7-12 Music Activities
The Junior High School Musical - All Choir students are permitted to participate in the cast/crew of the musical, or Variety Show. All rehearsals will be mapped out at the beginning of the production timeline, and a schedule will be given to students based on the prior commitment/schedule sheet they return to me. Memorization of lines will follow the schedule as well. Students who choose not to participate in the cast are also encouraged to participate on the crew for the show, giving them the technical experience they need. Students who participate in the cast or stage crew most generally receive an A for the quarter preceding the play. Although the play is considered an extra credit performance, so much time is devoted to it that it becomes part of the curriculum as well. Technical crews receive credit for the second quarter, because their work does not begin until the week of the show when lights and sound arrive.
Highland College Fall Choir Festival
Highland Community College hosts a workshop day for students who will be auditioning for the IMEA Festival. A clinician is hired to work with students who are already well into the preparations for auditions. They rehearse throughout the morning and are home before the end of the school day. This is an extra credit performance.
IL Music Educators Association (IMEA) District Festival
Students in grades 7-12 may audition for IMEA festival in either Chorus or Band. Auditions are held in October, for which the students sing or play prepared selections for a judge. No audience is permitted at the audition. Choral students receive classroom instruction in the material, and are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to bring a cassette on which is dubbed the audition music so that the student can practice individually. Based on the number of students who auditioned from a 9 county area, a balanced band/choir are selected to perform at the District Festival, held at Northern IL University in November. It is quite an honor to be selected for this festival. 200 students are chosen for each performing organization, but well over 1,000 audition. This is an extra credit performance
IL Music Educators Association (IMEA) All- State Festival
Scores form the District Festival auditions are used to select the top musicians in the state. Only Juniors and Seniors are permitted to participate and only the top 6 of each voice part and the first chair from most sections of the band are chosen to go to All-State. Students must have participated at the District Festival, attending all rehearsals and the concert. The top 3 choral students in each section appear in the Honors Choir and the next 3 appear in the All-State Choir. Band and Orchestra students re-audition for their placement upon arrival to Peoria. These students participate in the 3 day festival and perform a Saturday afternoon concert. Participating in All-State is a very reliable source of music scholarship at the collegiate level. Cost of participation and hotel fees are paid for by the school, and meals are paid for by the Warren Music Boosters Organization.
Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
Both the Senior High School Choir and the Junior High Band perform for the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service, which is held on the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving at 7:00 pm.
It is a mandatory performance
Christmas Concert
Both Junior and Senior High Bands and Choirs perform for the annual Christmas Concert, which is held at 7:00 pm. It is a mandatory performance for all organizations involved. Students who help by striking or setting the concert are given extra credit toward their chorus grade and high school students receive points for earning their music letters.
Pizza Fundraiser
All students in grades 5-12 are asked to participate in the only Music Boosters Fundraiser held each year. Music Boosters provide the district with much needed equipment, and pay for all medals and awards received by the students. They provide $100 summer music camp scholarships for students who request it in writing. And the Boosters provide the individual fundraisers (County Fair food stand, and Nestle Candy Bar sales) used to help fund the Washington, DC trip which is held every fourth year. (Next trip will be in 2013) With regard to the pizza fundraiser, 50% of the profit brought by a student to the organization through their sales is returned to their individual student account. All parents are invited/encouraged to attend the Music Boosters meetings. Your opinions and efforts are most welcome.
Solo and Ensemble Contests
6-7-8th Grade students may participate in the IL. Grade School Music Assn. Contest. They may prepare a solo to sing or play in front of the judge. Audience is permitted at contest, and parents are encouraged to support their student with their attendance.
9-12 Grade students may participate in the IHSA Contest. They may prepare a solo or ensemble (or multiples of both) for the judge. Sweepstakes points are awarded to the school for both large group and individual participation in IHSA events. Our school has a long standing record for being in the top 10 of all schools in our enrollment class. Warren was listed as #3 in the state for the 2003-2004 school year! Congrats to all who had a part in that!
Audience is permitted at contest, and parents are encouraged to support their student with their attendance. In preparation for contest: the school will pay for the entry fee for each student as long as the student performs the event. If the student cancels the event, or the teacher deems them not to be sufficiently prepared, then the fee must be reimbursed to the school. Students must be academically eligible to participate. Mrs. Bourquin will record their selection on a CD for individual practice. Vocal solos/ensembles must be memorized. Instrumental/piano soloist may use music, but have a scale test as well. This is an extra credit performance.
Conference Festival
9-12th Grade students are encouraged to participate in the Conference Music Festival in either Chorus or Band. The students prepare the music in class, then attend the day-long festival and present an evening concert, under the direction of nationally known guest clinicians, at the host school. The host school rotates each year in alphabetical conference order. Parent attendance at the concert is most welcome! This is an extra credit performance.
The High School Musical - All Choir students are permitted to participate in the cast/crew of the musical, but leading roles are held by students who are in Select Choir. The play for the 2010 will once again be held in the fall - the first weekend in November. In choosing the cast, preference is given to upper classmen who have participated in previous high school musicals. If an underclassmen clearly demonstrates more strength in a role, they may get the role over an older student. It depends on talent, work ethic, and most essentially "being right" for that certain part. Because of the large amount of interest, girls are never given the lead more than once, although they may have a supporting lead other years, depending on their capabilities. All rehearsals will be mapped out at the beginning of the production timeline, and a schedule will be given to students based on the prior commitment/schedule sheet they return to me. Memorization of lines will follow the schedule as well. Depending on which play is chosen, and the size of the cast required, Junior High Students may be able to augment the cast as members of the chorus, or they are also encouraged to participate on the crew for the show, giving them the technical experience they need. Students who participate in the cast or stage crew most generally receive an A for the quarter preceding the play. Although the play is considered an extra credit performance, so much time is devoted to it that it becomes part of the curriculum as well. Technical crews receive credit for the quarter following the play, because their work does not begin until the week of the show when lights and sound arrive.
Organizational Contest
9-12th Grade students participate in the IHSA State Organizational Contest. This is a large group contest for which the students perform in front of 3 judges. High School Students sight read after their prepared performance. They receive ratings which are averaged to a composite rating. If the 7-8th grade students receive a composite Division I, they earn the right to compete at the state level. If the 9-12th grade students earn a composite Division I, they receive a plaque. This is a mandatory performance.
Spring Concerts
There is a separate Spring concert for grades 7-8, and 9-12, because it is traditionally the night that awards and medals are given to the students in recognition of their year’s accomplishments. It is a mandatory performance, and extra credit is given to those students who help to set or strike equipment.
The Ad Pix Awards
The Village Voices offers a review and participation for the drama students to earn scholarships based on their participation in our high school musical. Each year the best performers in the tri-county area are chosen in different categories in an "Oscar Type" awards show. The schools each present a scene from their show which has been chosen by Dan Stevens, and the awards are made in between the scenes. The final award of the evening is the traveling trophy for best performance of the evening. We have participated in and earned several awards for our performers and their performances in our shows. This usually takes place on the Wednesday after Memorial Day and is held at the Masonic Temple in Freeport. It is not a mandatory performance, but if the students have been an integral part of the chosen scene they are to perform, we try to make every effort to portray that scene as it had been done for our show. So attendance is strongly suggested. Our school was chosen for the 2009-2010 best production number and earned the traveling trophy, which is on display in our trophy case outside the music rooms in the commons.