Spring Recital

We have a location and date to let you all know about - please add this to your calendar:

Tuesday, April 26th at Christ Community Church - 1100 Kasold Dr -  in Lawrence.

The recital will begin at 7pm and we will ask the kids to be there to warm up/tune at 6:30.

A huge thanks to the Horner Family and Christ Community Church, for providing us a location for our recital.

We ask the kids to dress in black and white for the recital - if possible. 

More updates later.

Percussion Ensemble and Preschool Music will not meet this Friday - Feb. 26th. Emily was invited to present a project at the Kansas Music Educators Convention. She will see everyone next week

We do not meet on Good Friday - March 25th. We DO meet during spring break.

I will announce a date and location for the Spring Recital ASAP.

New class, starting on January 8th

Contact Martha Bachert with questions or to sign up.

hsmom@sbcglobal.net or encorehomeschool@sbcglobal.net

Updates

Hello Encore Families,

Thank you all for your patience and understanding about the recital cancellation. In the 13 years of this group, we have not had to cancel a program. The directors were disappointed, but it couldn't be helped. 

Those in choir and guitar: the program at Pioneer Ridge has been rescheduled for January 15th, at 10am.  That will give the groups a chance to have one rehearsal before performing at Pioneer Ridge -  we start back on January 8th.

Update on Mr. Gaskin: He was released from the hospital last Friday. He is doing therapy and should recover nicely in about 6 weeks. The van he was driving was totaled. I spoke with him this morning and he is getting stronger each day.

Always check the Encore blog for last minute changes: encorehomeschoolfinearts.blogspot.com 

   

Thinking ahead:

Second semester rehearsals begin on January 8th.

For those interested in competitions, please see me about the two upcoming events in the spring. There is a sign-up deadline. One competition involves academics, as well as arts, speech, music, and more. 

There will be a preschool - kindergarten music class offered second semester. The fee will be $50.00 for the semester and will be a wonderful "first group" music experience for this age group. I will be sending out more information in the coming weeks. Class size will be limited.  Please contact me with questions or to sign up.

Percussion Ensemble: In addition to buckets, snares and "possibly" xylophones will be added to the mix. It is NOT required to own a snare or xylo to remain in the group.

Choir is able to accept new students for second semester. 

As I count my personal blessings this holiday season, I count all of you as well. I am incredibly blessed to have such supportive parents and great kids as part of Encore.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Martha

Hello Encore Families,

Mr. Gaskin, our choir/guitar director, was in a car accident Tuesday. His goal was to be out of the hospital in time for the recital on Friday, but now it looks like he will not be released as soon as he had hoped. Since he is our source for using the building, and all that goes into putting on a recital, we will be cancelling Friday's program. If you know of other families that are part of our program, maybe you could check with them to make sure that they have received this email. I don't want anyone to make the trip, along with family members, to an empty building.

Choir and guitar students - we hope to still do a program at Pioneer Ridge on December 4th - that is over two weeks away, so those plans still remain.  Watch for an email with more info on that, next week.

It saddens the directors and myself, that we can't show off what has been accomplished this semester. In thirteen years, we have only had to cancel once - due to an ice storm. Join me in praying for the Gaskin family - I know they would appreciate your prayers.

Second semester begins January 8th.

If you are not a member of our group and were attending the recital to learn more about us, please plan to come meet us on the first day of second semester.

Thanks everyone.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Martha

Tomorrow is our last regular rehearsal. The recital is next Friday, Nov. 20th - at 10am. The directors typically like the kids to arrive a bit early to warm up and tune. Plan on arriving no later than 9:40. 

Attention recorder and percussion ensemble students:  As announced last week - Emily will be at a music convention tomorrow, so her classes will NOT meet. 

She is going to rehearse with her students, the morning of the recital. Percussion students will rehearse/warm-up at 9am. Recorder students will rehearse/warm-up at 9:30.

The recital will be very low-key, a time of fellowship for the families and a chance to share what we have been up to this semester. 

The choirs and guitar ensemble(s) will go to Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living to perform for the residents on December 4th - at 10am. Mr. Gaskin will let the students know what time to arrive to warm-up.

We begin second semester on January 8th. We assume that all families will return, unless we are told otherwise. The directors use the break to plan for the next semester, planning music, writing parts, etc. Please let us know of any changes in enrollment.

As mentioned earlier in the semester - there will be a class offered for preschoolers - kindergartners, starting in January. The group will be taught by Emily Bachert, a masters student in music therapy.  It will be much like a KinderMusic class, with lots of interactive musical play. The class will meet for 30 minutes - the fee will be $50 per child, for the semester. Emily will be available to talk individually to interested families, discussing class times, etc., at the recital next week.

We are off to a great start!

September 11th, marked the beginning of our 13th year.  It was great to welcome back returning members, and to meet new members as well.

It was a bit chaotic at times, but we managed to get everyone where they needed to be.

We can still take new enrollment - so if you know of someone that is looking for a music program, please pass on the information.

I want to announce that in January, we will be offering a new class for toddlers - kindergarten aged kiddos. This class will be a fun way to introduce music to this age group - with hands-on instruments and social interaction with others, through music.The class will be taught by Emily Bachert. 

Emily is in her second year of  her masters degree program, in music therapy. She has experience with many populations, but has a soft spot for the "littles". 

More information will be posted this fall.  There will be two class times, 30 minutes each, which will meet on Friday mornings. during regular Encore rehearsal times. The fee will be $50.00 per semester.