Picnic in the Park

The Fletcher Chorus Family Picnic was held today at Jarboe Park in Neptune Beach.  The weather could not have been any better for some good, old-fashioned fun in the sun.  We ate, played games, shared conversation with one another and just enjoyed being in the great outdoors!  It was nice for me to get to meet some of the parents who have entrusted their children to me and to spend time with my students outside of our classroom.

Thanks to all who made this event possible today....the FHS Choral Booster Board who bought the food and prepared it for us, the Chorus Student Officers who organized the games and coordinated the event and the City Council of Neptune Beach for allowing us to use the facilities at the park.  

Tom Altice - Grill-Master

Time to Eat!

Dining al fresco

Duck, Duck, Goose

Girl Power!

Until next time...

Fletcher Fall Choral Concert 2013

As the weather begins to change and football fervor is in full swing, fall concert season is upon me.

On Tuesday, October 15th, the Fletcher Senior High School Chorus will take the stage for its first concert of the year.  I can hardly believe it! In just a few days, 104 chorus students will don concert attire and present a concert that has been seven weeks in the making.  The purpose of this concert is to get the students dressed in concert uniform and up on the stage singing.  For many of these students, this will be their first public performance.

Since the school year started, I have discovered that running a choral program is like running a small business.  Its success (or failure) lies in the hands of its leadership.  I am blessed to have a Choral Booster Board of hard-working and dedicated parents who donate time and talent to help our program succeed. They have been instrumental in helping me transition to my new position and I am forever grateful for their support.  My student officers have worked hard behind the scenes also. They have offered words of encouragement when I was feeling completely overwhelmed by my "to do" list, held leadership meetings, designed chorus t-shirts, created spreadsheets, stamped music, cataloged our music library, organized a family picnic - you name it, they've done it! They are an awesome bunch of kids and I am so pleased to have the honor of working with them this year.

As I reflect on what has been accomplished since school began on August 19th, I have auditioned singers to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" at our home football games, submitted an audition DVD to Walt Disney World for the Candlelight Processional in December, volunteered at a 5K to raise money for our program, escorted nine students to All-State auditions, fitted students in concert uniforms, rehearsed with instrumentalists, worked with an accompanist, completed one fundraiser and am in the midst of another, handled publicity for our concert and am in the process of writing program notes and technical notes for our concert....and all of this in just six weeks! Reflection is a good thing.  It helps put everything in perspective.

As you can see from the photo above, the Fletcher High School Fall Chorus Concert is Tuesday, October 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium.  Tickets are $5.00 each.

I look forward to an evening of music-making with YOU in the audience!

Until next time...