CHIEFTAIN CHORUS INFORMATION
2019 - 2020
Welcome!
Hello Chieftain Parents and Students!
I want to officially welcome you all to the Chieftain Chorus family this year. If this is your first year involved with Chieftains, you're in for a great year of singing and special events. As you will see below, we do a lot more than just perform at the Winter and Spring Concerts. In addition to 10 Chieftain performances this year, at least 5 additional singing opportunities are available to Chieftain Chorus members.
Below you will find a TON of information about Chieftain Chorus this year, from upcoming performances and events all the way through the last day of school. The first several sections include general information, schedules, procedures, and expectations. The later sections offer some specific info. about each performance and event in which Chieftain Chorus plays a role.
Please bookmark this page so you can refer back to it throughout the year. You can expect relatively frequent updates from me via email, with further details for each event as it gets closer.
I also update my Chieftain Chorus webpage with more specific information about Chieftain events throughout the year.
Mr. Sanchez
Rehearsal and Performance Schedule
"Remind" app for notifications
General Chieftain Chorus Rehearsal Schedule Information
Rehearsals this year will USUALLY be held on Tuesdays from 2:45-4:00pm. There will USUALLY be one rehearsal each week.
Mid-September through December:
Rehearsal usually once a week, some weeks with sectionals (ex. just Tenors and Basses or just Altos and Sopranos). If I can work the schedule out, our last December rehearsal will conclude with a party. Students with last names starting with A - J should bring something to share. Last names K - Z will be responsible for food at our spring party.
In January:
We will rehearse 3 or 4 times in preparation for the VH1 Save the Music concert. Exact schedule TBA.
Between CB Save the Music concert (Jan. 24th-25th) and our Spring Musical (March 13th-14th):
There will be no Chieftain Chorus rehearsal. This allows students and teachers (ahem... ME!) to focus on the musical during this time. The only Chieftain-related activities during that time will be for any student who makes it into County Chorus.
After the Musical:
We will start rehearsing again (usually once a week, Tuesdays 2:45-4:00) the week of March 16th and continue until our Allentown Adjudication on May 22th.
After Memorial Day, we will meet about 2 or 3 more times (TBA) to prepare our Final Awards Assembly song, have our spring party, and vote for the 2019-2020 Chieftain Chorus Officers.
This Year's Chieftain Chorus Performances (Required Events!)
Please mark your calendars, avoid scheduling anything else during these times, and let me know ASAP of any existing conflicts:
Monday, November 11th – Veterans Day Assembly (in school)
Wednesday, December 11th – Winter Concert, 7:00 pm
Friday, January 24th – VH1 Save the Music Concert*, 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 25th - VH1 Save the Music Concert*, 3:00 pm
Saturday, January 25th – VH1 Save the Music Concert*, 7:30pm
Saturday, April 18th – 11th Annual Central Bucks A Cappella Festival (at Tamanend) ~12:30pm - 10:00pm
Friday, April 24th - 5th Annual AcaTamaJam (at Tamanend) ~5:00pm-10:00pm (tentative times). Chieftain Chorus performs, Gold'n'Blues competes.
Thursday, April 30th – Spring Concert, 7:00pm
Wednesday, May 20th (Tentative Date) – 6th Grade Orientation (in school)
Late May - Preview Concert for school (the week of the Allentown Adjudication trip)
Friday, May 22nd – Allentown Adjudication Trip (& Dorney Park!) (6am - ~9:30pm)
Monday, June 15th – Final Awards Assembly (in school)
* Chieftain members must perform in one of the Save the Music evening concerts. Gold'n'Blues members must perform in all three concerts.
Please note, that the performance dates above are specific to Chieftain Chorus. Grade level chorus and Gold'n'Blues performances will be communicated separately and can be found on my online calendar.
Attendance Expectations
Students are expected at every Chieftain Chorus rehearsal and performance, unless there is a legitimate reason to miss.
COMMUNICATE IF THERE IS A REASON TO MISS REHEARSAL:
1) For school-related issues (sports/making up tests/etc.) students should talk to me, or better yet, write me a note or email. Certainly, schoolwork is the number one priority. However, do be responsible and plan studying, projects, interviews for projects, etc. around our rehearsals. If schoolwork is an excuse for missing rehearsal more than once, you can expect have a conversation with me about your commitment to Chieftain Chorus, and if it is fair that you continue in the group. "A lot of homework" should not be an excuse for missing rehearsal, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
2) For outside of school issues (Doctors appts, family travel, etc.), please send an email or note from parent.
3) Sickness - if absent from school, there is no need to send me a separate excuse note, as I will check the school attendance. If you feel sick at the end of the day and go home instead of rehearsal, please send a parent note/email as soon as you can.
4) Please try to avoid sending a verbal message about absences with a peer, or even telling me in person. WRITE it down or send an email – that way I won’t forget!
Note - please try to have a ride home right after rehearsal. If that is not possible, please check with me if you think you will be still be around more than 30 minutes after the end of rehearsal. I can let you know if that is ok. I cannot leave until my students are gone, and I have a family and life to go home to as well, so I ask that you respect my 'off-duty' time.
You will be allowed 1 UNEXCUSED absence from a Chieftain Chorus rehearsal. If you have 2 UNEXCUSED absences, you will dismissed from Chieftain Chorus.
Although there is much learned in a rehearsal that cannot be made up, the best way to catch up on what you missed is by making sure you know your parts in our songs. Please find a peer in your section to work with on your parts. Additionally, I am able to post learning tracks on my Chieftain Canvas page for some songs.
If you miss rehearsal and I don’t know why, both student and parent will receive a notification via email. Please respond promptly.
If you have numerous EXCUSED absences, you can expect to have a conversation about your commitment to Chieftain Chorus, and if it is fair that you continue in the group.
No unexcused absences from performances! If you have an unexcused concert absence you will be dismissed from Chieftain Chorus.
One final note about absences - if you are absent from school on the day of an after school rehearsal, event, or performance, you are not allowed to participate in the after school event. As such, please be sure to make it in for at least a half day of school (10:45 is considered halfway through the day) if you have plans of attending a Chieftain function after school hours! This holds true for any after school activity (games, concerts, dances, the musical, etc.)
Athletic Team Sharing Schedule
Many Chieftain Chorus members take part in extra-curricular sports teams at Tamanend in 7th-9th grade and at South in 9th grade. Here is how you are expected to share your time:
For TAMANEND SPORTS:
If you have a sports game/meet/match / Chieftain Chorus rehearsal conflict, you will not attend Chieftain Chorus rehearsal at all. Go win for Tamanend! Go Tigers!
For sports practice / Chieftain rehearsal conflicts:
1) Inform your coach of the conflict ahead of time.
2) Get dressed for your sports practice right after school
3) Come to Chieftain rehearsal by 2:45pm
4) Leave Chieftain rehearsal at 3:30 for your sports practice.
Most Tamanend sports practice until 4:30 or 5:00. For shorter practices, check with me to see if we need to modify the times in the plan above.
For SOUTH SPORTS:
If you have a sports game/meet/match / Chieftain Chorus rehearsal conflict, you will not attend Chieftain Chorus rehearsal at all. Go win for South! Go Titans!
For sports practice / Chieftain rehearsal conflicts:
EITHER:
Split your time:
1) Inform your coach of the conflict ahead of time.
2) DO NOT take the South sports bus at 2:30pm
2) Get dressed for your sports practice right after school
3) Come to Chieftain rehearsal by 2:45pm
4) Leave Chieftain rehearsal at 3:20 for your sports practice. PLAN AHEAD TO HAVE A RIDE.
OR:
Plan ahead of time to attend every other week of Chieftain rehearsal in it's entirety. Be sure to look ahead at both your sports calendar and the Chieftain calendar to plan an appropriate rotation AND communicate with me and your coach ahead of time.
Please know that most South coaches understand that you are still a middle school student and have middle school commitments. You are likely not the first student with any given conflict - we have worked out nearly every conflict in the past, with communication! In addition to 9th grade/JV teams, I have had students on the following varsity teams successfully work out conflicts in the last several years: Girls Soccer, Cross Country, Football, Cheerleading, Softball. It is possible!
On the rare occasion of a conflict with a South sports game/meet/match and a Tamanend CONCERT (it has happened in the past a couple times with volleyball and girls basketball), you must find a way to attend the concert. Each Chieftain concert is unique, whereas you have multiple games/meets/matches with your sports team. When this has been an issue, students have found a way to attend half a sports contest, and still make it back for the concert. Again, communication is key!
Attire for Performances - NEW INFORMATION for 2019-2020
Three of our performances this year (several more for Gold'n'Blues members / Orchestra members / 9th Grade Chorus members) require:
- BLACK DRESS PANTS (no leggings, yoga pants, or jeans please!)
- BLACK BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT with a COLLAR
- Dark socks and dress shoes.
- Chieftain Chorus Ties (I will pass these out before our first evening concert).
Please have this attire dug out/purchased/borrowed/etc. by November 9th if you are attending the Country Gentlemen Barbershop clinic (all Gold'n'Blues members and interested Chieftain members - details further down on this page). Otherwise, you have until the winter concert in December. All Chieftain Chorus members will receive a Chieftain tie that will be worn with the button-down collar shirts. Students will keep the tie until our performance at the Allentown Adjudication Festival in May (please keep in a safe place - replacement cost is $25).
Two of our performances (including the Veterans Day Assembly, coming up on November 9th) this year require:
- Any solid color button-down shirt (or other solid-color dressy shirt for ladies)
- Any color dress pants
- Gentlemen – long tie (any color/pattern)
- Dark socks/dress shoes
- NO SHORTS
OR
- Any school-appropriate dress
You may certainly wear your black formal attire for these days as well, if you'd like. Please have this attire ready for our Veterans Day assembly on November 9th.
At least four of our performances (and more for Gold'n'Blues and 9th Grade Chorus members) this year require BLUE JEANS (no shorts, NO RIPS). Please be sure you have a pair of jeans that fit by the VH1 Save the Music Concert on January 24/25th (or by 10/3 for 9th grade chorus members and probably later in the fall for Gold'n'Blues members).
We wear Chieftain Chorus T-shirts for at least three performances. Speaking of that...
Chieftain Chorus T-Shirts / Hoodies
We create a new Chieftain Chorus T-Shirt / Hoodie each year; you will be getting an order form for this year's version in October. We wear our shirts / hoodies as a group a few times during the school year, including for our AcaTamaJam performance in April, and our 6th Grade Orientation and in-school concert performances in late May.
Traditionally, the Chieftain Chorus logo, printed on these garments and used on other visuals throughout the year, is student-created. Hopefully, we can continue the same tradition this year! Designs for this year's logo are due by Friday, September 27th. If you plan to design a logo, keep the following in mind:
1) Hand drawn logos should be submitted in darkly-drawn black and white. No shading or other gradations please, as that does not translate well onto a t-shirt screen print. Likewise, an abundance of small, finely-drawn details does not work well. If you have specific coloring ideas, you may submit an additional, colored version of the logo as well (3 colors maximum, please, to keep shirt costs reasonable). Drawing on plain 8.5"x11" paper works the best.
2) Computer-designed logos should use the highest resolution possible for any artwork or lettering. If you're not sure if a design is high resolution, zoom in and see if the design 'pixelates' (starts to appear as individual squares instead of one smooth design). Keep in mind, images found with a search engine are often not high enough quality, and may create a copyright issue.
3) All designs should include the following words (spelled correctly!): Chieftain Chorus, Tamanend Middle School, 2019-2020. Designs should NOT include the artists name in the logo.
Submit computer-created designs electronically to my email (isanchez@cbsd.org). Again, please submit these in black and white. If you have coloring ideas, submit an additional, colored version (3 colors max).
I'm looking forward to seeing all the creative logo ideas!
Typical Chieftain Chorus Costs Throughout the School Year
As with most activities, there are a few costs associated with Chieftain Chorus. For your planning purposes, I thought it would make sense to list them for you now. Keep in mind that these are approximate amounts based on past years. Actual amounts for this year may vary. I included the approximate month/date when these costs will come up. There will be additional expense for Gold'n'Blues students, TBD. I believe I have thought of all the big expenses. Experienced parents, let me know if I'm missing something!
Concert Attire (this fall) - many families will need to purchase some or all of the items needed to meet the concert attire requirements above - COST VARIES
T-Shirt (within the next month) - described above - ~$15-$20 (more if ordering a hoodie)
Retreat food (Saturday in the fall) - I order donuts for the morning and pizza for lunch for our Chieftain Retreat - ~$5
Barbershop Workshop (November 9th, for those attending) - lunch may be available to order (tba, ~$10), concert tickets (beyond the 2 free ones provided) - TBA.
CB Save the Music Concert (December, January) - Optional T-shirt (~$15), Optional concert tickets (ranging from ~$5 for student performer to ~$15 for adult tickets)
County Chorus Festival Registration (only for those who tryout and make it in) (March) - $25, tickets for family members to watch concert ~$10 each
A Cappella Festival (March/April) - Registration fee for the day's events, t-shirt, dinner - ~$30. Tickets to attend the concert (not needed for Chieftain members) ~$10 Children, ~$20 parents
AcaTamaJam audience tickets (April) ~$5 (not needed for Chieftain members)
Adjudication Festival / Dorney Park (April/May) - Pays for the adjudication festival, Dorney admission, and transportation - ~$85
Misc. concessions, incidental purchases at events: Coffeehouse, County Chorus auditions and festival, VH1 Save the Music Concert, A Cappella Festival, AcaTamaJam, Dorney Park, possible other group meals - COST VARIES
Behavior Expectations during Chieftain Functions
Student behavior at all rehearsals, performances, and other events should be top-notch! Please recognize when it is appropriate to talk, laugh, and socialize, and when it is NOT.
If anyone struggles with this, you can expect a conversation with me about your commitment to Chieftain Chorus, and if it is fair that you continue in this group.
If you have your phone out and/or are using during rehearsal, you will be asked to leave.
If it happens a second time, you will be kicked out of Chieftains. You may quickly check your phone during a transition between songs, but you must put it away again quickly when we start rehearsing.
You should not be leaving the room during rehearsal unless you 1) need a quick drink of water, 2) have a bathroom emergency that can't wait, 3) get an urgent message from a parent to which you need to respond, or 4) are getting sick. It is your job to participate fully at rehearsal. If you are not doing so, you may be kicked out of Chieftains.
Chieftains is a privilege, and if you don't show the proper respect toward it, you don't deserve the privilege to be part of it.
Behavior Expections outside of Chieftain Chorus
Grade Expectations
Student grades are a priority. Make sure you are working to your potential in your classes.
Tamanend policy for any after school activity is that one F in a class or two Ds in any two classes will cause a student to be placed on Academic Probation. Students put on probation have one week to improve their grades, or they cannot participate in after school activities, such as Chieftain Chorus. Grades should always be monitored on Parent Portal.
My policy is that any B- or lower in your music class gets you on Chieftain Probation. You cannot participate in Chieftain Chorus (or Gold’n’Blues) during this time.
Students on Academic or Chieftain Probation multiple times or for extended periods of time will no longer be in Chieftain Chorus and/or Gold’n’Blues.
Parent Volunteers Needed / Clearances!
Gold'n'Blues
Gold'n'Blues is Tamanend's most select chorus, comprised of 20-24 Chieftain Chorus members. The group, now in it's 9th year of existence, performs quite a bit for the school and in the community. Last year's community performances included a concert at Valley Square, singing the National Anthem at a Phillies game and a Temple Basketball game, traveling to an a cappella festival in New Jersey, performing for Gilda's Club Breakfast with Santa, four senior living center concerts, and providing the entertainment for WXTU's Toy Truck Run at Montgomery Mall, to name a few. I also try to have this group share their talent and love of singing with similar peers at other CB middle schools. Each year, we have combined events with select choruses from each of the other 4 schools.
Gold'n'Blues typically rehearses once or twice a week. Rehearsals vary (to avoid the same conflicts each week), and are typically either directly after Chieftain rehearsals until 5:15 or on separate days until 4:30. Friday's are a typical rehearsal day many weeks. There are occasional evening rehearsals as well. Our community performances sometimes fall on weekends (Friday nights or Saturday, generally).
Auditions are held in late September (9/23-9/27). The audition includes learning a part of a song on your own (using my practice tracks), sight reading a short choral segment, and 'sing-backs' - singing back a short series of pitches after I play them on the piano. Sign up for an audition time slot in the chorus room (to be posted soon). Audition details and materials will be posted on my Gold'n'Blues website later this week.
Star Spangled Banner Performances at School Events (Optional Solo Opportunity)
County Chorus (Optional Opportunity)
Tamanend auditions for 9th graders (who audition for the High School 9th-12th group) will be held in early November. County-wide auditions for the HS group are in the afternoon/evening Wednesday, November 13th (Snow date Thursday, November 14th)
Tamanend Auditions for 7th and 8th graders (who audition for the junior high group) will be held in December. County-wide auditions are in the afternoon on Tuesday, January 7th (snow date Wednesday, January 15th). Audition music and practice materials can be found at www.bcmea.org. Further details will be posted on my Chieftain Chorus Canvas page as we get closer to audition dates. I hope to have lots of Tamanend representation at Counties!
Barbershop Quartets - (Optional Opportunity)
The opportunity to sing in a quartet begins in the fall. Interested students will tryout to be in the ensemble that performs 1 song on the winter concert (December 11th). From that ensemble, I will hold further auditions in order to create a quartet that will prepare for the spring adjuducations. Please note - this is a competitive audition - not all students will be chosen to be in a quartet. Once I have finalized fall ensemble tryouts, I will announce them at Chieftain rehearsal, and upload details to my Barbershop webpage.
Chieftain Chorus Retreat, Fall Saturday AM, Date TBA (Required Event)
Veterans Day Performance - Monday, November 11th, 7:40am - 8:40am (in school) (Required Performance))
Chieftain Chorus sings a medley of armed forces service songs each year at the Veterans Day assembly. Some Important information about the day:
- We love to see active duty and retired Veterans at Tamanend that morning for the assembly. If you are a Veteran, please consider attending. If you know any Veterans, please extend an invitation to them - the earlier, the better!
- Performance attire to wear to school that day: Any solid color button-down shirt (or other solid-color dressy shirt for ladies) and dress pants (gentlemen – long tie) (dark socks/dress shoes) OR any school-appropriate dress. NO SHORTS.
9th Annual Coffeehouse (Friday, November 15th, 7:30pm) (Optional Event)
The ever-popular Tamanend Coffeehouse is back again! For those new to Chieftains and/or Tamanend , here are some details about the evening:
- ~1.5 hours of student-prepared performances, with live accompaniment
- Held on a Friday evening (11/15), in the Tamanend Cafeteria
- Decorations / lighting help establish a 'coffeehouse' setting
- Relaxed evening, seating at tables, with hot beverages and refreshments sold
- Run by / fundraiser for Chieftain Chorus
- Tryouts (open to any Tamanend student) will be in late October.
We will need parent help with set/up, clean/up, ticket, and concessions help on the 15th, plus decoration loans, and concession donations. Be on the lookout for emails asking for your help!
Bucks County Country Gentlemen Barbershop Clinic Saturday, November 9th, 9:45AM) (Required for Gold'n'Blues, Optional Opportunity for Chieftain Chorus)
The Bucks County Country Gentlemen Barbershop Chorus is very supportive of CB choral music program. One such support they have established over the last several years is a free clinic with the Barbershop Quartet "Prime Time." Students will learn a song and perform it in the Country Gentlemen's afternoon concert at 1:00. Participating students get a concert ticket for themselves and 1 additional ticket. This is a great opportunity for students to work with experienced harmony singers. This event is required for Gold'n'Blues members and encouraged for Chieftain Chorus members. The clinic runs from 9:45am-12:00pm, with lunch from 12:00-12:30pm and the afternoon concert starting at 1:00pm. The students perform early in the concert. This event is held at Lenape Middle School. Concert attire for the day will be the same as for several concerts this year:
- BLACK DRESS PANTS (no leggings or jeans please!)
- BLACK BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT with a COLLAR
- Dark socks and dress shoes
- Chieftain Chorus Tie
I will communicate further details for this event via email as it gets closer.
Winter and Spring Concert Performances (Required Events)
CB Save the Music Concert (Friday and Saturday, January 24 & 25, 2020) (Required Event)
Now in it's 17th year, the CB Save the Music concert has become one of the most anticipated events in CB each year. Money raised at these concerts is donated to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting underprivileged schools start their own music programs. Over the years, we have donated almost $200,000. Last year alone, we donated over $35,000, which qualified as a core grant to exclusively fund an entire music program for a school in New Orleans, LA.
This concert is unique for a school concert, in that the performers are mostly teachers, including yours truly. We enlist the musical help of many CB music teachers, some other CB faculty/administration, and a few community musicians as well. Basically, It is our chance to 'rock out' for our students. However, there are some student performers; In my role as one of the four main organizers of this concert, I have my students (Chieftain and Gold'n'Blues) perform in the concert. Chieftain Chorus sings with Holicong's Robe Choir in the Finale performance at the end of the concert, and Gold'n'Blues teams up with Holicong's H-Factor to sing an additional two songs. As stated in the performance list above, Chieftain members need to perform in one of the three concerts on January 24th and January 25th. Gold'n'Blues members perform on all three concerts.
This year's concert is entitled #lisTEN: A Decade in Review, and will feature an eclectic mix of music created, revisited, and remembered from 2010 to 2019.
All 3 of the concerts are held at Holicong Middle School.
CB A Cappella Festival (hosted at Tamanend, Saturday, April 18th, 2020) (Required Event)
Now in it's 11th year, the CB A Cappella Festival is another of our big Chieftain Chorus events. Each year, we bring in a professional contemporary a cappella group to work with and perform for our students.
The day starts in the afternoon (exact arrival time TBD - likely somewhere between 12:30-1:00pm), with all 5 CB middle schools performing for each other and our guest group, Backtrack Vocals, and guest clinician Rob Dietz (the Sing Off, A Cappella Academy). After each performance, the guest group gets up on stage to work with the students to take their performance to the next level. Other groups perform for the guest clinician simultaneously. What is achieved in a short time is often pretty awesome. Later in the afternoon, students learn a song to be performed with Backtrack Vocals at the evening concert. During the evening concert (7:00pm), each middle school group and possibly CB South's Southside performs, then the guest group will rock the stage for about an hour, including performing a song with all of our participating CB students. The day ends about 9:45/10:00pm.