CDH Choir Notes

New Choir Website!

2009-08-24T21:35:00.000-05:00

If you have reached this blog in search of information about the choirs today's post is to let you know that the choir has a brand new website!

This will replace both this blog and the subsequent google sites page and was created as a part of the overhaul of the school's web presence.

If you want to type in the address rather that typing in the link it is: http://www.cretin-derhamhall.org/christopher_jacobson.aspx

Just so you know, this will be the last posting on the CDH Choir Notes blog. It's been a great way to keep in touch and hopefully has been useful to you. I look forward to you exploring and using the new website!

Chris Jacobson

Volunteer Oportunities

2008-06-23T12:01:00.007-05:00

There is a big need for parent/family (guardians, grandparents, aunts, uncles..) volunteers with the choirs. All of these projects will be done by Mr. Jacobson and students if absolutely necessary but having a dedicated volunteer to fill the position who could give more attention and energy to the project would certainly be a better situation. Any of the projects can be divided up between a couple of volunteers if that would work better for the individuals in question. And there will be some guidance and oversight from Mr. Jacobson for each of areas as well.

If you would like to volunteer for any of the projects right away or have questions please feel free to contact Mr. Jacobson by email this summer, or you may call the choir office at 651-696-3315.

So here are the projects as of summer 2008 (there could be more, or if you have an idea of a need please suggest it...) as well as a timeline of when the project would occur, and a brief description of what the project would entail:

Happenings Books Sale
The choir members will be selling the familiar discount books again this year. And because this is a choir trip year the choir will also be selling the books at the CDH Back to School Night in September. The volunteer leader would be asked to coordinate the sale of the books on back to school night. Additional help could involve encouraging students and families to take part in the project and perhaps help with double checking money collection. He or she could also coordinate student sales if available during the school day, however that would be a job Mr. Jacobson could easily do. Timeline: late August through September; with attendance before, during, and after Back to School Night.

Poinsettia Sale
After a one year hiatus the Gertens Poinsettia Sale returns to the CDH Choir. The plan is to have delivery coordinated with the Christmas Dinner and Silent Auction on December 6/7, however the advance paperwork from Gertens again lists an order date at the end of October. The volunteer would help with deciding what products to include in the sale, compiling a master order from student order forms, totaling the amout sold by individual students, possibly help with money collection, and then coordinating delivery. Timeline: early October, orders at the end of the month, and then delivery December 6 AM and following the Dinner on the 7th.

Choir Robes
This project would involve sorting robes by size (already fairly completed, just some re-sorting from this past spring), assigning robes to students, and then labeling the robes for students to be able to find them. Some of the robes could also use some mnor repair - sewing some zippers in etc. Timeline: any time prior to the first use of the robes on December 17, preferably early December.

Christmas Dinner Invitations & Tickets
This person, or people, would be responsible for the design, printing, and distribution of invitations for the Christmas Dinner. Students will be asked to help with sending invitations/selling tickets and money raised from ticket sales by individual students will go into their trip accounts, so the volunteer will be asked to keep track of how many tickets students sell and maybe help in encouraging students to sell. The volunteer would also keep track of the total number of tickets sold. Additionally the volunteer could be asked to help with will-call ticket distribution at the dinner itself. Timeline: early November through the Dinner on December 7.

Christmas Dinner Decorations
This is a fairly straight forward one, the person in this project would coordinate decorating the CDH Auxiliary Gym for the Christmas Dinner. There are some materials already in the position of the choir for decoration and others could possibly be borrowed from the band or will be rented from the caterer. In addition there is a small budget for purchasing decorative items, however the less spent on decorations the higher the fundraising amount so we do want to keep that in check. The volunteer would be asked to help (or take over...) the design of the decorations and coordinate the set-up of those decorative elements. The choir students will be required to assist with set-up, including decoration. Timeline: planning, preferably prior to Thanksgiving; set-up in the morning of December 7; and possibly some removal to storage following the dinner.

Christmas Dinner Catering Assistance
In terms of time spent on the project this is one of the most simple for the year. The volunteer would be asked to briefly check-in with the caterer (probably Tinucci's) briefly the week prior to the dinner, make sure tables are set by students, help distribute pre-dinner food and drink, and supervise and direct student servers. Timeline: one phone call or meeting the week of December 1-5, and then before and during the Dinner on the 7th.

Christmas Dinner Silent Auction
This is a big project, and might be a good one to divide between a couple of volunteers, though one parent (Mary Fox) did a great job with it last year. With it being a trip year this is potentially a big fundraiser for the choir so I'd love to see this project expanded a bit. The volunteer(s) would be asked to help provide ideas for potential auction items, assist in procuring those items, perhaps encourage students and familys in procuring items, set up the auction, price and produce bid sheets for the items, and then run and check-out the auction at the Christmas Dinner itself. Timeline: planning and item procurement in early November, set up on December 6, and before, during, and after the Christmas Dinner on the 7th.

Candy Sale (Or Other Early 2009 Fundraiser)
This project is still in the early planning stages. My thought at this point is to sell the same fair-trade chocolate that the CDH Band sells in early 2009, perhaps in anticipation of Valentine's Day. There are, however, other options such as other gift or even fruit sales. The volunteer for this project would be asked to help make a decision as to what product to sell, help encourage students and families in the project, coordinate a sales table at parent/teacher conferences, help total student orders, and maybe help with money collection. Timeline: planning meeting in 2008, conferences on January 22, done by January 26.

SEC Festival Supervision
This is another fairly simple, straight foward volunteer opportunity. The volunteer would be asked to stay in the homeroom for the choir at the Suburban East Conference Music Festival, make sure student property is secure, supervise any students in the room, and send students out to watch performances. Supervision could probably be coordinated with band volunteers to allow the choir (and band) volunteer to watch the performance of his or her children. Timeline: approximately 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on Monday, February 2 at Stillwater High School.

Myrtle Beach Trip Chaperones
This is a big one, and there will be a need for several individuals! It's also the only volunteer position that would require the volunteer to pay for the experience - $516 for double occupancy, $465 for quad occupancy, and $617 for single occupancy. The volunteers will have a variety of responsibilities supervising students during the choir trip which will be laid out in a separate document, suffice it to say that this is a big responsibility that is potentially very rewarding as well. Hopefully there will be more interest than positions for this opportunity and in that case a procedure for choosing chaperones will be outlined. Timeline: evening chaperone meeting in February, evening parent trip meeting also in February, then nearly 24 hour per-day availabilty (not scheduled, but the potential is there...) from late afternoon Friday March 5 through late evening Wednesday March 11.

Large-Group Contest Hosts
Next year CDH will host one of the Minnesota High School League Section 4AA Large-Group Choir contests. Volunteers would assist in several ways: making sure the judges have water, pencils, etc; collecting completed critique sheets, tabulating results, and escorting choirs to and from warm-up and performance sites on schedule. Timeline: approximately 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday, March 19.

Solo/Ensemble Contest Supervision
This is another fairly simple project. The volunteer would be asked to remain in the CDH homeroom area to maintain security of student belongings, supervise students, and perhaps assist with moving students to their performance sites on schedule. Timeline: afternoon and evening of Tuesday, April 14 at Woodbury High School.

Night of Song Reception
Though it didn't happen this previous year I think it would be a nice addition to the Night of Song to have an awards reception at which students would be recognized for their solo and ensemble performance achievments for the year. The volunteer would be asked to coordinate a fairly simple (and probably pot-luck style) reception to follow the Night of Song performance and to set up the reception. Timeline: planning the last week of April and set-up for the event on Tuesday, May 5.

2008-2009 Choir Year - Updated

2008-05-14T12:02:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone. We've had some dates and arrangements fall into place and next year is looking to be an exciting one for the choirs here at CDH! Here are some previews of what to expect:

September

Trip fundraising starts with selling Happenings Books (kick-off date for the sale is August 28)
Homecoming Mass is the 12th, we might sing if we can get something ready in two weeks...

October

The second fundraiser for the year will be the poinsettia sale that will begin in mid October.
On Saturday the 25th a select group of students will travel to St. John's to participate in the ACDA of MN Men's/Women's Choir Festiv al.

December

The major fundraiser, and first performance of the year - the Christmas Dinner - will take place on Sunday the 7th. Performances by the choirs, soloists, and small groups as well as a great meal and a silent auction - what a great way to start the Christmas Season!
On Wednesday the 17th the choirs will join with the CDH bands to present their annual Christmas Concert.

January, 2009

A select group of students will participate in rehearsals as members of the SEC All-Conference Choir on the 11th and on February 1st.

February

The Choral Arts Ensemble will participate in the SEC Music Festival on Monday the 2nd. Members of the All-Conference Choir will perform in a concert that evening.

March

Choir trip to Myrtle Beach, SC!!! We'll leave in the afternoon of Friday the 6th after trimester 2 finals are over and return in the evening of Wednesday the 11th.
A Mid-Winter/Welcome Home Concert will take place on Monday 16th.
At some point in mid-March auditions will be held for the Minnesota All-State Choirs.
MSHSL Section 4AA Large-Group Choir Contest will be on Thursday the 19th - possibly at CDH.

April

MSHSL Section 4AA Solo/Ensemble Contest will be on the 14th.
While not technically a choir event the CDH Theatre Spring Musical will be performed the weekends of the 24th-26th and May 1st-3rd.

May

Fine Arts Week at CDH will take place the week following the spring musical.
The Night of Song will be the Tuesday the 5th.
And to cap off our formal concerts for the year the Spring Concert will take place on Thursday the 14th.

There will, of course, be other smaller performances particularly at Mass during the school day. And we'll have another fundraiser probably starting in October or November, and probably consisting of candy sales though specific arrangements have yet to be made.

2009 Choir Trip Proposals

2008-03-12T20:24:00.007-05:00

Hello everyone, as the planning for next year's choir trip starts I thought this would be as efficient a way as any to get information out and gather opinions. I've included a lot of information in this posting including many links to sites with additional information.

If you are a current choir student or parent please leave a comment below - I get all comments emailed to me for approval before they are posted so your comments will remain private - and let any future singers or parents you know about this posting as well, you can email it to them using the button below. If you are a future singer or parent I'd love to have your opinions too so that a trip can be planned with as many students as possible in mind. You can also email me with your feedback, but however you do it please let your opinion be known!

In particular I'm looking for which destination you'd prefer, if you'd prefer one of the options we've discussed but hasn't been "formally" proposed below (cruise, Puerto Rico, etc), or if there are other options you'd like to consider.

~ Mr. Jacobson

Now on to the proposals:

The tour company that we've been working with at this point is Sunshine Travel Company of Burnsville. This is the same company that the CDH Bands have used for quite some time. They are a 28 year old family-owned company with an excellent reputation. Some items that are featured in all of the proposals they've written for us (and included in the price) are:

4 nights in a AAA 3-4 diamond hotel
A company representative with the choir at all times during the trip
Motorcoach transportation while in our destinations
Motorchoaches with $5 million of liability insurance coverage
All taxes and gratuities on included activities
Quality music performance arranged for our choirs
Private clinic/workshop and adjudication at a major college or university
Carefully planned itinerary and timetable
Tour photo keepsake DVD (1 per person)
Continental breakfast and one other meal per day
$1 million liability group insurance coverage while on tour
Travel packet (medical forms, room list charts, chaperone guidelines, safety tips, etc.)

Sunshine Travel has prepared three proposals for us, any of these would be good options as would other possible destinations if students would be so interested. The three current proposals were selected to be destinations that many of the students may not have visited, while still sticking with the general indication from students that the destination should be "somewhere warm." At this point all of the proposals would assume air travel to the destination and then motorcoach transportation once there. Airfare is not known at this point but estimates were given. It would be a possibility to utilize motorcoach travel to the end destination instead which would likely reduce the final price of the tour but could also effect the total length/time at the destination for the trip. The sightseeing/activities and tour costs per student for the specific proposals are...

Atlanta & Savannah, Georgia

Six Flags Over Georgia - Including, the new Batman the Ride suspended outside looping ride - this is tentative depending on the park's schedule.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site - Visit Dr. King's grave, birth home, and the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached.
World of Coca-Cola Pavilion - The story of Coca-Cola is told through fascinating exhibits, and eye-popping collection of memorabilia, classic radio and TV ads, a fanciful representation of the bottling process, and a futuristic soda fountain you must see to believe.
Cyclorama - Step into the pages of history, where the Civil War's Battle of Atlanta unfolds around you. Experience the story from a revolving viewing platform - you are literally surrounded by the action.
Underground Atlanta - Six blocks and three levels of shopping, restaurants, and entertainment filled with street performers and historical sites - the original center of the city.
Little White House & Museum - Located in Warm Springs, GA (on our way to Savannah) this is the former home of FDR.
Atlantic Ocean beach fun in Savannah!
City Market & Historic Savannah - Four blocks of restored buildings with an artsy flair.
City Tour - In horse drawn carriages "ghost story tour" introduces you to the ghosts, specters, and spirits of haunted Savannah.
Many other possible options to include along with the above or to replace the above

Costs (based on quad occupancy): $739, with airfare $939-1189

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Alligator Adventure - Get up close and personal with thousands of alligators, crocodiles, snakes, and lizards. See unusual plants, colorful birds, and rare animals from all over the world.
Ripley's Sea Aquarium - This unique, state of the art, multi-sensory entertainment facility transports visitors to various aquatic environments. Be surrounded by beautiful, exotic, and dangerous sea life as you ride a moving pathway through a 310 foot long acrylic tube, touch a ray, hold a horseshoe crab, and enjoy the dive shows.
Barefoot Landing - The best at the beach for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Carolina Opry - Tour the facilities of a premier variety show.
Beach fun!
City Tour
Huntington Beach State Park - enjoy the natural beauty of the Myrtle Beach area.
Hard Rock Theme Park - Opening in 2008, the world's first rock and roll theme park (from the same people as Hard Rock Cafe) will be approximately 140 acres. Again this will only be included depending on the park's schedule.
Broadway at the Beach - A 350 acre entertainment complex with something for everyone.
And again there are other options available as well.

Costs (based on quad occupancy): $777, with airfare $977-1227

San Diego, California

SeaWorld - SeaWorld San Diego is one of the world's premier marine adventure parks with 200 acres of world-class shows, thrilling rides and unforgettable animal encounters.
San Diego Zoo - One of the most famous zoos in the world, this is a must-see for anyone visiting San Diego.
Old Town San Diego - Old Town, the Birthplace of California, is nestled in heart of San Diego, with over 150 restaurants, shops, and historical sites.
Museum of San Diego History
Seaport Village - Come explore Seaport Village's sprawling tropical grounds and find everything under the sun.
Misson Bay Park & Beach - fun at the beach!
Horton Plaza - The shopping is fabulous in this friendly "village" where a playful melange of building styles are done in a rainbow of colors. This multi-level shopping complex covers seven city blocks of shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Harbor Cruise - We'll have a meal while enjoying a cruise on the Pacific.
City Tour
And of course there are other options available here as well.

Costs (based on quad occupancy): $918, with airfare $1118-1368

Welcome Class of 2012

2008-02-26T13:52:00.005-06:00

Congratulations to all of you who have been accepted into the incoming 9th grade class of Cretin-Derham Hall! Everyone here is excited to have you as a part of this great community, and those of us in the Fine Arts Department and in particular the vocal music area are no exception.

We wanted to take this opportunity to invite you to get involved in the Fine Arts this fall - particularly choir, but there are lots of other opportunities as well: band, theater (at many different levels of involvement), art classes, music classes, improve, song writing, and the list goes on...

Being a part of choir is a great way to get involved as a student at CDH. Some reasons are:

The choirs are a great way to meet new people - next year both of the "during the school day" choirs will be young groups with lots of sophomores and some upperclassmen leadership.
The members of all of the choirs are fun, welcoming people who are involved in MANY other activities at the school - sports, JROTC, theater, student council, social justice, campus ministry, etc.
Choir is a team effort and members get to know one another well and build strong friendships.
The choirs are involved in a lot of activities at school and perform at the school and out in the community.
Being a member of the choirs at CDH opens up opportunities to take part in trips, festivals, contests, honor choirs, and eventually maybe even All-State Choir.
2008-2009 is a "trip year" for the choir which means we'll be taking an out-of-state trip in early March 09.

Being in the choir is also good for you. Some of the things you get out of choir are:

A place to express yourself - you get to be emotional and expressive with a great group of people without the scariness of having to do it on your own.
A focus on excellence - just think, .500 is a great batting average but if a choir sang even 5% of their notes wrong would would that sound like? And that's just getting the right notes, not to mention all the other things in the music...
An outlet for energy - we don't just sit still and read in the choir room!
Better breath support and balance - singing involves your entire body and being a trained singer improves your ability to use it. Who'd have though choir is good for sports?!?
Your ability to work as a team - everyone is important in choir, there aren't any "bench warmers" here.
A chance to shine in the spotlight - there are solo opportunities for those who want them.
Preparation for other areas both at CDH (musicals, campus ministry, theater, etc) and afterward (scholarships = money for college...)

So why not come give choir a try this fall? There are there choirs for you to choose from here and each of them could be a great fit for you. Remember you do not need to have any experience in choir in order to join. For boys especially, it can be fun to explore your "new" adult voice now that your voice change should be pretty much over.

If you are even remotely interested in choir at CDH you're encouraged to stop by and talk the director, Mr. Jacobson, at registration on the 4th. Everyone registering for choir for next year is encouraged to come in for a "placement interview" this spring. This short appointment is not an audition (unless you're planning on joining Pop Singers) but is rather a chance for Mr. Jacobson to get to know your voice and get the sections (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) of each of the choirs set before school starts. It's also a chance to meet Mr. Jacobson individually, get any questions you might have answered, and find out if the choir you want to join is the right fit for you - and there is a right fit for you, we just need to find it.

There are currently three choirs for you to choose from at CDH, each of which could be a great match for you:

The Choral Arts Ensemble is a mixed choir (men and women) for grades 9-12. The choir is categorized as "semi-select" meaning everyone is welcome but you are encouraged to have a "placement interview" before starting the course to make sure the group is the right fit for you. The choir will sing appropriately challenging music in 4-8 parts. As with the Select Treble Choir, Choral Arts Ensemble's repertoire will come from a wide variety of historical periods, styles, and cultures. That means, for example, that in one concert the choir might perform a jazz piece, something from the Renaissance, a Gospel roof-raiser, a contemporary choral piece from the past 25 years, and maybe something from a non-Western culture.

While a major focus of Choral Arts Ensemble is the preparation of music for specific performances, significant time and attention will be given to the development of musical and vocal skills. This will include studying how the voice works; healthful, relaxed, and supported vocal production; critical thinking about the music being performed; and music reading. Each student will also have individual vocal instruction outside of rehearsal. The choir will perform in a minimum of three concerts as well as festivals, competitions, and other performances. In addition members of Select Treble Choir are eligible and encouraged to participate in solo/ensemble, honor choirs, and All-State Choir.

Choral Arts Ensemble meets during the school day year-long for a total of 3 credits. Students with previous CDH choral experience may contract for honors credit. Students who are unable to commit to a year of membership may still be able to participate, see Mr. Jacobson with those concerns.

With the Choral Arts Ensemble, the Select Treble Choir is the other major "during the school day" choral group at CDH.

Select Treble Choir is the women's choir that has been a long standing choral group here at CDH with roots going back to the Derham Hall Glee Club. The choir is also a semi-select choir, again meaning that everyone is welcome in the group, but that a brief placement interview is requested before the beginning of the class. Select Treble Choir sings appropriately challenging music in 3-4 parts. The group's repertoire is from a wide variety of styles, historic periods, and cultures. There will truly be something for everyone.

As a major choir at CDH, students in Select Treble Choir will focus on a variety of musical and critical thinking skills in addition to the main focus of repertoire preparation. Students will receive individual voice instruction outside of rehearsal and will be eligible and encouraged to participate in solo/ensemble, honor choirs, and All-State Choir. The choir itself will perform in at least three concerts, as well as competitions, festivals, and other performances in and out of the school.

Select Treble Choir meets during the school day year-long for a total of 3 credits. Students with previous CDH choral experience may contract for honors credit. Students who are unable to commit to a year of membership may still be able to participate, see Mr. Jacobson with those concerns.

Something totally new to CDH next year is Pop Singers. This smaller choir's repertoire will be entirely from the jazz, popular, and musical theater styles. The vast majority of the focus and time in rehearsal will be spent on preparation for performance (including facial expression, gesture, body language, and some choreography) with a small secondary focus on healthful and stylistically appropriate vocal production. The current vision of Pop Singers is neither a jazz choir nor a show choir but a hybrid of the two, some pieces will be choreographed for performance while others will be performed somewhat more traditionally. Performances of Pop Singers are expected to be high-energy stage shows.

Pop Singers will be a select choir meaning that students must audition to gain membership in the group. The choir is intended to be an extension of, and addition to the major choirs at the school. Because of greater time constraints in Pop Singers, as well as the benefits of the non-performance aspects of the other choirs, current membership in either Choral Arts Ensemble or Select Treble choir is required for membership in Pop Singers.

Pop Singers will rehearse two mornings a week (tentatively Tuesday and Thursday) at 7:15, regular punctual attendance and a year-long commitment will be absolutely mandatory. The choir will be a part of the CDH curriculum and members will receive one credit for the year, or students may opt out of receiving credit.

Honors Credit/Performance Make-Up Options

2008-02-22T10:44:00.003-06:00

With the end of the trimester closing quickly there are still a few students in each choir that need to make up for a missed performance. And there are quite a few who need to complete the individual assignments for honors credit. Since some people still need this information and (and copies have already been handed out in class twice) here is what you need to do:

For honors credit each student needs to complete two of the following projects (it can be two of the same) and those needing to make up a performance need to complete one project per performance missed:

Project One - Extra Individual Voice Study (if you don't already have lessons scheduled for next week it's a little late for this one...)

You will need to attend 2 extra lessons (6 total unless otherwise agreed upon) used primarily for studying music other than the choir repertoire.

Project Two - Outside Concert Review

You will need to attend an entire concert somewhere outside of CDH, that does mean you can't leave early.
The performance does need to be a choir "concert" - a formal performance by a choral group, if you're not sure about whether or not a performance qualifies, ask.
Following the performance you need to write a 1-2 page paper answering the following questions:

What group, when, and where, what music, etc?
What did you like and dislike about the performance?
Did the choir portray the meanings of the songs, do you think they knew the meanings?
What did the choir do to engage the audience?
What did this choir do that you would like to do and/or avoid?

Project Three - Research or Reflection Paper on a Relevant Topic

You will need to research and write a short (maximum of 5 page) paper on a topic relevant to choir, the music we're doing, or topics we're discussing.
You should use a minimum of 3 sources cited and documented correctly.
Some possible topics include the following, there are more possibilities though you should ask for approval before spending the time researching and writing...

Composers - one's we're singing or major choral composers
Styles we're singing
Cultures who's music we're singing
Social issues reflected in the music we're singing - connect it to the music
History of the music, particularly major historical pieces

You may also choose to write a reflection (non researched, more analytical) paper of the same length, some possibilities, again get prior approval to ideas not on the list:

Concerts are often themed, how do two or more of the pieces reflect that theme, compare and contrast.
Connect a piece to your life experience or to common experiences of people your age.
Examine the message of a piece or two, how is that relevant to society, why is music a good medium to spread that message.
Examine an older piece, compare and contrast it's meaning and place in society when it was written with it's possible meaning and place in society today.

The National Catholic Youth Choir

2008-02-08T14:08:00.000-06:00

Those students who will be in grades 10. 11. or 12 next year are eligible for membership in the National Catholic Youth Choir.

The NCYC is an honor choir drawing singers from all across the country. It founded in 2000 and Mr. Jacobson was on the staff as a counselor/head counselor and program assistant for the choir's first three seasons. The choir's conductor is Dr. Axel Theimer who is the Director of Choral Activities at The College of St. Benedict/St. John's University. CDH senior Elizabeth Gleich is a former NCYC member.

The experience is in the form of a camp followed by a multi-state tour. The camp portion takes place on the campus of St. John's University in Collegeville, MN. During the camp participants have intensive daily rehearsals, recreation and social time, and participate in liturgies and short performances on campus. Then the choir goes on the road giving concerts and singing at liturgies. Previous tours having included Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan,Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Georgia.

This year's dates are June 16-July 2. And applications are due March 31. The cost of the entire experience this year is $650 and there are scholarships available. For more information or for application/audition materials click here. Or you can see Mr. Jacobson also.

Choir in 2008-2009

2008-01-09T11:14:00.000-06:00

Course registration for next year is a little less than a month away, which could be exciting and/or scary depending on how you look at it. There are going to be some changes in how choir works here at Cretin-Derham Hall that might like to know about.

First of all there will be three choirs available for students, the existing Select Treble Choir, the semi-existing Choral Arts Ensemble, and the totally knew group Pop Singers:

Select Treble Choir is the women's choir that has been a long standing choral group here at CDH with roots going back to the Derham Hall Glee Club. The choir is categorized as "semi-select" meaning everyone is welcome but you do need to have a "placement interview" before starting the course - see the section on placement interviews below for more information. Select Treble Choir sings appropriately challenging music in 3-4 parts. The group's repertoire is from a wide variety of styles, historic periods, and cultures. That means, for example, that in one concert the choir might perform a jazz piece, something from the Renaissance, a Gospel roof-raiser, a contemporary choral piece from the past 25 years, and maybe something from a non-Western culture.

While a major focus of Select Treble Choir is the preparation of music for specific performances, significant time and attention will be given to the development of musical and vocal skills. This will include studying how the voice works; healthful, relaxed, and supported vocal production; critical thinking about the music being performed; and music reading. Each student will also have individual vocal instruction outside of rehearsal. The choir will perform in a minimum of three concerts as well as festivals, competitions, and other performances. In addition members of Select Treble Choir are eligible and encouraged to participate in solo/ensemble, honor choirs, and All-State Choir.

Select Treble Choir meets during the school day year-long for a total of 3 credits. Students with previous CDH choral experience may contract for honors credit. Students who are unable to commit to a year of membership may still be able to participate, see Mr. Jacobson with those concerns.

With the Select Treble Choir, the Choral Arts Ensemble will be the other major choral group at CDH.

While mixed choirs (men and women) are the standard for high school vocal music programs there has only infrequently been one here at CDH. During the 2007-08 school year the Women's Chorus and Men's Vocal Ensemble were combined and have existed as the mixed ensemble Collegium Sine Nomine. Beginning with the 2008-09 school year the existence of a major mixed choir will be formalized with the creation of the Choral Arts Ensemble. Just a note, as the choir program at CDH grows it is my intention to once again offer a men's choir in addition to women's and mixed choirs.

The Choral Arts Ensemble will be also be a semi-select choir, again meaning that everyone is welcome in the group, but that a brief placement interview is requested before the beginning of the class. The choir will sing appropriately challenging music in 4-8 parts. As with the Select Treble Choir, Choral Arts Ensemble's repertoire will come from a wide variety of historical periods, styles, and cultures. There will truly be something for everyone.

As a major choir at CDH students in Choral Arts Ensemble will focus on a variety of musical and critical thinking skills in addition to the main focus of repertoire preparation. Students will receive individual voice instruction outside of rehearsal and will be eligible and encouraged to participate in solo/ensemble, honor choirs, and All-State Choir. The choir itself will perform in at least three concerts, as well as competitions, festivals, and other performances in and out of the school.

Choral Arts Ensemble meets during the school day year-long for a total of 3 credits. Students with previous CDH choral experience may contract for honors credit. Students who are unable to commit to a year of membership may still be able to participate, see Mr. Jacobson with those concerns.

Something totally new to CDH next year is Pop Singers. This smaller choir's repertoire will be entirely from the jazz, popular, and musical theater styles. The vast majority of the focus and time in rehearsal will be spent on preparation for performance (including facial expression, gesture, body language, and some choreography) with a small secondary focus on healthful and stylistically appropriate vocal production. The current vision of Pop Singers is neither a jazz choir nor a show choir but a hybrid of the two, some pieces will be choreographed for performance while others will be performed somewhat more traditionally. Performances of Pop Singers are expected to be high-energy stage shows.

Pop Singers will be a select choir meaning that students must audition to gain membership in the group. The choir is intended to be an extension of, and addition to the major choirs at the school. Because of greater time constraints in Pop Singers, as well as the benefits of the non-performance aspects of the other choirs, current membership in either Choral Arts Ensemble or Select Treble choir is required for membership in Pop Singers. Some limited exceptions may be made on an individual basis for students with prior experience in one of the CDH choirs.

Pop Singers will rehearse two mornings a week (tentatively Tuesday and Thursday) at 7:15, regular punctual attendance and a year-long commitment will be absolutely mandatory. The choir will be a part of the CDH curriculum and members will receive one credit for the year, or students may opt out of receiving credit.

The second change for next year will be the introduction of "placement interviews."

All students planning on being in any of the choirs are requested to come in for a brief informal meeting. It is NOT an audition - unless you want to be in Pop Singers - and should not be seen as high-pressure in any way. The goals of the placement interviews are to meet with you to know what you are expecting of choir and answer any questions, determine your voice part before rehearsals begin, to find which choir(s) will be the right "fit" for you, and to assure that all of the choirs are balanced. You may come individually or in groups of up to three, whatever is most comfortable for you. Placement interviews for current CDH students will begin on January 28. Dates for placement interviews for incoming freshmen will be determined soon.

Finally, next year is a trip year! That means that members of Choral Arts Ensemble and Select Treble Choir (and possibly Pop Singers) will be traveling sometime in early Spring of 2009. Details such as destination and exact travel dates will be finalized in the coming months. Students will have several opportunities to participate in fundraisers to offset costs of participation.

Welcome Back!

2008-01-07T12:10:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a good, restful Christmas/New Year's break.

The Choirs of Cretin-Derham Hall have a busy couple of months ahead. Here are a few dates and times to keep in mind:

Sunday, January 13 - SEC Honor Choir rehearsal at Roseville HS, 1:30-4:30.

Thursday, January 17 - Parent Teacher Conferences, presumably in the Commons...?, 1:30-5:00 and 6:00-8:30.

Friday & Monday, January 18 & 21 - no school.

Sunday, February 3 - SEC Honor Choir rehearsal at Roseville HS, 1:00-4:00.

Monday, February 4 - SEC Music Festival all day at Roseville HS (Select Treble Choir and SEC Honor Choir guys only)

Monday, February 4 - SEC Honor Choir/Band/Orchestra Concert, Roseville HS, 7:30 pm (SEC Honor Choir only).

Tuesday & Wednesday, February 5 & 6 - CDH Theater auditions for "Once Upon a Mattress," 3:00-6:00, call-backs on Thursday the 7.

Friday, February 15 - no school.

Wednesday, February 20 - CDH Choir Midwinter Concert, 7:00 pm in the Lillian Theater.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-21T07:43:00.000-06:00

So here we are on the last half-day before Christmas break, and a lot has happened...

Thank you to all the parents, friends, and supporters who came to the Christmas Dinner and the Band/Choir Christmas Concert on Wednesday night. Students, great job at both - keep up the good work! KSTP Channel 5 taped portions of the concert and may include some of that footage in their "collage" of local concerts on Christmas morning from 5-7am (you might wanna tape it and look for yourself later...)

There are some exciting new things happening in the "choir universe" at CDH next year so stay tuned...

Until then have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome Junior High Singers!

2007-12-11T19:50:00.000-06:00

Everyone here at Cretin-Derham Hall is very excited about the new All-Catholic-Schools Junior High Choirs!

These two brand new choral groups are just for YOU - 7th and 8th graders at Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis. Each choir is a chance for you to get together with students your age from other schools, sing some great music, and have a great time. We hope you will come join us for this exciting new program. Here's how it works...

Rehearsals are Saturday mornings - girls at 9:00 and boys at 9:50 yes that's kinda early, but what else are you gonna do? What cartoons like a little kid?

We'll rehearse 8 or so times and then give a quick concert to show off what you learned.

Why are girls and boys separated? To give you the chance to be yourselves! You can sing music especially designed for you - your voices, your abilities, and your PERSONALITIES...

Do you have to be a "good" singer? Heck no! If you like to sing, or think you might like to give it a try come on over - everyone is welcome so long as you're there to make the group as good as it can be. We want good team players.

Now some details for your parents...

Rehearsals will be with Chris Jacobson, Director of Vocal Music at Cretin-Derham Hall. Mr. Jacobson has been teaching choir, voice, and other music classes at schools in the Twin Cities and the Rochester area for 5 years.

Rehearsals are held in the CDH choir room: girls from 9:00-9:45 and boys from 9:50-10:35. To get to rehearsals go to the Cretin-Derham Hall campus at the corner of Randolph and Hamline Avenues in St. Paul. Use the door off the semi-circular driveway off Hamline Avenue just south of the CDH baseball field.

All music and expenses are covered by Cretin-Derham Hall, this experience is FREE for your child.

Rehearsals will be each Saturday from January 12 to March 1. There will be no rehearsal on Saturday, February 16 due to the Presidents Day Weekend holiday. If your child needs to miss some rehearsals that's easily workable and NOT a reason for them to miss out on this experience.

We'll conclude with a concert featuring the two choirs in the Cretin-Derham Hall Lillian Theater on Saturday, March 1 at 11:30.

If you would like to register your child either ask your school's music teacher for a registration form or email cjacobson@c-dh.org

Christmas Concert

2007-12-10T14:49:00.001-06:00

Hello all, just a reminder about the Christmas Concert next Wednesday, December 19 at 7:00 in the CDH Fieldhouse.

The concert is shared with the bands so the groups performing will be the Jazz Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Collegium Sine Nomine, and Select Treble Choir. Most of the choirs' music will be different from what was performed at the Christmas Dinner on the 2nd - so come and enjoy a late Advent evening of fun music.

Call time for the choirs will be 6:30 in the choir room.

December Choir Concerts

2007-12-07T14:22:00.000-06:00

For those students who are taking choir for honors level credit, or anyone who needs to make up a performance, here are some up-coming concerts for you to attend:

Saturday, December 8
CSB/SJU Choirs – Celebrating the Season
Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis, 8 pm

Christmas at Northwestern
Northwestern College, Roseville, 7:30 pm

Exultate – Tidings of Joy, Christmas Festival
Luther Seminary Chapel, St. Paul, 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 9
Christmas at Northwestern
Northwestern College, Roseville, 3 pm

Exultate – Tidings of Joy, Christmas Festival
Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, 4 pm

Monday, December 10
Park High School – Holiday Choir Concert
PHS Auditorium, 7 pm

Tartan High School – Holiday Choir Concert
THS Auditorium, 7 pm

Tuesday, December 11
University of MN – Chamber Choir & Concert Choir
Grace University Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, 7:30 pm - FREE

Wednesday, December 12
MN Orchestra & MN Chorale – The Messiah
Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis, 7:30 - $26-49

Thursday, December 13
MN Orchestra & MN Chorale – The Messiah
Cathedral of St. Paul, 7:30 - $26-49

St. Paul Central High School – Winter Concert
Central HS?, 7 pm

Friday, December 14
Macalester College – Traditions and Sirens Concert
Macalester College Concert Hall, 8 pm

Saturday, December 15
Kantorei – Celebrating the Mystery
Faith Lutheran Church, Coon Rapids, 7:30 pm

Hastings High School – Holiday Concert
Hastings HS Auditorium, 4 pm and 7:30pm

Sunday, December 16
Kantorei – Celebrating the Mystery
St. Paul Seminary Chapel, UST, 3 pm

MN Orchestra & MN Chorale – The Messiah
Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, 2 pm - $20-49

MN Boychoir – From the Realms of Glory
Faith Lutheran Church, Forrest Lake, 3 pm

Monday, December 17
Stillwater High School – Holiday Concert
SHS Auditorium, 7 pm

Woodbury High School – Holiday Concert
WHS, 7:30 pm

Tuesday, December 18
Hill-Murray Christmas Concert
Hill-Murray Auditorium, 7 pm

Mounds View High School – Choir & Orchestra Concert
MVHS Auditorium, 6:30 pm

Thursday, December 20
St. Thomas Academy – Upper School Christmas Concert
Visitation DeSalles Auditorium, 7 pm

Friday, December 21
The Rose Ensemble – An Early American Christmas
Church of St. Luke, St. Paul, 8 pm

Saturday, December 22
The Rose Ensemble – An Early American Christmas
Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis, 8 pm

Sunday, December 23
The Rose Ensemble – An Early American Christmas
Trinity Lutheran Church, Stillwater, 3 pm

MN Orchestra & MN Chorale – Messiah SING ALONG
Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, 2 pm

GMail and Google Calendar

2007-11-26T13:02:00.000-06:00

Starting today the student email at CDH will be switched over to GMail. The students have already heard a lot about this and I think they'll like the change. Many of them might even already have their own personal GMail address, I've had one for quite a while and and really like it.

One of the advantages of switching to GMail is that students will have Google accounts and will be able to use a variety of Google's other services, including Google Calendar. For students who wish to do so this will be another way that they can check their voice lesson schedule.

I have set up a specific calendar for voice lessons and students can get access to that from anywhere in the world and see when they have signed up for a lesson. To add the the "Choir Rehearsals/Lessons" calendar do the following:

From the Cretin-Derham Hall Start Page (clicking on the title of this posting will take you there) log into your email
Once you're logged in click on the the word "calendar" in the lower right - your personal calendar page should open
On the left there is a box labeled "My Calendars" with "Add" and an arrow pointing down - click on the arrow
Then click on "add a friend's calendar"
On the add other calendar screen type cjacobson(at)c-dh.org - replace the (at) with @, I'm just trying to avoid spam bots here
Once I get the request I'll approve (or I suppose reject if I have no idea who you are...) your request to add the choir calendar

Eventually, if things work well this might also be a way to schedule lessons. For now you still need to sign up in the classroom, but can check the schedule online.

Upcoming Choir Events

2007-11-12T19:57:00.000-06:00

The next month and a half is busy for high school choirs all over the area, and those at CDH are no exception. A brief reminder about some upcoming dates to keep in mind:

Saturday, December 1
Set up for the annual Christmas Dinner - 2:00 pm
(All students required to help with set-up unless excused by Mr. Jacobson in advance)

Sunday, December 2
Annual Christmas Dinner - 4:30 pm, Cretin-Derham Hall Auxillary Gym
All are invited to attend this event and celebrate the Advent and Christmas Seasons. Students will be singing traditional and contemporary holiday pieces solo and in small groups. In addition the Select Treble Choir and Collegium Sine Nomine will be performing several pieces each. Tickets available in advance only at a cost of $25. To reserve your tickets call 651-696-3315, email cjacobson@c-dh.org, or send your order as a comment below.

Students sound checks/arrival times TBA.

Wednesday, December 19
Band & Choir Christmas Concert - 7:00 pm, Cretin-Derham Hall Fieldhouse
Check back for more information on this sure-to-be-great performance!

Conferences

2007-10-22T13:51:00.000-05:00

It was great meeting all of you who came to parent/teacher conferences the last two days. It's always nice to meet the people behind the great students with whom I get to work.

I do have a clarification on grades: the report cards distributed at mid-trimester listed P or F for students in choir, however students will earn a regular letter grade for the trimester. After a lot of experimenting on my part, and with the assistance of CDH technology staff a good way of reporting progress on choir grades on Infinite Campus has yet to be found. More detailed progress reports were sent home the week before parent/teacher conferences. If you didn't receive that, or would like an update on how your daughter or son is doing please feel free to contact me.

If you weren't able to make it to conferences but have questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at school at any time. Or you may also leave a comment below and request that I not post it to the site. I see all of those posts before they become public.

Additional Performance Viewing Opportunities

2007-10-16T18:50:00.000-05:00

Students and parents, here are a few more concerts I found that you could attend and review to meet "performance proficiency" for this trimester:

This Sunday, October 21:
University of St. Thomas Choir and Bands, 2:00 pm, Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis

Friday, October 26:
University of MN Chamber Choir/Concert Choir/Campus Orchestra, 7:30 pm, Grace University Lutheran Church, Minneapolis

Friday, November 9:
Concordia University Vocal Jazz/Jazz Ensemble, 7:30 pm, CU Buetow Music Center Auditorium, St. Paul

Northwestern College Music Madness 1 (Men's Choir, Women's Choir & Band), 7:30 pm NC Maranatha Hall, Roseville

Saturday, November 10:
Northwestern College Music Madness 2 (College Choir & Orchestra) 7:30 pm, NC Maranatha Hall, Roseville

Sunday, November 11:
University of St. Thomas Women's Choir, 3:00 pm, UST Aquinas Chapel, St. Paul

Welcome

2007-10-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

Hello students, families, and visitors! I'm hoping this blog will be a useful tool in keeping you informed as to what's happening in the vocal music department at Cretin-Derham Hall. If you have suggestions or requests as to the kinds of postings or information you'd like to find here please feel free to let me know.

My plan is to add a new post once a week or so to let you know what's been happening up in the choir room. There may be times when postings will be a little more or less frequent depending on the time of year.

For now I want to point out a couple of other features I intend to use to help you navigate the site or to find more information. To the right there is a list of "labels" that will help you zoom right to information pertaining to the choir, grade, group, etc. that is most relevant to you. There is also a list of links to websites that contain valuable information relating to choir.

Collegium Sine Nomine?

2007-10-08T20:16:00.000-05:00

So you may be asking yourself where that college is located and what it's best majors might be... Actually you might just think the new choir director fell on his head. Either way, let me explain.

Collegium Sine Nomine is the name the members of the combined Men's Vocal Ensemble/Women's Choir chose for themselves. Because of the number of students registered for each of those courses the decision was made last spring to combine the two choirs into one mixed choir. Though I was not a part of that decision I wholeheartedly support it and think that it will be a very positive development in the vocal music department here at CDH. However calling the choir Women's Choir/Men's Vocal Ensemble or any other such "combined" name doesn't exactly roll off of one's tongue so I challenged the students to pick a name for themselves, at least for this year. Eventually I ended up giving them several options from which to pick and they liked Collegium Sine Nomine the best.

It is a rather tongue-in-cheek choice and I think it reflects the combined personalities of the group quite well. Collegium sine nomine is a Latin term used for centuries to describe a variety of groups, roughly translated it means "group with no name."