Daniel

"Daniel"- our combined Kennedy piece for Benaroya Hall this year, can be found at about 21 minutes into this video. I know it is really boring to watch, but it is conducted by the composer and the group has a pretty good sound. The girl in the center is on the tenor line- don't let that throw you. Listen, then take out your music and practice with it in front of you!

Sweatshirts & Basketball

Remember that all sweatshirt orders must be received on Monday, November 28 when we get back from Thanksgiving break. Make checks payable to the school. Extra forms are on my office door.

Excalibur- Monday night is our sing at the SU basketball game. Meet in the music room at 4:30 pm in your formal gowns/tuxedos, with a sack dinner or money for food at the stadium. The bus will leave from the stadium back to school at 8:40, so we should be back by 9:00 pm or so. You will get in to the game for free, but parents will have to purchase tickets at the door. The music room will be open after school for a couple of hours for study hall purposes, so feel free to just hang out and do homework there.

Lastly, happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I am thankful for the days I get to spend making music with such an inspiring group of young people. Thank you for working so hard and giving so much of yourself in order to bring the joy of music to others- what a gift!

Practice Tracks

Practice Tracks for 2012 Benaroya Hall concert can be found here.

Bravo!

Congratulations to the students who performed this afternoon as a part of the Northwest High School Honor Choir Festival! The musical growth that you made in two days was incredibly impressive and the concert was beautiful. Everyone walked out of that hall singing "didn't my Lord deliver Daniel?" with lifted spirits and smiles on their faces. Your passion and perseverance payed off! What a unique gift you gave your audience. Nice work- I am very proud of you!

Just for my altos!

Check this out!

UPS Honor Choir

Practice file links are located on my school webpage. Just click on the left sidebar labeled Excalibur and there should be files for all six files that open up. One of the links is acting weird and I will try to troubleshoot it in the next 24 hours. Please let me know if you experience any other problems with the practice files and have fun learning the music! It is great stuff- I can't wait!

2011- 2012 Musical

This year's musical will be a tap dancing, gun-slinging, spotlight-seeking comedy by the Gershwin brothers called Crazy for You! It is a fun show, with songs every American ought to know.... Someone to Watch Over Me, Embraceable You, I've Got Rhythm... and it will be in the fall. In the Little Theatre. For 2 weekends.

Auditions will begin on August 30 and rehearsals will begin September 6. Be sure to attend the informational meetings: Thursday, August 25 at 11:15 (grades 10- 12) and Friday, August 26 at 12:15 (grade 9). Shows are November 11-13 & 18-20.

It is our hope that a fall show will open up performance opportunities for some of you who haven't been able to do a musical yet. Think about it- it is fun!

Start working on those monologues and Broadway tunes NOW! See you on the stage!

Summer Enrichment

Do you want to become a better performer?
Do you like meeting other teenagers who also like music?
Do you want to see the premier of the musical Aladdin for super cheap?
If yes, definitely check this out!!!

Excalibur: 2011- 2012

Thank you to everyone who tried out. This is always a very difficult decision for me. If your name is on this list, please e-mail back me to indicate your acceptance of your slot by Friday of this week. If your name is not on this list, please feel free to see me regarding any questions/vocal goals to work on next year- but please wait to do so until after Memorial Day weekend.

It is my sincere hope that all of you will continue singing next year and figure out a way to make it work it your schedule. Again, thank you for your courage and dedication.

Sopranos
Sarah F.
Melanie T.
Danny T.
Alyssa Z.
Juliana J.
Bailee D.

Altos
Mariko O.
Veronica S.
Meagan S.
Charlotte D.
Georgia B.
Meredith B.
Katherine B.

Tenor
Sam B.
Luke P.
Tanner B.
Nathan R.
Brandon W.
Peter K.

Baritone/Bass
Brandon R.
Michael N.
Lorenzo Q.
Cade D.
Caleb C.
Kirk V.
Joseph D.

Auditions

Excalibur Auditions for the 2011- 2012 school year begin today! Please be in the music room, on time, with your filled out audition form. Each group should be completed by 3:15 pm. Review the Star Spangled Banner prior to arrival and be ready to sight-sing and warm up your entire range. Good luck!

State Solo Contest

Well done, Max, Bailee, and Lindsey! Between the three of you, you earned five superior ratings and four excellent ratings. More importantly, you all were able to execute everything you have been working on for the past few months in performance and hold your own against the best of the best. Good work at state! Who will be there next year???

State Ensemble Contest

Some blurry pictures, but some beautiful music making! I am so proud of all of you!

Here are a couple of things the judges had to say:

• Very good (ensemble) work on the Orban- nice communication



• Lovely interpretation on Faure



• Loved the way you interacted with each other



• Very sensitive (interpretation)- thank you!



• Well prepared- thank you! An intense and musical performance

Excalibur mixed received two ratings of a II (excellent) and one I (superior). Bailee & Max's duet received three II's... can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Spring Choral Invitational

Look at all of those springtime smiles!

Spring Choral Invitational @ LHS- April 5, 2011

State Solo & Ensemble

Great work at regionals today! I really appreciate your hard work and wonderful music making. We had a few Kennedy students advance to the state level and a few alternates who may be notified to go as well- congratulations!

Baritone- Max Seifert (winner)
Tenor- Nick Farrell (first alternate)
Alto- Bailee DePhelps (winner)
Soprano- Lindsey Kranz (winner)
Lrg. Male Vocal Ensembles- Excalibur Men (first alternate)
Sm. Mixed Vocal Ensembles- Kennedy Duet (winner)
Lrg. Mixed Vocal Ensembles- Excalibur Mixed (winner)
Sm. Women's Vocal Ensembles- Audrey & Rosemary (first alternate)

All of you- staff, singers, parent, and alumni volunteers represented us very well and I am proud to be a part of this thing we call Kennedy music! You are awesome!

Loch Lomond

Listen to the following three examples. Then, based on the overall performance of the piece, comment back with which performance was the strongest (and why), and which performance you felt needed refinement (and why).

Example #1
Example #2
Example #3

Domine Deus

Listen to the following three examples. Then, based on the overall piece, comment back with which performance was the strongest (and why) and which you felt needed more refinement (and why).

Example #1
Example #2
Example #3

Musicks Empire

Comment back your anwers to the following two questions:
1. What stands out to you in this particular recording?
2. Where in the piece do you hear the music mirroring the text most clearly (word painting)? What does the choir do to make that clear to you as a listener?

Cantique

There are so many versions of this tune out there, but check this site out! It has voice parts highlighted for you to practice with! You can find them by looking under the composer's name (Faure).