• Important Choir Concerts & Events Information:

    • Concerts or Performances of any kind are a culminating experience for a musician. The opportunity to share the music that has been worked on to uplift an audience is a special experience; one that is hard work, but both educational and inspirational. As such, much of the WCSD curriculum standards are driving steps toward a concert-type event. This will be reflected in the weight these events have on any WCSD music student’s grade. A student’s full engagement in the performance process (including rehearsals in preparation for these events) is what is expected, not a professional level mastery of such things. If students simply stay positively engaged in this process in class before, during, and after a concert event, their grade will always reflect this, even if they may not have a perfect mastery of all aspects of the music being presented. Progress and effort is the desire here, not perfection.  
    • Concert Events are graded based on such criteria as arriving on time, signing in, wearing the concert uniform, mastery of the concert music, and full, appropriate engagement during the event. Please see the Falcon Choirs Calendar on this website for a list of the mandatory, graded Concerts & Events for this year as well as those that are optional, supplemental ones.
    • A choir is an ensemble, a team, and we need each of our ensemble members participating to their fullest to “win the game” of a performance. The loss of even just one member of our ensemble reduce the success of our team. A live experience like this cannot be repeated and so is, in reality, impossible to make-up. However, we fully understand the conflicts that can arise between a students extra-curricular, after-school activities, such as sports practices/games and our mandatory, graded performance/concert events. We desires for our choir members to have the opportunity to explore their multiple interests and passions these extra-curricular activities provide, while at the same time having amazing performance experiences with our choir team. Please give Ms. Orton the opportunity to work together with students, parents and their coaches/instructors to see if there is a way to “give and take” when conflicts arise, so that our performances are not completely missed.
    • In the end, if arrangements of some kind are not able to be made and a student is unable to attend any of the mandatory, graded concerts, rehearsals, or related events, there will be an alternate assignments available to recover those lost points for missing a performance.
    • Choral performances are both a visual and an aural art, and uniformity communicates professionalism and self-respect. We will wear our MHMS Concert Uniforms at all concerts and many other such performance events. This uniform consists of 1) Top: The MHMS Music Department Concert Polo for Intermediate, Mixed & Advanced Choir students and the MHMS Music Department T-shirts for the Beginning choir students. These shirts will be provided to the choir students prior to their first concert of the year. The cost of these shirts are covered with the annual class fees paid at registration. 2) Bottom: “Concert Black” from the waste to the floor. 3) Black or solid color mask (when this protocol is necessary.) * Please see the “Concert Uniform (Attire) Info” page on Ms. Orton’s website for details about concert attire. Students are expected to maintain their performance attire in excellent condition. A student’s performance grade will be impacted without the proper concert attire communicated.
    • Students and parents assume responsibility for transportation to and from choir events held after school hours unless specifically communicated otherwise.
    • These scheduled choir concerts and events are educational, exciting, fun events that help students develop self-worth and empower them to reach beyond the perceived limits of their abilities. I believe that both the students and the audience will find them uplifting and inspiring. Looking forward to seeing you all there!