Choir @ VHHS o There is room for everyone! o We teach you how to sing, read music, and perform

There’s no “audition” – you can be at any level and join o Become part of the family – meet lots of new people o Let this be a “stress reliever” from your regular academic load

Almost everyone currently in choir talks about how this “change of pace” is necessary to balance out their day, even more valuable than a study hall

o It’s the right mix of fun & work – we perform at a very high level and we have fun doing it! o What To Look Forward To: Annual Holiday Party & Ugly Sweater Contest, free pizza & watching

“Elf” in between Holiday Concerts, hosting college a cappella groups, playing Encore on Fridays, straight talk about colleges, finance, managing stress, etc.

1. Opportunities a. Specialty Groups:

• Chamber Singers—more advanced, usually upperclassmen, more performances • VoiceMale and LoveNotes—more contemporary music, a cappella, fun to sing • Cabaret—final concert of year, more Pop, Broadway, Disney, jazz, tunes from radio

b. Trips • International Tours (every 2 years): Amsterdam/Brugge/Paris,

Edinburgh/Liverpool/London, Dublin/Galway, Orlando/Nassau, Bahamas, Disney World 2017 Trip – Ireland

• Short trips to universities: Illinois, Augustana, Indiana, Carthage, Lawrence, ISU • Day trips to the Lion King, Billy Elliot, and other Broadway musicals.

2. You can be in many different sports & activities and still be in choir a. Choir (& band/orchestra) meets during the day as a class so it doesn’t conflict w/sports or clubs b. Participation in both choir and other outside-of-school activities is what high school is all about!

Choir almost NEVER HAS HOMEWORK, so STUDENTS CAN DO BOTH. 3. Scheduling

a. Sample Freshman Year Schedules

With Choir, Foreign Language, & Soc. Studies 1. Treble Choir 2. Chinese 2 Hon. 3. Fr. Lit & Comp Hon. 4. Lunch/SH (Transition) 5. Freshman PE 6. Biology Honors 7. Geometry Honors 8. World History Hon.

With Choir & Band (no Foreign Language) 1. World History Honors 2. Algebra 1 3. Fr. Lit & Comp Honors 4. Health 5. Biology 6. Lunch/SH (Transition) 7. Concert Band 8. Bass Choir

With Choir, Orchestra & Social Studies 1. Treble Choir 2. Philharmonic Orch. 3. Fr. Lit & Comp. 4. Lunch/SH (Transition) 5. Biology 6. Geometry 7. Geography Honors 8. Freshman PE

With Choir, Fr. Language & Tutorial 1. Spanish II 2. Fr. Lit & Comp. 3. Biology 4. Lunch/SH (Trns.) 5. Tutorial 6. Fr. PE/Health 7. Geometry 8. Bass Choir

b. Sample Freshman to Sophomore Year Schedule (w/Band & Choir & Foreign Language)

c. MYTH: “VHHS is really hard. I need a study hall.” • Every day you have a built-in 25 minute study hall (the other half of your lunch period)

and this is usually more than sufficient.

Senior Class of 2014 and 2015 combined data Years in Fine Arts (VHHS)

0 1 2 3 4

Average GPA 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.3

Years in Fine Arts (VHHS) 0 1 2 3 4

Average ACT Score

23.2 23.6 24.9 25.4 27.9

Other Options to fit Treble Choir or Men’s Chorus in your schedule:

To fit more into your schedule: 1. Take Early Bird PE (Soph-Senior Year) 2. Take Summer School: Driver’s Ed, Science, Social Studies, Government, Consumer Management

VHHS Choirs - Jeremy Little - jeremy.little@d128.org - (847) 932-2161 - vhhscougars.org/choir

Freshman Year

1. Treble Choir 2. Biology 3. Fr. Lit & Comp 4. Lunch/SH (Transition) 5. Freshman PE/Health 6. Spanish II 7. Concert Band 8. Algebra I

Sophomore Year

Early Bird P.E. 1. Treble Choir 2. Chemistry 3. World Lit. & Comp. 4. Spanish III 5. Wind Ensemble 6. Symphony Orch. Winds 7. Geometry 8. World History

Graduation Requirements: Math: 3 years Science: 2 years Social Studies: 2 years

College Recommendations: Math: 3 years Science: 3 years Social Studies: 3 years Foreign Language: 2 years (8th grade year counts!)

Very popular option for students wanting to do both choir and band/orch.

If in doubt, you can always try Choir for a few weeks, and if you don’t like it, you can drop it and take a study hall.

Guest Artist: Dr. Anne Barry of Lake Forest College

Singing the National Anthem at VH Homecoming

Carthage College Invitational in Milwaukee

Guest Artist: The Xtension Chords from U of Illinois

Group bonding at Chamber Retreat in WI

With Ramblin’Ray at US99 Studios in Chicago

2015-16 VHHS Choir Department Events

Chamber Choir Retreat, Fredonia, WI

Chamber Choir singing at Homecoming Football game

Fall Choir Festival, All VHHS Choirs & Mr. Alex Luke, Student Teacher

& Dr. Michael Zemek, Augustana College, Guest Conductor

Illinois Music Education Association District VII Honor Choir Concert—15 students selected

Guest Concert – U of Illinois Xtension Chords & Illinois State U Secondary Dominance

Chamber Choir singing National Anthem at Northwestern University Men’s Basketball Game

8th Annual Madrigal Dessert at Sullivan Community Center, Chamber Choir

Chamber Choir caroling at Marianos, Sedgebrook Nursing Homes

Chamber Choir singing on WGN Radio 720am – Steve Cochran Show

& US99fm – Ramblin’ Ray & Lisa Show

Guest Clinician: Dr. Eric Johnson, Northern Illinois University

Holiday Concert with Orchestra—All Choirs and Orchestras, VoiceMale/Love Notes

Chamber Choir caroling at Elementary Schools: Townline, North, & South, Rust-Oleum, & D128 Office

VoiceMale/Love Notes singing at 8th Grade Open House

Illinois Music Education Association All-State Music Festival, Peoria, IL – 5 students selected

Voice Lesson Recital—Mr. Chambers’, Mrs. Taylor’s, & Mrs. Noble’s students (Semester 1)

D128 Solo & Ensemble Contest (47 solos and 17 ensembles)

Guest Clinician: Dr. Anne Barry – Lake Forest College

Invitational Concert with Carthage College Choir – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Milwaukee

Spring Choral Concert – “The Golden Age of American Musical Theatre” — All VHHS Choirs, with

Guest Artists John Chambers (staging) and May Rodrigo (choreography)

Cabaret Concert “Contemporary Musical Theatre” Theme - All Choirs, A Cappella groups, acts

Guest Concert – University of Illinois Girls Next Door

4th Annual A Cappella concert –VoiceMale & Love Notes

Voice Lesson Recital—Mr. Chambers’, Mrs. Taylor’s, & Mrs. Noble’s students (Semester 2)

Chamber Choir singing at Honors Day Assembly

Concert Choir singing at Graduation