In addition to our daily grade-level choirs that meet during the school day, we offer a wide variety of extracurricular singing groups and events at Gregory that rehearse outside of the school day. Sign-ups for many of these are occurring over the next two weeks, so I wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of each offering. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue one or more of these ensembles as an enhancement to and extension of what is learned in chorus class.
Parents...please encourage your child to take advantage of these additional singing opportunities. Your encouragement goes a long way to helping our students maximize their musical and educational potential. Thank you for your efforts!
· Concert Choir, Gregory’s honors-level auditioned treble-voice choir, will be holding auditions Wednesday, September 4 and Thursday, September 5, after school. All treble-voiced students (girls and unchanged boys) are encouraged to try out! Sign-ups for a 5-minute audition timeslot are posted in the chorus room, but will fill up quickly, so interested students are encouraged to find a time as soon as possible. Students will also need to bring in a signed permission slip/participation contract prior to their audition – students will NOT be allowed to audition without the form signed by a parent/guardian. The first rehearsal will be on Monday, September 9, from 6:55-7:45am. For more information about Concert Choir and the rehearsal schedule, see the information posted further below.
· Men’s Ensemble, Gregory’s premier all-male vocal group, will begin rehearsals on Tuesday, September 10, from 3:10-4:00pm. No audition is required, and all boys at Gregory (including those not in chorus) are encouraged to check it out! Interested students should sign up in the Chorus Room and return a permission slip/participation contract. For more information about Men’s Ensemble and the rehearsal schedule, see the information posted further below.
· Mixed Vocal Ensemble, Gregory's pop ensemble, will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, September 11, from 3:10-4:00pm. For more information about Mixed Vocal Ensemble and the rehearsal schedule, see the information posted further below
· 7th and 8th grade chorus students interested in auditioning for the ILMEA Music Festival should turn in their form by Friday, September 6. See this linked audition packet & parent signature form. For more information about the festival, consult the information posted below. Each school participating in the festival is limited to nominating only 8 students from each voice part (soprano, alto, and baritone) for the audition process, so interested students should turn their permission slips in as soon as possible prior to September 6 to guarantee their audition place; placement for Gregory’s audition slots are on a first come first serve basis. This is a HIGHLY recommended event for our 7th and 8th grade students...please consider auditioning and taking part in this terrific festival.
Descriptions of extra- and co-curricular vocal opportunities at Gregory:
Concert Choir is Gregory’s auditioned honors chorus, and is open to any chorus student at Gregory with a treble voice (i.e. girls or unchanged boys). Repertoire consists of advanced middle school and high school level music from a wide variety of genres and cultures. The group rehearses twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays before the school day (6:55-7:45am), and performs at various additional events throughout the school year (see the Gregory Chorus events calendar handed out in class for the additional Concert Choir performance dates).
Men’s Ensemble is a non-auditioned group open to male singers (changed and unchanged voices) at Gregory. The ensemble’s one weekly rehearsal alternates on a week-to-week basis between Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school (3:10-4:00pm). Rehearsals focus on the special needs of the changing male voice, and students have fun performing a challenging but entertaining repertoire of music from a wide variety of genres.
Mixed Vocal Ensemble is Gregory's co-ed extracurricular ensemble. The goal of the group is to provide an outlet to students in Concert Choir or Men’s Ensemble who wish to pursue an additional, more pop-oriented co-ed performance opportunity. Repertoire will consist of contemporary and classic pop songs, Broadway medleys, show choir selections, jazz standards, and holiday carols, amongst others. The ensemble will rehearse once a week on an alternating schedule – Wednesdays after school (3:10-4:00pm), then Tuesdays before school (6:55-7:45am). Interested students must be members of either Concert Choir or Men’s Ensemble in order to participate.
The ILMEA (Illinois Music Educators Association) Music Festival is an additional opportunity for seventh and eighth grade students. The festival is a single daylong activity on Saturday, November 9 in which students work with a special guest clinician in a large choir of over 200 of the best singers from the western Chicago suburbs. At the end of the day, a concert is performed for parents, friends, and teachers. Auditions will be held at Yorkville Middle School in Yorkville on Saturday, September 28. Help sessions to learn the audition material will occur in September, one day per week after school; for students who are selected to the choir, help sessions to learn the festival performance set will occur in October, one day per week after school. This is a HIGHLY recommended event for our 7th and 8th grade students...please consider auditioning and taking part in this terrific festival.
