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Vocal Parents
Newsletter of the Pioneer High School Choirs - March 5, 2015
WELCOME…
We extend a warm welcome to singers,
Mr. Steck, and friends and families of the
Slauson Middle School Choir. It is an honor
to have you share the stage this evening
with the Pioneer Choirs! Be sure to join us
for refreshments in the Cafeteria Annex
following the concert!
Incoming Choir
Student and Parent
Meeting
Welcome incoming 9th graders!
Incoming choir students and their parents/
guardians are asked to attend our annual
Incoming Choir Student and Parent
Meeting on Monday, March 30th, at 7:30
pm, in the Pioneer Choir Room, B108.
Come and learn about the Pioneer Choirs,
Choir Camp, student leadership, and our
parent booster organization, the Friends
of the Pioneer Choirs. Camp registration
forms will be distributed at this meeting.
Congratulations to Pioneer Singers
in the District Solo & Ensemble Festival
On Saturday, January 31st, Pioneer Choir members participated in the District Solo
& Ensemble Festival at Monroe Middle School. Each event performed two selections
and worked with a clinician. Most will be participating in the State Solo & Ensemble
Festival April 17-18 at Howell High School.
Pioneer choir members received the following ratings:
Excellent or Excellent with Superior Distinction rating, qualified for State Festival:
Sophia Bonnewit, Elise Crause, Dani DiFranco, Bridget Douglas, Timothy Grobosky,
Abigail Hirshbein, Tanvi Jaikamal, Rachel Kindred, Allison Klippel, Fiona Lynch,
Allison Menge, Arthur Mengozzi, Kate Moss, Katya Palczynski,
Vidhya Premkumar, Ella Ruderman, Yasmeen Shakour, Emilia Stehouwer, Abigail
Hirshbein & Kate Moss (duet), & Choraliers.
Good rating, qualified for State Solo and Ensemble Festival: Aggie Reyes (solo)
Good rating: Adam Brecht (solo)
Congratulations to all Singers!
State Honors Choir
Congratulations to our 18 freshmen who participated in State Honors Choir January 22nd!
SSA: Sophie Bonnewit, Dani DiFranco, Leika Hillebrand, Jenette Jones, Grace Kaufer,
Fiona Lynch, Vidhya Premkumar, Aggie Reyes, & Christie Zheng.
TTB: Ryan Andersen, Giorgio Bruya, Alejandro Derieux, Rishi Nemorin, Aldo Pando
Girard, Joseph Rhodenhiser, Tyler Sakalys-Moore, Ryan Sauer, & Andrew Weisman.
Welcome Mr. Cooper!
During the spring semester, we are
fortunate to have Mr. Duncan Cooper
joining the Pioneer Choirs as a student
teacher. Mr. Cooper is completing his
undergraduate degree in vocal music
education at Michigan State University.
Alice Parker
Visits Pioneer!
Alice Parker, the internationally renowned
composer, conductor, and teacher, visited
Ann Arbor in February. We were thrilled
and honored to host a living legend in
choral music and enjoyed spending time
with her during Bel Canto. Many thanks to
Tom Granum at First Presbyterian Church
of Ann Arbor who coordinated her visit to
Pioneer!
Detailed Information on all
Choir Activities is available on the
PHS Choirs website,
http://pioneer2.aaps.k12.mi.us/choir/.
Eastern Michigan University
Choral Invitational
On Saturday, March 7th, the Pioneer High School A Cappella Choir will participate in
the inaugural Eastern Michigan University Choral Invitational. During the morning,
we will sing alongside other choir students from across the state, working with Dr.
Lee Nelson, Director of Choral Activities at Wartburg College, Iowa. In the afternoon,
the A Cappella Choir will have a workshop with Dr. Brandon Johnson, Director of
Choral Activities at Eastern Michigan University. The day ends with a culminating
performance in Pease Auditorium at 7:30 pm, where A Cappella will sing a featured
solo set and join together with the mass choir. Members of A Cappella must check in
at Pease Auditorium no later than 9:15 am.
Please join us for the concert at 7:30 pm!
Polovtsian Dances
with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
On March 21st, the A Cappella Choir will join forces with our peers from Huron and
Skyline to sing Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances with the Ann Arbor Symphony
Orchestra. The concert will be held in the Michigan Theater at 8:00 pm.
Please contact the A2SO box office directly for ticket information.
Upcoming E vents:
District Choral
Festival
March 7
March 8
March 10
March 10
March 16
March 17-19
March 20
March 21
March 21
March 23-April 1
March 26
March 27
March 30
March 30
April 14
April 17-18
April 21
April 21
April 22
April 27
May 7-9
May 12
May 12
May 20
District Choral Festival for the Pioneer
Choirs occurs soon! The choirs will be
traveling to Lincoln High School on
Tuesday, March 17 or Thursday, March
19. A detailed travel itinerary will be
e-mailed when we have received our
performance times. Parent chaperones
are always welcome. Please contact
Friends Vice Presidents Donna DiFranco
or Jill Shapiro if you are interested in
chaperoning either event.
Interested in
Volunteering?
Want to be more involved in the
Pioneer Choir? Can you come up with
creative ideas to help raise money for
a great cause?
If so, then please consider being a
Fundraising Chairperson or part of the
Fundraising Committee for the
Pioneer Choir this year flowing into
next year. The job requires very little
of your time and is a great way to get
involved. If you have any questions,
please contact Donna DiFranco,
donnadi@comcast.net or (734) 834-7357.
EMU Invitational, Pease Auditorium, 8:45 am-9:30 pm
Noodles & Company Fundraiser, 4-9 pm
Choir Council, B108, 6:30–7:30 pm
Friends of the Pioneer Choirs, B108, 7:30-8:30 pm
Polovtsian Dances Rehearsal, 6:30-9:00 pm
District Choral Festival, Lincoln High School
Polovtsian Dances Rehearsal, 7-8:30 pm
Polovtsian Dances Dress Rehearsal, Michigan Theater, 12-1 pm
Polovtsian Dances Concert, Michigan Theater, 8 pm
Pioneer Choir Auditions for 2015-16, 3:45-5 pm
Pioneer Concerto Concert, 7:30-8:30 pm
Acaballa Choir Ball, Cobblestone Farm, 7-10 pm
Choir Camp Registration Begins
New Student/Parent Meeting, B108, 7:30–8:30 pm
State Solo & Ensemble Recital, Little Theater, 6-8 pm
State Solo & Ensemble Festival, Howell High School
Choir Council, B108, 6:30–7:30 pm
Friends of the Pioneer Choirs, B108, 7:30-8:30 pm
Choir Camp Registration Due
Extracurricular Group Hearings, 8-9 pm
Michigan Youth Arts Festival
Choir Council, B108, 6:30–7:30 pm
Friends of the Pioneer Choirs, B108, 7:30-8:30 pm
Spring Sing, Schreiber Auditorium, 7:30-8:30 pm
Choir Camp
2015
th
Eat Noodles,
Fund Choirs
It's Sunday evening. You're recovering from a
week of dress rehearsals and concerts, and
there's a new week coming up fast.
Who wants to cook?
Our 44 Annual Choir Camp will be held
August 11-17, 2015 at the Interlochen Center
for the Arts. Choir Camp is open to anyone
enrolled in one of the Pioneer Choirs or voice
class, and all students are strongly encouraged
to attend! Applications will be available
online on March 30. Join us for an exciting
week of singing!
Eat at Noodles & Company, 2245 Stadium
Blvd., this Sunday, March 8th, from 4-9 pm,
and mention the Pioneer High School Choirs
when you order. A full 25% of the sales will go
to the Friends of the Pioneer Choirs to support
choir activities. The extra-curricular groups
will be performing for your listening pleasure.
Good food, good music.
2015-16
Choir Auditions
Auditions for the Pioneer Choirs take
place March 23-April 1. Audition
requirements are available on our
website, and audition sign ups are
available in the choir room. Please
contact Mr. Lorenz if you have any
questions.
Acaballa 2015
We’re excited to announce the first annual Choir Ball! Choir Council has been
working to create a choir bonding event to bridge the gap in the year after choir
camp. The dance will be held Friday, March 27 from 7-10 pm at Cobblestone
Farm. Tickets are $10, and $18 if you come with a guest and will be sold from
March 4-13. If you want to bring a guest who isn’t in choir you’ll need to provide
their name and student ID number when you purchase your ticket. Only students
currently at Pioneer are welcome at the dance. If you having any financial
concerns, please talk to Mr. Lorenz. We will have potluck-style sweets and drinks
at the dance similar to those at concert receptions. Parent chaperones are needed
and should contact the Friends Vice Presidents to volunteer.
Join us for Acaballa 2015!
2014-2015
Friends of the Pioneer Choirs Officers
PHS Choral Director:
Co-Presidents:
Co-Vice Presidents:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Steven Lorenz, lorenzs@aaps.k12.mi.us, 994-2189
Erin Cooper, Erin_Cooper@comcast.net, and
Kris Park, parkkris@hotmail.com, 657-2862
Donna DiFranco, donnadi@comcast.net, 834-7357 and
Jill Shapiro, jshapiro@relium.com,
Joan Brush, jkbrush@yahoo.com, 717-3481
Bonnie Keen, bonniekeen@me.com, 945-6162