Potluck Dinner Sign up for Hairspray, The Musical

*******CHANGE OF PLANS******** 3/23/12

THE POTLUCK DINNER WILL BE HELD IN THE CAFETERIA INSTEAD OF THE MUSIC WING (spring came early and the ants are marching in! We really should not have food items in the music wing anymore -- sorry for the inconvenience) CAST PARTY location TBD.

We will still be using the culinary room for prep and oven use, and then transporting hot dishes to the cafeteria just prior to 5:00pm. Drop off will still be in the lobby of the auditorium, or the culinary wing. Items being brought in close to 5:00 can be dropped off in the cafeteria.




SATURDAY, March 24th 5:30pm

In an effort to keep ALL students inside the building in between Saturday’s matinee and evening performances, NHS Music Boosters will be putting on a potluck dinner for all cast, crew, and orchestra members. We have a big group this year -- 120 kids! Due to our large number, we will be setting up our buffet table in the hallway outside of the culinary room/shop wing (side hall near the back of auditorium -- rear of building) . We will have use of the ovens in the culinary room so there is no need for 30+ families to get a hot dish to the table for 5:15. If you are attending the matinee performance, you can drop your food item off in the lobby prior to the show. We will keep it hot (or refrigerated) until dinner. Others may also drop off items in the lobby anytime up until 5:00 (please come around the back of the building near the shop wing if it is close to 5pm to avoid the crowd letting out of the matinee performance).

The ‘Cast Party’ for all involved in the musical production will take place following set break down (usually 10:30 - 11:30pm) and we will serve snacks, desserts, and pizza.

POTLUCK DINNER Items needed -- 30+ Main Dish Items. IDEAS: casseroles (your personal family favorites are always best), Mac & Cheese, lasagna, Chicken dishes (wings, nuggets, patties), potato casseroles (ore ida has a lot of recipes) meatballs, kielbasa, pulled pork, crock pot meals, chicken caesar salads, green salads, ham/turkey cheese croissant sandwiches, veggie trays, etc., etc.....

Plan to prepare enough for 8 - 10 small servings. Please label your baking pans (no need for serving spoons) -- or -- we have plenty of disposable aluminum pans in the music room -- have your child pick one up from our Student Producer, Amy Root, during rehearsals. She will also be collecting cash contributions for those not sending in a food item.

**Orchestra members will be bringing in desserts and fresh fruit

**The Cast and Crew will provide the main dishes or cash contributions (monies collected are used for paper goods, snacks, beverages; extra food items, pizza, etc.)

Please sign up for a food item here in the comment section, or have your child see Amy during rehearsal
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATED Friday, March 23rd

MAIN DISH

Chicken Quesadilla
Veggie Platter
Baked Ziti
crock pot chili - chips/cheese
Chicken cacciatore
Cheese Pierogi & chex mix assort.
Spanish rice
gnocchi
assyrian dish
pasta salad
pasta dish
Lasagna
Lasagna
Lo Mein
Focaccia bread
tater tot casserole
chicken caesar salad
fruit platter
rice dish
Lasagna
mac & cheese
Pasta casserole
ziti casserole
Tortellini & pesto
monkey bread
salad
Meatballs
wings

DESSERTS:

Cupcakes, Marble Squares, Fruit Plate, brownies, Irish soda bread, choc. chip cookies, fruit,

$$ (9 people so far)



Where getting there!! could use more $$ contributions -- maybe another mac & cheese -- meatballs -- wings - chicken -- other favorites

EDUCATION REFORM (Here we go again!) A strong case for our NPSOrganization to provide us with our own NHS Performing Arts Magnet Wing/School/...

NHS & THS Orchestra Exchange Concert

Hello, Parents -- Here is a list of our potluck dinner items that we have so far. Some have committed to hot dish, or dessert, but haven't specified exactly what yet, as they are waiting to see what is needed -- hopefully this list will help -- I will keep it up-to-date over the next few days as your replies come in via email or phone. In addition to the initial email, a notice with contact info went out in class today.


HOT DISHES ( need a few more)

Hot Dish Casserole
Chicken Wings
Ziti with turkey meatballs
Pasta Dish
Mac & Cheese
Sheet Pizza
Potato Au Gratin Casserole
Chicken tikka masala
Lasagna
Meat/Rice Hot Dish
Crock Pot Chili & Chips
Hot Dish

DESSERTS (need a few more)

Cookies
Cookies
Brownies
Dessert

OTHER

Raw Veggie Tray
Green Salad
Jello Salad
Macaroni Salad
Focaccia bread


MONEY (5 people so far)

$$$$$

Items that we still need: Hot Dishes -- Mac & Cheese -- Potato Dishes (au gratin, any of the ore ida potato casseroles, home fries,, etc. ) -- kielbasa -- meatballs - rice dish - chicken nuggets/patties -- lasagna -- any of your personal favorite casseroles -- Desserts -- Fruit -- other ideas you may have

Money (can ALWAYS use more contributions to put toward paper goods, beverages, snacks, breads, etc...)

Dinner will be served at 6pm. Hot dishes can be dropped off anytime after 3pm. We will be setting up in the hall outside the orchestra room, and have use of the ovens in the culinary room to reheat and keep items warm until the kids eat.


Here's a taste of what you'll hear at their performance Thursday evening: (concert begins at 7:15)



(parents, be sure to read the comments at the link -- your encouragement has certainly paid off. I feel for the person who wrote "so beautiful. I used to play 1st violin.......I regret stopping very very much")


************UPDATED************* What. A. Concert. BRAVO to all -- a wonderful sound experience. Let's get THS parents down for the concert next year -- they can bring desserts!




Here is the link to the entire concert -- THANK YOU THS FOR EVERYTHING!)

Chamber Choir NYC Trip - Christmas 2011 - Grand Central Station

During our wait for the train back home, our kids were still singing -- where do you get your energy -- you guys are amazing!

Here are the videos that an onlooker took and posted to youtube:

"Super cool high school kids I caught singing in Grand Central Just before Christmas 2011."





"Newington High students graced Grand Central in December 2011 with their great singing and super personalities. They brought the spirit of Christmas to everyone who was lucky enough to hear them!"

Dudamel: Conducting a Life...

A profile of 29-year-old L.A. Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel, whose passion for music was fostered by El Sistema, an intensive music-education program in his native Venezuela. The report also examines El Sistema-like programs in the U.S.


Most of the Orchestra students are familiar with "The Dude" -- Mr. Brookes has shown videos of his performances during class.

This is an extraordinary PBS segment from Tavis Smiley Reports. It premiered a few days ago on one of our local PBS stations. Check for future broadcasts here at the link. You can also view this episode below:

Watch the full episode. See more Tavis Smiley.

Please pass this video around to ALL music lovers.

Here are a few random comments about Dudamel, El Sistema, and the importance of Music Education in our schools.


"There are not enough conductors reaching out on a national level to promote music education, so Bravo! We must fight our school boards to get music back into educational MAINSTREAM. The deeper benefits that music teaches; self discpline, working together under emotionally charged circumstances, articulating deeper concepts, pride in ones personal challenges, finding one's own uniqueness, reward from sheer hard work, all of these are incredibly important values we are NOT teaching our kids. Yes, sports CAN teach these things but aren't and there should be a balance. Culture is not the snotty elitist phenomenon that some people think. Culture is building the person from the inside out and appreciating what your fellow man is able to accomplish. Today what do we have? Vidoe games, the internet, learning to express hatred via tweets and what have you. Music teaches us confidence without arrogance. Humility without humiliation, and there is nothing more tragic than a kid who has arrogance without confidence."



"The fact of the matter is most schools would rather spend a million dollars installing an artificial turf football field for the benefit of 40-50 students and hiring a football coach at 2-3 times the salary of the highest paid teacher than provide a meaningful arts education to every student"


"David Hume said that contiguity does not imply causality. Those exposed to music education include the children of the wealthy, the prosperous and the highly educated. Being part of, or placed alongside, that demographic through music education may lead to changes in aspiration but it does not mean that musical education is fundamental cause of success.

Music education should be promoted as an end in itself. Music is an end in itself. There is no need to justify it in terms of it playing some role in a socio-economic improvement fantasy.

Cultural education does not need justification. It is those who oppose it, or who will not finance it, who should justify their choice to deprive children of cultural education."




Comments from Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu --

“The huge spiritual world that music produces in itself, ends up overcoming material poverty. From the minute a child’s taught how to play an instrument, he’s no longer poor. He becomes a child in progress, heading for a professional level, who’ll later become a citizen”

“The orchestra and choir are much more than artistic studies. They are examples and schools of social life. To sing and to play together, means to intimately coexist”

“Music is immensely important in the awakening of sensibility, in the forging of values and in the training of youngsters to teach others”

Related Posts from the blog:

The Consequences of Curtailing Music Education BY JAMES S. CATTERALL

and from BUSINESS MUSICIAN:

Also, If you ask the business community what they are looking for, it's not 5% improvement on test scores - it's creativity, teamwork and collaboration, discipline, and passion, all outcomes of music education:


FROM THE BAND ROOM TO THE BOARDROOM…The 9 Common Lessons of Music Education That Translate into Success (an excerpt from "Everything We Needed to Know About Business, We Learned Playing Music")

A Special treat that will just BLOW. YOU. AWAY.

I'm sure all of you trumpet fans have heard of Chris Botti. If you've never heard or seen him, you really are in for a treat. He made his debut with the Boston Pops back in Sept.'08 and taped a concert for PBS' Annual Pledge Drive. It's being aired again this month. If you can squeeze in any time at all, this is a MUST WATCH concert - check your local listings -- make sure to at least record it. He is an incredible musician. You really have to see him perform.

AND.... guess what else? He was Mr. Kelly's trumpet teacher. We'll have to get some details!!Here's a sampling... OMG could you just die at 4:44 - IS HE AMAZING OR WHAT!!!

"You think so?" - I Think So

Any instrument well played will open my heart, but only the heavenly scream of a trumpet will rapture my Soul
~ Joe Correia

Steven Tyler still has it too! (nice to see he's still alive)



And here's Chris with Yo-Yo Ma

POT LUCK DINNER INFO

The Music Boosters wish to thank all parents in advance for helping with our pot luck dinner for the kids this year. We are planning dinner in the cafeteria at 5pm on the 27th. A preliminary sign up sheet for hot food items went around to the kids last week. Booster members will be calling all parents this week to confirm what items they will be sending in. If you're attending the Matinee show and can't cook, a $10 donation towards to-go items would be most appreciated. All left overs and pizza will be served at the cast party following the evening performance. The kids should be done around 11-11:30 pm.

Stay tuned for further updates....

Birds on the Wires, by Jarbas Agnelli

Mr. Agnelli, a musician and film director writes:

Reading a newspaper, I saw a picture of birds on the electric wires. I cut out the photo and decided to make a song, using the exact location of the birds as notes (no Photoshop edit). I knew it wasn't the most original idea in the universe. I was just curious to hear what melody the birds were creating.

I sent the music to the photographer, Paulo Pinto, who I Googled on the internet. He told his editor, who told a reporter and the story ended up as an interview in the very same newspaper.

Here I've posted a short video made with the photo, the music and the score (composed by the birds).

Music made with Logic.
Video made with After Effects.

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

(Vimeo "is a respectful community of creative people who are passionate about sharing the videos they make")

He arranged his score using a xylophone, bassoon, oboe and clarinet. He said the melody was not his invention --it was the birds' idea. "The notes are the exact position of the birds (in between the lines). The rhythm is a interpretation of their position, since there are no bar lines."

September Song, by Jeff Lynne

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.
~William Cullen Bryant

"September Song" is an American pop standard composed by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. It was introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical Knickerbocker Holiday, and has since been recorded by numerous singers and instrumentalists. It was used in the 1950 film September Affair, and the popularity of the film caused Huston's recording to hit the top of the 1950 hit parade.[1]

Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947 in Shard End, Birmingham) is a two-time Ivor Novello Award recipient and Grammy Award-winning English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, guitarist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys.[2] Lynne has produced recordings for artists such as The Beatles, Brian Wilson, Roy Orbison, Del Shannon and Tom Petty. He has co-written songs with Petty and also with George Harrison whose 1987 album Cloud Nine was co-produced by Lynne and Harrison. His compositions include "Evil Woman", "Telephone Line", "Livin' Thing", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman".
In 2008, The Washington Times named Lynne the fourth greatest record producer in music history.[3]

And here's another appropriate song for the season from Jeff Lynne & ELO --

"HEY, Soul Sister"

It's been a couple of years since we've heard from them. The Train's DEFINITELY on time with this new song. FINALLY!! A great pop tune for all of us to listen to. Good tunes seem to be in short supply on the airwaves lately. My fingers get quite the workout changing stations all of the time. A lot of hand slappin' fights whilst driving the kids around, trying to agree on a station.

We all yelled "TURN IT UP" when this one came on the other day.


I bet we'll see/hear this song on a future movie soundtrack -- It just works so well.

It's easy going, has a simple melody, and a hook that will certainly catch and reel you in. "I gotta hear that one again"


and.......

is that a ukulele I hear??


Jimmy on the Ukulele



Do we have any uke players out there???

WE NEED A UKE PLAYER!! -- Anyone? Anyone?

Photosynthesis -- a great song and video by FRANK TURNER.

Life

Good Luck Graduates!

'Op zoek naar Maria' & Random Acts of Theatre

about the photo (you'll need an interpreter)

This random act of theatre at the Antwerp Central Rail Station in Belgium is simply AMAZING!!..... ASTONISHING, astounding, surprising, stunning, staggering, shocking, startling, stupefying, breathtaking; awesome, awe-inspiring, sensational, remarkable, spectacular, stupendous, phenomenal, extraordinary, incredible, unbelievable; informal mind-blowing, jaw-dropping; and...... just plain TOO. COOL. FOR. SCHOOL.



Antwerpenpen-Centraal (Antwerp Central) is the name of the main railway station in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The station is now widely regarded as the finest example of railway architecture in Belgium.

Op zoek narr Maria (Looking for Maria) is a talent competition program that aired in Belgium on Vtm. It premiered on March 25, 2009. The premise of the series was to find a musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2009 Albert Verlinde and Roel Vente revival of The Sound of Music at the Efteling Theatre.

MORE about this video from The Inspiration Room

VTM, a television station in Belgium, recently used a flash mob dance stunt to announce their newest reality television program “Op zoek naar Maria”. The promotion, similar to T-Mobile’s ad set in Liverpool St Station In London, is promoting the program’s search for an an actress to play the leading role in the The Sound of Music.

On Monday morning, March 23, commuters were introduced to the recording of Julie Andrews singing the song, “Do Re Mi”, as recorded for the 1965 musical, Sound of Music. 200 dancers strategically placed in the crowd began to dance as a remix of the track came through the speakers.

Here's the video and story about the T-Mobile ad campaign that came out in the UK back in January:

T-Mobile in the UK has launched an advertising campaign with the aid of a flash mob dancing in London’s Liverpool Street Station. At 11.00 am, on Thursday 15th January, 350 dancers surprised commuters passing through the railway station. The three minutes of synchronized dancing was captured on ten hidden television cameras, edited and premiered during an entire ad break in Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 4, at 9 pm on Friday 16th January. Lysa Hardy, head of brand and communications at T-Mobile, said:

“‘Dance’ brings to life the fact that there are often unexpected, wonderful, exciting things that happen that you want to be able to share with your friends and family."



Ahhhh......random acts of theatre -- nothing like it!

NRBQ - New Rhythm & Blues Quartet (c .1970's) is our FEATURED BAND of the week, along with Joey Spampinato our FEATURED ARTIST of the week.

Here's a sampling of some of the music your parents were fortunate enough to grow up with, and here's a great review of the 'Q' from a fellow music blogger:

Now if you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll recall that it was roughly 12 months ago that I waxed poetic over the visceral power of NRBQ's music. For me, the 'Q' (as they are affectionately referred to) have always been the great equalizer; their joyous sound and off-the-hook stage shows contained just the right amount of irreverence and master musicianship to effectively put the world on hold for a few hours at a time, allowing me to recall a time when life didn't feel so damn complex and messy. Since the band has now regrettably called it quits after a long 37 year run, I must rely solely on their recorded output as my legal drug of choice for suppressing nervous tension in a scenario that might go something like:

"Dr. Howard! Dr. Fine! I'm a mess! Can you give me some sort of prescription for this holiday malaise?"

"Well, Miles, are you getting any exercise? Why don't we try that in combination with a Vitamin B12 shot and some NRBQ? Let's start out with 'Tiddlywinks.' I'll give you a script for it that you can fill at the record shop. And do call me if your symptoms worsen, but the 'Q' should do the trick. Now roll up your sleeve."

Here's....Terry, Al, Joey, and Tommy



NRBQ have amassed a fanatical cult following over more than two decades of recording and touring with their incredibly versatile eclecticism; their music might veer from country to rockabilly to pop to bar-band R&B to blues to free jazz, all in the same album. The group's wacky, sometimes corny sense of humor and in-concert unpredictability (the band sometimes vows to play whatever song audience members request) have endeared them to fans.



What shows they put on!
Here's Carlene Carter talking to NRBQ -- they performed Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm" on Nashville Now, June '93.




Joey Spampinato is one of the founding members of NRBQ, and one of the most in demand session bassists.
Check him out (at 3:00) on stage with Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Etta James, Eric Clapton..... and more.





(The videos are from the Documentary Hail Hail Rock and Roll -- Chuck Berry's 60th Birthday Bash in 1987)

Here's what the preschoolers are dancing to today.... and soon they will be coming to a classroom near you!! I bet the teachers can't wait.....

All Fools' Day

The Who - WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN - Special Edition Recut

"You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time."

~ Abraham Lincoln.

Hey Kids -- BEWARE of peer to peer sharing

Looks like Obama means business


US Government to allow itself to go through laptops and players...



Related stories:
Obama picks RIAA's favorite lawyer for a top Justice post

Obama administration sides with RIAA in P2P suit

"I record radio waves that invade my air space and reduce them to files for you to witness."
(That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it)

Listening to pleasant music could help restore vision in stroke patients, suggests study

Patients who have lost part of their visual awareness following a stroke can show an improved ability to see when they are listening to music they like, according to a new study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. continue reading

POT LUCK DINNER & CAST PARTY UPDATE

Thank you to all who are bringing food items. Last night's show from start to finish was exactly 3 hours, so our show on Saturday is 2:00 and should finish at 5:00. Please drop off your hot food items in the cafe at 4:30-4:45 so we have time to set up the buffet line to start serving at 5 - 5:15ish. This will give the kids a good hour to relax before they need to be on stage for the evening performance. If anyone needs to bring a food item in early, we will be in the cafe setting up at 3:30.
You can also drop off items prior to the show - just have your child leave them in the band room and we will get them to the cafe.

Our cast party will be getting started a bit later than planned. In an effort to get the kids back down to the cafe as quick as possible, we could use a few more hands helping out with putting everything back (pit instruments, costumes, props, etc.) and cleaning the make-up and dressing rooms. We are hoping to get the cast party started by 11:00 and the kids out of the building by 12 - 12:30.

Mr. Clark thanks you and your children for the outstanding support you have provided in putting on this show.

All of the kids' hard work has certainly paid off......

The show is truly amazing -- WOW!

POW!

&

BAM!

Thanks again for all of your help.

Anybody having any good flying (...or running) dreams lately?

Enjoy your night off Wednesday!!!

Rest UP . . . (UP & AWAY) Please

and

(Sweet dreams to all.....)





Let's share some of our "Superman Moments" in the comment section below!

.
.
(For those of you unfamiliar with commenting on a blog, here's a link that explains how to do it.)
.
.