We will meet at Christ Community Church, this Friday morning to run through the program, giving the kids a chance to see what being on the stage will be like, and to rehearse.

The address is 1100 Kasold.

Meet your director at the place stated below, for further instructions.

Schedule:

9am - Stage - Junior/Senior High Choir

9:30 - Stage - Elementary Choir

10:00 - Stage - Bitty Beats

10:00 - Lower level - Beginning Guitar will meet at 10am, the other levels will follow, with the                meeting time being one hour earlier than the regular class time - all groups meet on the              lower level.

10:10 - Stage - All band groups - some groups may work longer with Mr. Swisher. either on
             the stage or the lower level of the church
     

11:00 - Stage - World Percussion - after time on the stage, the group will continue to rehearse in               the lower level of the church.

11:15 - Stage - Beginning and Intermediate Strings.

We will try our best to run on time, and some groups might need more time than others.  

If you have any questions, email or text me at 785-865-3422.

We would like all the students to arrive at 6:30 to warm up and prepare. Dress is traditionally black and white, but it is also fun to see Christmas outfits - so you all be the judge of what will be worn. The program begins at 7pm. 

Encore is year long program,but if you are not returning second semester, PLEASE email me by December 31st.  Christmas break is a time when the directors prepare for the upcoming semester, and they need to know their numbers. If we don't here from you, we will plan on seeing your student(s) in January.

We return on Friday, January 17th and will meet up through May 1st - given any changes due to planning the spring recital date. We will NOT meet on Good Friday - April 10th. We DO meet during the school district's scheduled spring break, but understand that some families do take that week off from school and activities.

We can take new students in some of the groups for second semester. If you know of any families that would like to join us, have them contact me.

We appreciate each of you and thank you for participating in Encore. 

See you on December 6th,

Encore does not meet tomorrow - 11/29/19

I hope you have all had a great Thanksgiving week. Just a reminder that we do not meet tomorrow. We will meet on Friday, December 6th, at Christ Community Church. Mr. Gaskin will be sending me a schedule of when to arrive for the dress rehearsal that morning, The program will be that evening, starting at 7pm. We would like the kids to arrive by 6:30 to prepare.

Thanks!

Recital date is set, and more announcements

Hello Encore Families,

We are more than half-way through the fall semester. There are a few families that haven't paid the fall fees, and may have had difficulty locating me during rehearsals. Please plan on paying your child's director, and they can let me know, so I can mark you as paid.

We have a recital date planned and hope that there are not a lot of conflicts with other activities you are all involved in. Please let me know as soon as possible, if your student will not be participating in the recital. 

Date - Friday, December 6th at 7pm at Christ Community Church - 1100 Kasold Drive, Lawrence. Students will need to arrive by 6:30 to prepare, tune and warm-up.

We are thankful for the use of Christ Community Church and for those who help us with all the details, big and small.

There are five rehearsals left for this semester. We do not meet the Friday after Thanksgiving. 

The last rehearsal date will be December 6th, when we will meet at Christ Community Church to prepare for the recital that evening. We will have each group run through their part in the program, and it will not be a full day. A schedule of when to be there will be announced soon. 

Sewing class will end for the semester, on November 22nd.

Second semester begins on January 17th.

Let me know if you have any questions. We appreciate all of our families - thank you for supporting Encore!

Off to a great start

Last Friday was our first rehearsal, a chance for us to get to know our newest families and reconnect with friends that we haven't seen all summer.

I have been contacted this week about taking new enrollment - and we can still take new students, since we are just beginning.

If you have a preschooler and they want to have a class to attend, like their older sibling, then Bitty Beats is the class for them. It is taught by a board certified music therapist, with a lot of experience with the "littles". The class fee is $60.00 a semester.

For the newer families - be sure to park in the parking lot, and not in the circle drive, that is reserved for the directors to park and unload each Friday.

If you want to connect with some homeschooling moms, they can be found in the nursery or outside in the yard, supervising the kids.

Here we go .....

This Friday, we begin the fall semester. The directors and I are excited to be welcoming new families, and happy to reconnect with the families that have been with us before. There are a few new homeschooling moms that are eager to meet some seasoned homeschool moms, and I will be searching for some of you, to introduce them to the group

If you have expressed an interest in one or more of your kids, to be in beginning band, let me know on Friday. 

Please remember to leave the circle drive parking spaces open for the directors. We are guests at the  church and want to leave the building better than we find it each week. I appreciate the moms that have taken over the task of making sure the nursery is clean at the end of classes on Fridays. 

Bring water bottles each week so we are not using the disposable cups that the church supplies for their church events. 

We appreciate all of you for your support of Encore, and will see you all on Friday.

Two weeks from the beginning of the semester

September 13th will be here before we know it. I have heard from a great number of families, but not everyone. Please let me know ASAP, if you are planning to enroll.

hsmom@sbcglobal.net

Finalizing enrollment numbers

See post(s) below for what has been going on with Encore. In the meantime, the directors need to know their numbers soon, so final preparations can be made.  If you are joining us this year, please send an email to hsmom@sbcglobal.net, to get name(s) put on the roster(s). We can enroll students after the start date, of September 13th, but we would like to have some idea of size of the groups by August 23rd.

Getting ready for first semester

The Meet and Greet was a success - it is always great to meet new families and watch the kids try different instruments.

If you missed it, you still have time to join the group. We start meeting on Friday, September 13th.  Some of our groups need a few more students to enroll. Please let me know when you have made a decision about groups, so I can put names on the roster(s).

Did you refer a family? Let me know, because if they sign up with Mr. Gaskin or Mr. Swisher,  there is a referral discount.

If you are interested in rental of a stringed instrument - we suggest Beautiful Music at 9th Iowa or Steve Mason Luthiers and Violins.
For band instruments, we recommend The Band-Aide - a local source in Lawrence.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Martha Bachert

hsmom@sbcglobal.net
785-841-6308

Encore's Annual Meet and Greet

I hope everyone's summer is going slow - no need to rush the beautiful season of spring and summer.

We have a date for our annual "meet and greet". This is an opportunity for those not familiar with our group, to meet the directors, try band and stringed instruments, learn about our program, and ask questions. Those who are ready to sign up for classes, can attend to get names on the rosters.

When: Friday, July 26th
            from 10am - noon

Where: Indian Ave Baptist Church - our location for rehearsals
             146 Indian Ave.
             Lawrence, KS

Contact info: Martha Bachert
                      785-841-6308
                      hsmom@sbcglobal.net

This will be our 17th year of offering a music education program to homeschooled students.The semester begins on September 13th and runs approximately 11 weeks, followed by a program in December

Second semester will being on January 10th and will run approximately 16 weeks, also followed by a spring program.

Groups offered - depending on enrollment:

Beginning, Concert, Advanced, and Jazz Band
Beginning and Intermediate Strings
Elementary and Jr. High/Sr. High Choir
Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Guitar
Bitty Beats Preschool Music
World Percussion
Sewing

Times of classes and fees can be found on the right side of this page - in the gray section. Scroll down past our group history, towards the bottom to find the headings, "The Basics" ---"Groups" --- "Tuition"

We look forward to seeing our current families and meet new ones.

Recital and end of year information

We meet for our final rehearsal at Christ Community Church - 1100 Kasold - on Friday, May 3rd.

The recital is also at Christ Communitiy Church - on May 7th - starting at 7pm. Students should arrive by 6:30.

Here is the schedule for the final rehearsal, May 3rd:

All Choirs - arrive at 8:50, begin rehearsing on stage at 9:00

All Bands - (Concert, Jazz, Advanced) - arrive at 9:00 - begin rehearsing on stage at 9:30

Bitty Beats - arrive at 10:00 - rehearse on stage at 10:15

Percussion - arrive at 10:15 - rehearse on stage at 10:30

Strings - arrive at 10:45 - rehearse on stage at 11:00

Guitar - arrive at 11:00 - rehearse on stage after strings is finished.

The directors will do their best to stay on schedule, but delays are to be expected . Arrival time allows everyone to prepare before rehearsing on the stage.

Sewing class - please bring all your projects, made in class over the year, with you to the recital. We will display them, as well as the dolls wearing the clothes you made.

Friday is the last opportunity to donate to the director's gift cards. I will be available to collect money from 9am - 11:00 that day.

We will have our annual "meet and greet" this summer - date is being worked on. If you know of families that would be interested in our program, please pass on our information. Next year will be our 17th year of offering a music education program to homeschool families. 

The directors and I appreciate your participation in Encore. I am grateful to the mom's that kept the nursery/classroom neat and tidy each Friday. The directors and I are blessed to have such wonderful families in our groups.

See you all on Friday!

See you all tomorrow

We meet tomorrow, like usual - place and time is the same for all groups.

Reminders

Hello Encore Families,

I wanted to remind everyone that we DO NOT meet this Friday - Good Friday - April 19th.

We meet on April 26th - all groups.

We will meet at Christ Community Church on May 3rd, for a dress rehearsal. Mr. Gaskin is working on a schedule, but the time frame will be between 9am and 11:30ish. 

Christ Community Church: 1100 Kasold, in Lawrence.

The recital is Tuesday, May 7th. The program begins at 7pm. We ask that the students arrive at 6:30 for warm up. Choir and Bands - Concert black and white - if possible - not mandatory.

I am collecting donations toward gift cards for the directors, and there are two more weeks to donate - April 26th and May 3rd.

Thank you for sharing your students with Encore this year.

We DO meet during Spring Break

Just a reminder that we meet on Friday, March 15th - we do not observe Spring Break, but will not meet on Good Friday.

Spring Recital News

Recital - Tuesday, May 7th at 7pm

Dress rehearsal - Friday, May 3rd

We will all meet at Christ Community Church, 1100 Kasold on Friday, May 3rd for a dress rehearsal. 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Looking for a fine arts program for homeschoolers?

Basic information can be found on the right-hand portion of this blog. Scroll down to learn about how our group was started, classes offered, times and fees.  Contact Martha Bachert with questions at
hsmom@sbcglobal.net 

SNOW DAY!

It is one beautiful day, as I sit here posting about a snow day for tomorrow, but hey - it is Kansas!

In the past, when cancelling for impending snow, no bad weather happened. Maybe that will happen again tomorrow.

Enjoy your day and we will see everyone next Friday!

Hello Encore Families,

First - the weather, and spring can't come quickly enough! There is a prediction of snow on Friday, and my weather app speaks of 5 - 8 inches. PLEASE watch this site and facebook for updates in case if we need to cancel.

Spring Recital - we want to have the recital on a Friday evening this time. The calendar is filling up and we are left with the possibility of May 10th - which is Mother's Day weekend. I need to hear from anyone that won't be able to participate on that date. The recital would be at 7pm and instead of having a rehearsal at the Morris Center that morning, we would meet at the recital location for a dress rehearsal on the morning of the 10th and then return that evening for the program. Please respond by Monday - only if that date will not work for your family. 

Concert Band/Adv Band Families - as mentioned early in the fall, we have been invited to play at The Gravel Grinder Bicycle Race on April 13th. Of course, this will be weather permitting. I want to confirm with the event coordinator, and need to know if any in this group would not be available. Mr. Swisher will let the group know whether it will be Concert Band, Jazz and/or the Advanced Band that will play. We have to figure out keyboard and drum issues. The end of the race will be behind Johnny's. in North Lawrence. I have never been there and have no clue what the parking lot looks like. The estimated time is from 1pm - 2:30, but we would probably set a meeting time for 12:30. The band will play as the riders cross the finish line. Seems kind of weird to me, but the coordinator is very excited about having us there.

If you still owe semester's fees - you can find me in the main building, but have been leaving at 11:30. If I am not there, leave payment with your child's director.

Thanks!

Martha

P.S. I may have confused some with calling the Indian Ave Church the Morris Center - it is one in the same and out of habit, I referred to it as the Morris Center. Sorry for any confusion.

We DO meet tomorrow - February 8th

Hello Encore Families,

I wanted to let everyone know that all groups will meet tomorrow. As always, if you have concerns about the roads, we understand and want you to be safe.

Martha

Second Semester

I hope you all had a good Christmas and a great beginning to the very new 2019.

We begin rehearsing on Friday, January 11th.

Sewing classes will begin meeting on January 18th.

Envelopes for fee payments will be at the back of the main church, on the counter.

A few of the groups have been invited to provide music/entertainment for the crowd at The Gravel Grinder National Championship bike race in Lawrence, on April 13th. We aren't sure which groups will be performing, as the details and logistics are still being worked out.

The directors and I are looking forward to seeing you all on the 11th.