.

Evaluation times are from 4:00 pm to 8:45 pm. Please come 15 min. early to prepare for sight reading and feel out the evaluation form. Any Ensemble singer wishing to be considered for Vocalise will be taking Vocalise portion of the sight reading.

4. Ticket packets, upgrades, etc.
If you have not received your June 14 tickets, Dianne Stromer will have packets at rehearsal. You may upgrade your Family Tickets to Premium for an extra $25 or Benefactor for an extra $75. Sonja will be at June 4 dress rehearsal for upgrade and additional sales but you can also contact her at the office at Sonja@cantabile.org or 650-424-1410.

5. Questions & Answers
Sonja Palmer will be available this Wednesday night from 5:00-6:30pm to meet with parents and discuss questions and/or concerns you have about potential changes to Cantabile’s future structure as well as details about programmatic plans for next season.

6. Next Season Schedule and Other Changes
Next year will be Cantabile’s 15th Anniversary Season and we are finalizing exciting plans. All concert, guest appearances, festivals, tour dates and any other changes to schedules or policies will be confirmed and communicated the first week of June. Important dates to know for now are:
September 19-21 Vocalise/Ensemble Retreat - Jones Gulch YMCA Camp.
October 11-14 Cantabile will host a visiting German choir with workshop and performance on Sunday October 12.
October 26 (tentative) Performance in the Grace Cathedral Youth Choir Festival
December 13 Annual Holidays with Cantabile concert

7. Donate Outgrown Uniforms
If your singers has or will be outgrowing their uniform Cantabile would love to have you donate it back to the organization. Donated items are used for members in need of financial assistance. A donation tax letter will be given for each uniform donated. Thanks for your assistance!

8. Fundraiser Coin Can Turn-In
If you have not done so already, please bring your coin cans to any of the next rehearsals or June 14 concert. Results of our fundraiser and singer/choir raising the most money will be communicated in Summer Family Packets.

9. CONCERT ATTIRE REMINDERS – THINK BLACK!
Please make sure your singer is wearing the following:
Girls:  Black Cantabile blouse, Black velvet Palazzo pants.  Pants should be hemmed at the ankle – but not so long that they are dragging on the floor.  Best to hem with the shoes you plan to wear.  Shoes:  Black, with closed toe.  Please NO sandals, hiking boots, boots, tennies, etc.  Girls: no heels higher than 2 inches, black flats are best.  Again: please make sure the pants are hemmed well.  Stockings:  Black please.  Hair:  Long hair should be pulled away from the face.  If you use a hair band or barrette, please make sure it is black.  Please do not wear jewelry, perfume, or scents of any kind. (hairspray, lotion, etc)  Please do wear blush and light lipstick.

Boys:  Black Cantabile Dress Shirt, Black pants.  Ironed please!  Black leather belt.  Black dress shoes and black socks.
Hair combed.  See above for note about scents.