Congratulations are in order

Recently, a group of our TEACH/Encore members competed in the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival. We congratulate them for their hard work and accomplishments.

Luke Rhodes - Sophomore
Piano Solo - Superior + and Concerto Competition - Superior+
Music Composition - First place in Class IV Division
with the score of 100 on his composition Valse in F - minor, Dramatique, Op 1 for pianoforte.
Update - Luke's composition received first place in Regionals and is now moving on to Nationals.

Rachel Knight - Senior
Piano Solo - Excellent

Emily Bachert - Junior
Marimba Solo - Superior
Clarinet Solo - Superior

Thomas Bachert - 8th grade
Trumpet Solo - Satisfactory

Andrew Currier - 8th grade
Music Composition - score of 97 on his composition

Blaire Landon - 9th grade
Music Theory - Superior
Piano Solo - Excellent

Ethan Rhodes - 6th grade
Fiddling Solo - Excellent

Blythe Landon - 3rd grade
Violin Solo - Superior

UMKC Spring Festival - Competition Opportunity

The School of Music and Dance, at UMKC, is sponsoring a spring festival/audition opportunity for elementary - high school students.

This will be held on the UMKC campus in Kansas City - Saturday - April 25th.

Check out the site for more information:

http://conservatory.umkc.edu/community_academy/spring_festival.aspx

Several Encore members are planning to compete. If you have questions regarding this competition, email me.

Academic and Fine Arts Competition

Hello Encore Families,

I just received information about a great opportunity for our kids to compete in fine arts and academics. This competition is being held by Blue Ridge Christian School in Kansas City, MO.

The competition is April 17th and the deadline to register is March 13th. However, I have to send all the information and fees in at once, so in order to meet that deadline, I will need forms and fees by March 6th.

If your student is interested in competing in music, math, drama, writing, art, science, speech, or photography and is grades 7 - 12th, contact me for more information. The large group fee has been paid by TEACH, so that makes the individual fees only $7.00 per entry. Participating families must be members of TEACH to register. If you need that form, let me know.

There are specific rules for each division. I would be happy to visit with you individually about the areas that are open to our students.

UPDATE - March 14, 2009 -

The deadline has passed to sign up for this competition. There was a lot of interest and many signed up. Check back for more details after the festival.

Fine Arts Lettering Opportunity

Attention all band, orchestra, and choir members
who are in 9th - 12th grade:

We offer an opportunity to letter in fine arts
by meeting certain requirements.

Encore Fine Arts Letter Requirements

9^th – 12^th grade students accumulating a total of 100 points or more,

over the course of two semesters,

will be eligible for a varsity fine arts letter.

Earn a varsity letter by meeting the following criteria:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Student must be a member of one or more of the Encore groups for the entire year.

Attendance – no more than one absence per semester – 10 pts/sem

Weekly private lessons on your major band, orchestra instrument, or voice – 25 pts/sem

Weekly private lessons on a secondary instrument or voice – 15 pts/sem

Participation in more than one Encore group – 10 pts/sem

Participation in solo festivals or competitions – 20 pts per event/sem

Rating of I or II in competitions – 10 points per rating/sem

Recital participation – 20 pts/sem

Ongoing participation in other groups outside of Encore (church, youth symphony) – 20 pts/sem

Solo performances outside of Encore (recital, church) – 5 pts per performance/sem
Points limited to 15 per semester

Aiding other Encore groups with ongoing participation – 20 pts/sem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please email me for the form needed to keep track of the points at:

encorehomeschool@sbcglobal.net

It is the responsibility of the student to record points by date and event and have a parent sign off on final point calculation. The point sheet should be turned in to Mrs. Bachert by May 1. The cost of the letter and any postage, handling, admin fees will be due at that time as well.

The award is a chenille music note. Each individual student can choose pins to go on the chenille to represent areas of music that each student has participated in.

The final costs will be determined by the number ordered so that amount may not be available until early spring.

Eight Encore members were eligible to letter last year. The points accumulated by those students ranged from 120 to over 400.

Christmas Recital 2008

Here are a few pictures taken the night of the recital.

They weren't taken with the idea that they would be posted on a site, so they aren't the best. Now that we have a real place to post our photos, quality and quanity will be more important.
Unfortunately, the elementary choir is not pictured here due to technical issues.

Intermediate Band


Junior High/Senior High Choir


Jazz Band


Intermediate Band (pianist - not pictured)




Mr. Swischer and Mrs. Schellman


Orchestra


Advanced Ensemble (pianist, not pictured)


Beginning Band


Junior High/Senior High Choir

Second Semester Information

Band, Orchestra, and Choir will resume rehearsals on January 9th.

Second semester fees are due in January. The fee is $90.00 per student.

If there is a reduced fee for families with more than one student,
in a group with the same director. ($70.00 for second, third, etc.)

Checks are made out to the individual directors:

Band - Tony Swischer
Orchestra - Gaia Schellman
Choir - John Gaskin

Contact Martha Bachert with questions:
encorehomeschool@sbcglobal.net