Choir News
Current 'High Notes' newsletter (in pdf format)
Remember to read your newsletters! There are many choir activities and it is important that you stay informed. If you miss a rehearsal, be sure to click on the link above to read the High Notes from the day you missed, or check the archive below.
'High Notes' newsletter archive
Click here for our Photo Archive.
| ! | WELCOME TO OUR 25th SEASON!
The Girls Choir began forming in Fall 1986 and met for the first time in January 1987, so that makes the 2011-12 season our 25th anniversary! Special activities and performances are being planned to commemorate this special year. |
| ! | NO REHEARSAL ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011
The Girls Choir will not meet for rehearsals on October 17 due to Fall Break. |
| ! | EARTH FARE "CUT THE BAG HABIT" PROMOTION
 
Earth Fare (the healthy supermarket!) is helping the Girls Choir with a support program called "Cut the bag habit". Click the brown flyer above for more information. |
| ! | REHEARSALS:
Just a brief reminder about regular rehearsal times on Mondays: NOVELLINA (grade 3) - 5:00-5:45 CANTILENA (grades 4-5) - 4:45-6:00 BELLA VOCE (grades 5-6) - 5:15-6:30 JUBILATE (grades 7-8) - 4:45-6:30 GRACE MOORE (grades 9-12) - 5:15-7:00 |
| ! | NEW CHOIR HOME!
In 2010, after much searching for a new office location, the Girls Choir found a home! Ridgedale Baptist Church (at 1831 Hickory Valley Road, near Hwy 153 and I-75; see map #1 below) offered us space for both an office and choir rehearsals. The move is now complete, and all Chattanooga Girls Choir operations are now located at Ridgedale Baptist Church. Our new office is located on the second floor across from the Sanctuary (see map #4 below). Come into the building through the Atrium entrance shown in the photo #5 below, then take the elevator to the second floor. Turn right out of the elevator and then left at the end of the hallway to get to the choir offices. New choir office phone number: (423) 296-1006 New choir mailing address:
Photos and maps of our new office home (click to see larger images):
1 3 |
 | Photography volunteer needed:
We are in need of one or more parent volunteers to take photos (preferably digital) of the choirs at performances for use on the choir web site and in the semiannual newsletter. Please contact the choir office if you might be able to help out. |
| >> | Kindermusik: Looking for something for your little one to do while your choir member is in rehearsal? There are a variety of Kindermusik classes being offered during rehearsal times on Mondays at Ridgedale Baptist. Need more information? Interested? Contact Megan Taylor, 931-808-2838. |
| >> | Free time during rehearsals? Here are just a few no-cost ways to occupy your time during Monday rehearsals: 1- Volunteer for the choir. Now that all of our operations are under one roof there will always be a project or two needing to be taken care of. 2- Enjoy an afternoon run or walk? As long as the afterschool program at Ridgedale is not using the fields across the street, please feel welcome to enjoy them. 3- Like to coupon? Interested in having a coupon swap on Mondays during rehearsal? Some choir moms may be sitting in Room 101 swapping coupons while their little ones eat snacks. |
| >> | Facebook group:
One of the Grace Moore alums started a Chattanooga Girls Choir group on Facebook.com, and so far over 50 girls have joined, both alums and current singers. Those of you with a Facebook account may want to check it out and join in the discussions! |
| >> | Annual Newsletter:
The Girls Choir will be sending out a brief newsletter once or twice a year to choir alums and other friends in the community. If you are an alum or know of someone who would like to be kept informed of the choir's activities, please call the choir office and leave the name and address. If you are a volunteer and would like to assist with this letter, please contact the choir office. |
| >> | Delores Beery-Norwood, director of the Cantilena Choir, gives private voice lessons, and Penny Tullock, the wonderful accompanist for the Concert Choir, gives private voice and piano lessons. Please call the Music Department of the First Baptist Church at 265-2257 for details. |
| >> | We desperately need original fund-raising ideas for the choir. We would like to buy our own risers, help pay for our new uniforms, and cut the cost of touring for our over-burdened families. If you have suggestions, please contact the choir office. |
| >> | The attendance policy is in your handbook. Please note that there is no need to write excuses when a choir member is absent from rehearsal, since the policy states that up to four rehearsal absences are permitted, regardless of whether or not the absences are "excused". Five or more absences during one semester will mean the member will be subject to exclusion from upcoming performances. Any performance absences do still require a written excuse. |
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
There have been problems in the past with girls trickling into or leaving rehearsal at various times, costing those members valuable practice time and disrupting the concentration of the rest of the choir. Therefore, for the good of the whole choir, a strict attendance policy was implemented in 1997.
The rules are:
* Five or more rehearsal absences in one semester means the singer is subject to exclusion from upcoming performances.
* Three "incompletes" (arriving late to rehearsal or leaving early from rehearsal) equals one absence.
Remind your choir member that she must check in with a rehearsal chaperone when she arrives - the chaperones cannot be expected to remember later whether or not she was there. A singer will be counted tardy (an "incomplete" rehearsal) if she is not in her seat and ready to sing at the assigned starting time. In addition, if a singer leaves rehearsal early (usually permitted only if a parent's note is shown or if the parent comes and gets the singer), this will be recorded as an early departure and will count in her total of "incomplete" rehearsals.
If you anticipate a persistent problem with arriving on time or leaving early , please discuss this with the chaperones and/or the choir director so that a satisfactory arrangement can be made.
Please note that a singer is expected to participate in ALL performances unless specifically told by the director that a performance is optional. If a singer cannot perform, she must notify the director or the office in advance if at all possible and bring a written note explaining her absence to the next rehearsal.
ADDITIONAL CHOIR INFORMATION
2011-2012 Choir Handbook (in pdf format)
(Note: requires the free Adobe Acrobat reader, available here at the
Adobe web site.)
Board of Directors and Parents Support Organization.
| ++ | SPECIAL GUEST CONDUCTOR WORKSHOP
On Saturday, March 20, 2010, the CGC hosted a special guest, Dr. David Childs, Assistant Professor of Choral Studies at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Childs has composed many choral works, including "Weep No More", one of the favorites of the Grace Moore choir. Members of all CGC choirs had a chance to work with Dr. Childs. 
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| ++ | 2008 ALUMNAE CHOIR:
To celebrate the 21st anniversary of the founding of the Chattanooga Girls Choir, alumnae of the choir gathered together on June 7, 2008 for a concert in the First Baptist chapel. Three of the four current/past Artistic Directors of the choir were able to participate (1997-2000 director Ed Huey had a gig at Riverbend!), and over 40 girls (women!) came together to rehearse all day on a Saturday and perform that evening. The pieces performed included many favorites from years past, including "How Can I Keep From Singing?", "Children, Go Where I Send Thee", "Oh, Mio Bambino Caro", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", and others, as well as two new favorites by Z. Randall Stroope, "Omnia Sol" and "Psalm 23". The concert was fantastic! Two of the alums, Janel Frazee and Holli Harrison, are currently professional opera singers, and each of them wowed the audience with their individual performances. (Note to those who participated: An audio recording was made of the concert, and we will mail you a CD as soon as it has been edited.) If you have ever been a member of the Chattanooga Girls Choir and are older than high school age, you are considered an alumna of the CGC, so please make sure the office has current contact information for you. We'd like to keep in touch with you to keep you updated on choir and alum events, and we also want to be sure to invite you to participate in the next alumnae concert on our 25th anniversary! |
| ++ | A CD of the Chattanooga Girls Choir was released in Spring 2000, and it's wonderful! Songs come from concerts during 1997-2000 and include such favorites as "Edelweiss","This Christmastide", "Festival Sanctus", "Shenandoah", "Hello Girls", and more. It's only $12 and may be ordered at rehearsals. Proceeds benefit the Chattanooga Girls Choir. |
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