2009-2010 Choir Notes
2007-2008 • 2008-2009 • 2009-2010 • 2010-2011
June 16th, 2010
**IMPORTANT MESSAGE** - Change of Plans for Today's Party
Due to the weather forecast, we have decided to cancel the pool party at Clara Lappert's house today. Instead, we will meet at 5:00 at Christ Church for an indoor pizza party. I will supply the pizza and drinks, you can still bring your dessert or side dish to share.
Please bring any music you did not turn in last week and Bel Canto remember to return your uniforms: boys - vests only, girls - vests and black skirts
I look forward to seeing you this afternoon. I still need to know how many pizzas to purchase. If you have not rsvp'd to Mrs. Mello - please do it asap!!
See you later!
Mrs. Mello
June 15th, 2010
Chior Notes - June 2010
A downloadable version of these notes can be found here.
To all members of Bel Canto, Bella Voce and Concert Choir:
Congratulations on a spectacular performance this past Saturday. We have had a busy and exciting year and your singing was the perfect ending. To Bel Canto and Bella Voce, beginning with your performance at the Sussex County Memorial Concert in the fall, the workshop in East Brunswick for the NJ Music Teachers, the High Notes Festival, the Memorial Day Parade and our two concerts, you have improved with every performance. To Concert Choir, you performed beautifully this year in Sussex County, in East Brunswick, and at Montclair University. I look forward to our time in Ithaca at the end of June.
This Wednesday, June 16th from 5:00-6:30 pm is our end of year swim party and barbecue. Mrs. Lynn Lappert (Clara’s mom) has graciously offered her home and pool for the party. Each chorister should bring soda/juice, a dessert or a side dish to share. Hot dogs and hamburgers with the fixin’s will be provided. Please RSVP to Mrs. Mello (dmello@nac.net or 973-300-4180 by Tuesday, June 15 so we can plan for the correct number of people. We welcome parents (and if any moms or dads are certified as a lifeguard, please let us know).
Clara lives at 7 Carolyn Court, Augusta, NJ 07822 Directions: Take Route 565 at Ross’s Corner (Intersection of Route 206 and Route 15), 3 miles North to Losey Road. Turn right on Losey Road, turn right again on DeJager and left on Carolyn Court.
The forecast is calling for rain. If it is raining the party is cancelled. Mrs. Mello will e-mail everyone in the event of bad weather. I don’t know what it is about the end of year party and rain – every year!!!!!
If you did not return your music, please bring it with you to the swim party. The music binder is yours, the music belongs to the CCSC library. If we don’t have the party, you can also drop the music off to me at my home or at Christ Church (I have rehearsal the next 2 Wednesdays 7:00-8:30 pm). All music must be returned from all choirs.
If you have not yet returned your response paper for next year, please put it in the mail with your deposit check of $100.00. They can be sent to: Mrs. Deborah Mello, 435 Ridge Road, Newton, NJ 07860. If you have any outstanding payments, please mail them to Mrs. Mello. That way, Mr. Mello won’t have to track you down!
Concert Choir members who are going to Ithaca. We have 2 more rehearsals, Wednesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 23 7:00-8:30 pm. The balance for the trip is due no later than June 23. ($350.00)
To all returning Concert Choir members **IMPORTANT MESSAGE**
We will hold a meeting to go over our trip plans for next year’s tour to Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris on Wednesday, June 23 at 6:30 pm. at Christ Church. At this meeting we will share with you all the wonderful places we will visit and sing, as well as the cost of the trip. One of our choristers, Tess Oldfield, who was born in Holland, has many family members who are looking forward to hearing our choir perform. We are very excited about this trip! If you are unable to attend the meeting, please let me know if you and/or your child are planning on participating in the summer tour.
June 2nd, 2010
To Bel Canto and Bella Voce choristers - The Buterfly Release has been CANCELLED. It was rescheduled for a different time in late June. We will not be singing this year.
Please review the information concerning the dress rehearsal and concert for next week so you know the time and place for the rehearsal and the call time for the concert. If anyone has any uniform needs, please let Mrs. Mello know ASAP!!!
Also, there is a form to return concerning your participation in CCSC's season next year, which was sent out on June 1st. A copy of that form can be found here. It is our 20th Anniversary year and we are planning a great year. We hope to have you with us, whether you are staying the choir you are in currently or moving to another choir. We will be back to 3 separate choirs next year. Please take a few minutes to fill out the form (your child also has a hard copy) and return it on June 2.
Our end of year party for Bel Canto and Bella Voce is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16. Because Mrs. Mello is still teaching in Maplewood, it is very difficult for her to get back up to Sussex County before 4:30. Is there anyone who is willing to allow us to have the party at their home? CCSC will provide a licensed lifeguard and everyone helps with the food. We would need a home with a pool and outdoor eating area and a grill. Please let Mrs. Mello know if you are able to have the party at your house.
Thank you,
Mrs. Mello
June 1st, 2010
To all choristers who performed in the Memorial Day ceremony at Memory Park in Newton on this past Monday. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Thank you to all Bel Canto, Bella Voce and Concert Choir members who took time out of their holiday weekend to participate in remembering the men and women who have helped defend our freedom throughout the world on behalf of the United States of America. It was a beautiful (and hot!) ceremony. You sang beautifully! Thank you also to all the parents who brought their child(ren) so they were able to participate.
To the Bel Canto and Bella Voce choristers who participated in the High Notes Festival two weeks ago in Pennsylvania, congratulations on a wonderful performance. With only 14 singers, you made CCSC very proud.
Bravo!!!!
- Mrs. Mello
June 1st, 2010
Chior Notes - May 2010
A downloadable version of these notes can be found here.
Concert - Monday, May 31, 2010 Memorial Day
WHAT: Perform with the New Sussex Symphony Orchestra at the conclusion of the Newton Memorial Day Parade
WHERE: Memory Park, Newton, NJ
DATE: Monday, May 31, 2010
TIME: 9:45 AM (call time for the choir)
UNIFORM: Choir shirts and khaki shorts and sneakers
SPRING CONCERT DATES:
Wednesday, June 9 - Mandatory Dress Rehearsal at Blessed Kateri Church, Stanhope Road, Sparta, NJ
- Bel Canto/Bella Voce at 4:30-6:00 pm
- Concert Choir at 6:00-7:30 pm
Saturday, June 9 - Spring Concert at Blessed Kateri Church, Stanhope Road, Sparta, NJ
- Chorister call at 6:15 pm
- Concert at 7:30 pm
********Always check the CCSC website for information********
PLEDGE FOR CHILDREN”S CHORUS of SUSSEX COUNTY 2010-2011 SEASON
CCSC will return to 3 separate choirs next year with Bel Canto and Bella Voce having their own rehearsal space and conductor. Rehearsals will be the same day and time – Wednesday 4:30-6:00. Please let us know if you will be returning next season with CCSC. Return your pledge with a $100.00 deposit by next Wednesday, June 2, 2010. If you are interested in auditioning for the next level choir, auditions will be by appointment beginning the week of June 20. As general guidelines the chiors are:
Bel Canto - grades 1 – 4
Bella Voce - grades 5 – 7
Concert Choir - grades 7 – 12
Please return your response on Wednesday, June 2 with your deposit in an envelope labeled with your name. Thank you for another wonderful year!
April 16th, 2010
The Lia Sophia fundraiser has kicked off. Many of you had the opportunity to meet Emma Dolan, on Wednesday and get a look at some of the beautiful jewelry. If you didn't, check out the catalogue or go online to www.liasophia.com/emmadolan and click on the link for "Our jewelry". To get credited properly, you'll see an area where it says: "Look up your hostess". Under first name, type in "Childrens Chorus". That will ensure that any order gets credited to your chorus account. If you know that a friend or family member has ordered through the website, turn in a list of their names along with your name, so your chorus account gets credited properly. Catalogues and order forms are still available. You can pick them up this Sunday or next Wednesday.
Please direct any questions to:
Emma Dolan (570)460-3806 or emmabdolan@yahoo.com or: Kim Stetzel - KimSDC@aol.com.
April 14th, 2010
Chior Notes - April 2010
On Friday, May 21st we will be taking our annual trip to the High Notes Music Festival in Allentown, PA and spend the rest of the day in Dorney Park. Although the trip is on a school day, most of the choristers do attend. Many families make a family outing of the day. Uniform for the day is CCSC shirt, khaki or tan shorts, white socks, and sneakers.
All choristers will meet the morning of Friday, May 21st (time to be announced) in the Marshall’s parking lot in Newton to board the bus to the High Notes Music Festival. All choristers must ride to the festival on the bus. Driving directions will be available for parents needing them. After the festival, choristers will be released to their parents or a parent chaperone who will drive them to Dorney Park, be responsible for them at the park and drive them back to Sussex County.
Combination Music Festival/Dorney Park tickets which include the cost of the bus ride to the festival, participation in the festival and admission to Dorney Park are $60 per chorister. Tickets for all family members are at the discounted rate of $31.50. Children 2 years of age and younger are FREE. Proceeds from your child’s fundraising account can be used to pay for tickets for your child and/or family members.
Please fill out the form found here and return no later than April 28th (flower and Sophia jewelry fundraiser turn in day). For questions please click here to contact Holly Livesey or e-mail her at h.livesey@verizon.net
April 12th, 2010
To Choristers, Families and Alumni:
We have arranged an additional fundraiser for this year through Lia Sophia jewelry. Catalogues went home with some from Concert Choir on Sunday and will be available for all Choristers this Wednesday. The sale will close on Wednesday, April 28. Jewelry will be available for pick-up on Wednesday, May 5. Lia Sophia's April special is - buy 2 full price items and get up to 4 additional items at 1/2 off. Unlike many other similar offers, the 1/2 price items can be the more expensive items. This is a great deal and there is some nice jewelry - perfect for Mother's Day or to update your wardrobe for spring! A percentage of your sales will be credited to your chorus account. The more the Children's Chorus sells, as a whole, the higher the total percentage which gets credited back. So, it benefits everyone for as many of us to participate as possible. In addition, for any "shows" you book through this sale, 10% of the proceeds from that show will also be given back to your chorus account.
A representative from Lia Sophia will be present in the back hall on Wednesday 4/14 from 4:15 until after 7pm. She will have a display of jewelry and be available to answer questions. You can preview and even order the jewelry online at www.liasophia.com/emmadolan. Make sure you specify that the order is from CCSC. This way, out of town relatives can also order and have the jewelry shipped right to them!!! For additional information, contact Emma Dolan at (570)460-3806 or emmabdolan@yahoo.com.
April 12th, 2010
If you are interested in seeing the show at Montclair University that the Concert Choir is performing at on April 24th, please go to the following link in order to purchase tickets:
If you wish to purchase tickets for the performance, please go here or directly to the ordering page here.
February 8th, 2010
Upcoming Schedule Changes
Due to the impending weather, rehearsal for this coming Wednesday, February 10th is cancelled.
Due to the holiday this weekend, there is no rehearsal this Sunday, February 14th.
On Ash Wednesday (February 17th) the choir will be rehearsing at Christ Church from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM.
January 27th, 2010
Chior Notes - February 2010
A downloadable version of these notes can be found here.
February 20th
Bel Canto, Bella Voce and the Concert Choir will be performing for the New Jersey Music Educators at their state convention at the Hilton Hotel Conference Center in East Brunswick on Saturday, February 20.
Busses will be provided to transport the choirs to the hotel. Plan to meet in Marshall’s parking lot at 7:30 am that morning. Concert Choir should be dressed in formal concert dress and Bella Voce/Bel Canto should wear their CCSC shirt, nice blue jeans and clean sneakers.
Parent chaperones are needed to accompany the singers on the busses. If you are interested in going, please e-mail Mrs. Mello at dmello@nac.net to let her know.
The busses will return around 12 noon. This performance is listed in your calendar and all choristers are expected to participate.
Wednesday, February 17 (Ash Wednesday)
Concert Choir is not scheduled to have a rehearsal on Wednesday, February 17 because of the Ash Wednesday service at Christ Church. However, because of the February schedule, we have very few rehearsals to get ready for our performance at the New Jersey State Music Teachers Conference. I have asked the Concert Choir members if we could meet on Wednesday, February 17 at 6:00 and rehearse until 7:00 pm. It is very important that we have this time to polish our performance. If you have a conflict and cannot attend, please e-mail Mrs. Mello.
November 12th, 2009
Chior Notes - November 2009
A downloadable version of these notes can be found here.
Please read all of the information below and mark your calendars with these updates. Our choirs depend on everyone having the correct information so we can continue to strive for excellence in our learning and singing.
Poinsettia and Wreath Sale
Our annual poinsettia and wreath sale begins today. The order form can be found here or on the Forms and Fundraisers page. All orders must be received no later than Sunday, November 22 and mailed to Karen Plaza at 16 Sally Harden Road, Wantage, NJ 07461. Please make checks payable to CCSC. If you are able to combine all the payments and submit one check, that is very helpful for our accounting. The poinsettias are always beautiful and make great gifts. Don’t forget to approach local businesses, many of them have purchased from our choir in the past. The percentage of what each chorister sells goes into an individual account for them. Concert Choir is planning a big trip in 2011, so think about selling to boost your account over the next 2 years.
Dress Rehearsal & Holiday Concert
Wednesday, December 2 is our dress rehearsal at the Presbyterian Church (next to Christ Church) in Newton. Our dress rehearsal does not require that you come in your concert clothes. It just means we rehearse in the place where we perform the concert. This is a very important rehearsal and all singers are expected to attend. (Fredon School parents of 5th graders? please see Mrs. Mello ASAP). The dress rehearsal for Bel Canto & Bella Voce is 4:30 -6:00 pm. The dress rehearsal for Concert Choir is 6:30 – 8:00 pm. **Please note the change in time for Concert Choir**.On the day of the concert, Bel Canto & Bella Voce should report to the Presbyterian Church at 5:45 pm. Concert Choir should report at 6:15 pm. Choristers should bring a water bottle and/or a fruit snack. Please do not bring salty snacks. This will only make you very thirsty before you sing. The doors will open for seating at 6:45 pm. No one will be allowed in the church before that time except the choristers and staff.
Concert Uniforms
Please make sure that you have all parts of your concert uniform in time for our concert. A few children who performed at the Fireman’s Memorial Service at Kittatinny did not have black shoes or the correct shirt. Please make sure that the white shirt is a long-sleeved, white button-down collar oxford style shirt. No round or pointed collars please! Concert Choir and Bella Voce girls must have the recommended shoes. And don’t forget the pearls! Boys in Bella Voce who are waiting for their vests, we will have them for you very soon. If you have any questions about the uniform, please speak with Lori Harden, by e-mail here, or Mrs. Mello, by e-mail here, immediately.
Honor Choir Auditions
Each year singers from our choirs audition for the New Jersey Elementary & Junior High Honor Choirs. The audition is recorded by Mrs. Mello and sent to the audition committee. If your child is interested in auditioning (see the audition material and requirements), Mrs. Mello will have an audition sign-up sheet for auditions on Saturday, December 12. In order to audition please fill out the entire form (including your child’s height), including all signatures and return the form with a check made payable to CCSC (Holly Livesey send in one check for all the students) and a new high quality compact disc for recording. The Elementary Choir accepts students currently in 4th through 6th grade. The Junior High Choir accepts students currently in 7th through 9th grade.
Performance at the New Jersey Music Educators Conference
All three of our choirs in CCSC have been invited to perform at the New Jersey Music Educators Conference held annually at the East Brunswick Hilton Hotel in February. Bel Canto & Bella Voce will perform in a workshop for music teachers and Concert Choir will perform in a lobby concert on the morning of February 20, 2010 (Saturday). CCS will provide a bus to the conference for all the choristers. We will need a few parents to travel with the children and help them once they arrive at the conference. On the chorus calendar that you received in September, we had not received the exact date for this performance. Please make sure that you mark your calendar for Saturday, February 20. This is a great honor to be invited from al the choirs who submit for this conference. It is expected that all children participate in this performance. If you have a conflict with this date, please notify Mrs. Mello immediately by e-mail here.
Concert Opportunity for Concert Choir to perform with the Montclair University Singers in Benjamin Britten’s St. Nicholas
This week we received a call from Dr. Heather Buchanan, conductor of choirs at Montclair University. She is very interested in having Concert Choir sing the children’s choir portion of Britten’s St. Nicholas (Concert Choir sang a few movements from this piece in South America two summers ago). The dates for the performances are: Friday, April 23 at 11:30 am and Saturday, April 24 at 8:00 pm in the new concert hall at Montclair University. This would mean 1 day out of school. This is an incredible opportunity for us. Montclair University each year performs at NJPAC in Newark and if we can show what a wonderful group of singers we are, when they need children’s choirs for their NJPAC performances, they will most certainly involve us. Because this opportunity is not on our calendar and the fact that you will need to take a day out of school, we will not commit to this request from Montclair unless we can be assured that we have 25-30 singers who are willing to participate. You must commit to both days to perform. They wanted us 2 days out of school and we told them that we could only do one for the dress rehearsal on Friday for the Saturday performance. If you are interested in performing this great work with a fantastic choir, soloist and orchestra, please e-mail Holly Livesey or give her a note no later than Sunday, November 15. If you have any questions, please let Mrs. Mello know. The college will pay to transport the choir for the two days of performances.
Ithaca
The dates for our residency at Ithaca College is June 27 through July 2. This trip is great fun for meeting other choirs, working with Dr. Janet Galvan and Nick Page, and enjoying fun evening activities in the Ithaca area. We are working to keep this trip as low in cost as possible. It is hoped that all Concert Choir members will be able to participate in this trip. It is not impossible to raise the entire cost of this trip with fundraiser money – so get moving and let’s make this a trip to remember with all of our singers in Concert Choir. Information will be available soon.
Kudos
Congratulations to Bel Canto & Bella Voce for a beautiful performance on October 23 at Kittatinny High School for the Fireman’s, Police and EMS Memorial Program. We received a beautiful letter from our County Sheriff, from the Fireman’s Association and Emergency Medical Services for a beautiful job. And they have already invited our choirs for next year.
Congratulations to our singers who performed in Atlantic City last week for All State. Serena Gattuso, NJ All State Jazz Choir, and Tess Oldfield and Amber Blakovich in the NJ All State Mixed Choir. We also have several students participating in the Sussex County Junior & Senior High Honor Choirs.
August 17th, 2009
Welcome to the start of a new year at the Children’s Chorus of Sussex County website. Rehearsals are just around the corner, beginning Wednesday September 9th, and Mrs. Mello and our Board are in the final stages of preparation for another fun and exciting year.
Please note that already posted in the forms section are the order forms for two of our major fall fundraisers: the chrysanthemum sale and concert program ads. Please note that all chrysanthemum orders are due the first day of rehearsal with no exceptions. Also being collected on the 9th will be any music from previous concerts. Please stop by the box placed by the door and drop off any music that you may still have.
Once again this year, CCSC will be assisting in the selling of any gently used uniforms. So if you have a chorister who moved to a different choir, has a uniform that does not fit, or is not returning, this is a great opportunity. If interested additional information may be found here.
As always if you notice any mistakes on the website, or have any comments/suggestions please feel free to contact me here. Thank you in advance for your input.
I wish everyone a very enjoyable end to your summer, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
- Clinton, Webmaster