Tredyffrin/Easttown Music Parent Organization Summer/Fall, 2011 NOTES. Welcome Back!

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1 Tredyffrin/Easttown Music Parent Organization Summer/Fall, 2011 NOTES Welcome Back! From the TEMPO Co-Presidents: With the summer winding down as we write this, we are looking forward to an active Autumn schedule for the Music Department in the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District. Autumn means Football games of course (or as we view it, marching band performances bookended by a football game!) and the band and color guard are busy with Band Camp as we write this. We are a bit sad that we only have four home games this year, because they are good fun and the concession stand sales are also an important source of income for TEMPO. But there will be that many more away games where our band and color guard can perform at the different schools in the Central League and be their usual fine ambassadors for Conestoga High School. We will continue our tradition of making hoagie dinners available for the kids before the away games and hopefully parent meal planning on those dates a bit easier as well. We re especially looking forward to seeing the Color Guard in their brand new uniforms this year! But marching band is not all that s going on this Fall. We are looking forward to our 2 nd Annual Cavalcade on November 5, Last year s event was a resounding success, but we are confident that it was but a dress rehearsal for this year, getting all the kinks worked out for an even better one this year. We are looking forward to being supportive of Shakespeare s Twelfth Night, the Fall drama that will take place in mid-november. There will also be District and Regional auditions and performance, Guys Harmonize, and the annual holiday choral and instrumental performances in December. Conestoga will be the host for District band competition so there will be activities and volunteer opportunities surrounding that as well. Special thanks to Mary Frances Szpila and Kate Farrow for their leadership in coordinating the band and color guard uniforms. Joan Capolupo, Lisa Abate, Janet Fell, 1

2 Nancy Higgins, and Amy McIlvain all helped with the band uniforms fittings. Edie Lewis helped sort the old color guard uniforms. Kate is expecting a whole crew to help her with the new ones, but the distribution has not happened as we write this, so we cannot call out the team individually. Still, we thank everyone for their help. It is much appreciated. TEMPO is an organization that survives on volunteers. We need help with shopping for the concession stands and working at them for the football games/marching band performances, bus chaperones, cavalcade, Fall drama concessions (and a chair for Kiss the Cast at the drama and musical performances), and lots of other ways. Please contact Lisa Abate to help. Her is slabate@comcast.net. More notably, at least two of the current TEMPO board members will be graduating this year, so we will be looking for new board members for next year. Please communicate your interest to Ron Mintz (ronmintz216@yahoo.com) or Steven Sheronas (steven.sheronas@chase.com). We are also working towards resolving the issues we had last year. Please make sure that we have a parent address! With hopes for a successful football and marching band season, we wish you a very happy autumn. Ron Mintz and Steven Sheronas Co-Presidents From Mr. DiLella: Welcome to the Conestoga High School Music Department! We have an exciting show lined up for this year with our musical repertoire and drill designed for West Side Story! The Marching Pioneer s are the largest student run organization at Conestoga High School with over 10% of the student body! The Student Field Operations Council has been working all summer to make the transition for our new students smooth and welcoming. Our Marching Band Parents meeting took place on August 18 th from 7:00 until 8:00. This meeting was for all new and returning marching band parents to jumpstart the season. If you were unable to attend, please visit for the necessary forms and information. On August 26 th at 7:00 our Parent Preview at Teamer Field of West Side Story was met with enthusiastic and thunderous applause! The first TEMPO meeting will take place on September 19 th. This meeting is for all new music department parents. All parents should also subscribe to our music website, in order to receive reminder s throughout the year AND should bookmark the link directly to our music events calendar at This calendar is updated on a daily basis. 2

3 Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, and Wind Ensemble concerts are scheduled throughout the year. Please check the stoga music web site (above) for dates and times. Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble and Wind Ensemble members are reminded of the concert attire: Males: Please purchase a standard black, single or double-breasted tuxedo, with a white tuxedo shirt. A cummerbund or vest is optional. Black bow ties can be purchased as well. Appropriate black dress shoes and black socks should be worn. Females: A solid black, floor-length dress or gown or a tuxedo (see above) or a long, solid black, floor-length skirt with a long-sleeved, bright, white blouse. Appropriate black dress shoes and black stockings should be worn. Concert Band and Jazz Band members should wear: Males: A standard, long-sleeved white dress shirt, black bow tie, black dress pants and belt, black socks and black dress shoes. Females: Have the option of wearing what the boys are required to wear, (see above), or they may wear a long, black skirt, appropriate black dress shoes, and a longsleeved, white blouse. Students with financial concerns should see Mr. DiLella privately as soon as possible. No one will be excluded from these organizations due to financial hardships. We are looking forward to a musically challenging and rewarding year! From Mrs. Dickinger: Nicole Gerenyi is returning to StogaMusic Theatre to direct the fall drama and spring musical. The fall drama as Shakespeare s Twelfth Night. Auditions took place on September 8 & 9. Performances will be November Tickets will go on sale mid-tolate October. StogaMusic Theatre is proud to present the musical Titanic, February 28 - March 2, Conestoga will present Titanic, (the musical, not the movie) by Maury Yeston and Peter 3

4 Stone in honor of the 100 th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the unsinkable ship. Nicole Gerenyi will join Musical Director Suzanne Dickinger to direct. A total of 1,517 souls men, women, and children - lost their lives; only 711 survived. To quote Peter Stone: the catastrophe had social ramifications that went far beyond the night s events. For the first time since the beginning of the industrial revolution early in the 19 th century, bigger, faster, and stronger did not prove automatically to be better. Suddenly the very essence of progress had to be questioned Nor was this the only question arising from the disaster. The accommodations of the ship, divided into 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Classes, mirrored almost exactly the class structure of the English-speaking world. But when the wide discrepancy between the number of survivors from each of the ship s classes was revealed all but two of the women in 1 st Class were saved while 155 women and children from 2 nd and 3 rd (mostly 3 rd ) drowned there was a new, longoverdue scrutiny of the prevailing social system and its values. Auditions for the musical will be held December 1 & 2, Information and tickets for Titanic will be available in January at Choral Corner There are four different performing choral organizations in the curriculum: Concert Choir (non-auditioned SATB music) Chanteuses (non-auditioned SSAA music) Camerata (auditioned 11 th and 12 th graders SSAATTBB music) Chorale (auditioned 9 th and 10 th graders SATB music) In addition, students in grades (and 9 th -grade tenors) may consider auditioning for the District 12 Chorus. Copies of the three audition pieces, as well as rehearsal CDs, have already been distributed. Call or Mrs. Dickinger (dickingersu@tesd.net) if you neglected to get them! All choral families are encouraged to become members of TEMPO (the Tredyffrin- Easttown Music Parents Organization). The primary goals of TEMPO are: supporting ALL the music programs throughout the TE School District; providing the resources and opportunities to encourage and musically challenge students; and awarding membership pins and scholarships. I strongly encourage the parents of choral music students to become active WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP! Don t forget the TEMPO meeting in September, where you can have all your questions about the Music Dept. and TEMPO answered in person. This year should again prove to be musically exciting. The Winter Concert will feature music by Randall Thompson and an original composition by CHS junior, Chason Goldfinger. The Spring Concert will include Spanish songs and an original composition by Conestoga Alumnus, Alec Schumacker. Our fifth annual Guys Harmonize workshop will take place in November, and a middle school Gal Chorale event will occur in 4

5 October. I can t wait to see all my returning students and welcome the new ones to our music family! The following choir officers will be integral in helping the Conestoga Music Department function smoothly throughout the school year: OFFICERS President Julianna Quazi Vice President Sarah Stern Secretary Alexandra Zhang Historian Fritz Fischer Sophomore Representatives Hannah Levin and Kanishka Rao Librarians Nell Hoban, Stephanie Horan, Sophie Mintz, Amanda Motel, Emily Omrod, Paige Susskind, Linda Zhen CONDUCTORS Period 8 Linda Goldberg, Eric Niu, Sarah Siegel Period 7 Becca Chudy, Patrick Nicholson PERIOD 8 SECTION LEADERS (GRADES 11-12) Soprano Laura McCauley (1), Emma Sharpe (2) Alto Chrissy Bradley (1), Mariah Ketterman (2) Tenor Ben Sheppard (1), Peter Guo (2) Bass Ben Allen (1), Ben Pratt (2) PERIOD 7 SECTION LEADERS (GRADES 9-10) Soprano 1 Jenna Sharples Soprano 2 Katie Weaver Alto Bridget Marturano Tenor Ian Wolfe Bass Tyler Simpson, Eric Szpila Conestoga s Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter (Modern Music Masters) will have new inductions in October. (Prospective students have already submitted their applications and should be rehearsing for their September performance requirement). Tri-M offers students the forum to share and enjoy the diversities of their musical experiences. It also provides recognition for musical achievements, scholarship, and character and presents opportunities for service. The officers include: President Julianna Quazi, Vice President Matt Fell, Secretary Neal Patel, and Historian Jake Neumar. 5

6 From Joan and Jim Capolupo and Janet and Roger Fell, TEMPO parents and co-chairs, 2011 Cavalcade of Bands at Conestoga The Conestoga High School and the Marching Pioneers will host their Second Annual Cavalcade of Bands competition, 'Stoga Showcase of Sound, on Saturday, November 5, 2011 starting in the late afternoon and ending by 10:00 pm. More than fourteen high school bands from Pennsylvania and New Jersey are already scheduled to perform on our very own Teamer Field at Conestoga. It will be an extravaganza of music and color guard performances, bringing over 1,000 people into the stands. Ticket information will be available shortly at stogamusic.com. If you or your organization would like to place an ad, make a donation, sponsor a trophy or any of the activities for the evening, contact Co-Chairs Joan Capolupo at jazcapsax@aol.com or Janet Fell at janet.fell@comcast.net. Please see below for an overview of the event. Many hands make light work, and there will be a great deal of work involved in preparing for the Cavalcade, as well as on the evening of the event. Please contact Joan Capolupo at JazCapSax@aol.com if you would like to help. Conestoga Cavalcade of Bands Overview and Information Date: Saturday, November 5, 2011 Time: The show will begin in late afternoon and will end by 10 PM. BUT! we will need people to help with set-up throughout the day, and to clean up after it ends! Event: Hosting a Cavalcade of Bands Evaluation and Competition Approximately High School Marching Bands will come to Conestoga to perform their field shows on Teamer Field. A group of educated and trained professional judges will evaluate each band s performance and rank and/or rate them within their respective division. Trophies will be awarded for various levels within divisions according to band size and requested performance type. Chairs: Joan and Jim Capolupo, Janet and Roger Fell As of September 1, 2011 there are currently 14 bands registered to attend! Cavalcade of Bands (CBA) Overview - The CBA is composed of member schools marching bands, jazz bands, and indoor ensembles. Control of the CBA is vested in the band directors in cooperation with the administrators of their respective schools. Any organization is welcome to participate regardless of the number or experience of its 6

7 performers. The CBA supports all member ensembles and is committed to their continued learning and growth. Cavalcade of Bands (CBA) Philosophy - It is the continuing philosophy of the CBA to provide students with a broad array of educational opportunities for the development of abilities in music and the performing arts. Through competitive and noncompetitive evaluation, the primary goal is to promote the ongoing development and mastery of cumulative technical and artistic skills reflecting contemporary educational principles. Why should Conestoga host a Cavalcade of Bands? Hosting an event such as this provides an opportunity for marching band students and families to have an additional outlet for their musical expertise and to provide entertainment for local families and community members. Hosting provides an opportunity for families to participate in a musically educational event, students to be evaluated by trained professionals in the field, and all members of the community to witness and appreciate the talents and hard work of our music students. Hosting also provides a collaborative means of fundraising for the marching band and its related activities. There will be numerous opportunities for individuals and families to help out both before, during and after the show. Please see the list below of committees and chairpersons and sign up for however you would like to help out there is something for EVERYONE!! You can contact the Committee Chair directly or contact Joan Capolupo at jazcapsax@aol.com or Janet Fell at janet.fell@comcast.net. Further discussion will take place at the TEMPO meetings throughout the year. In addition, a link to the Cavalcade website will be open on the Stogamusic website for you to keep up-to-date with information and needs. How Can YOU help? Below is a listing of all of the Committees which are necessary to put on such an event and along with their chairpersons! Some committees still need chairs! Contact Joan Capolupo, Janet Fell or Lisa Abate to volunteer your expertise for this wonderful event! We do need EVERYONE to do something for the day of. IN ADDITION, we are asking that each family sell at least two (2) ads for the program book or make a donation of $75. With this, they receive a voucher for a free hot dog, drink, and pretzel or popcorn for the evening of the show. The program book is the single largest income producer for the event, followed by ticket sales. We ask each family to purchase at least 2 tickets, and hopefully many more! Conestoga Cavalcade of Bands Committee Chairs: Co-Chairs Jim and Joan Capolupo, Roger and Janet Fell Program Book Mary Frances Szpila and Sami Quasi Concessions Cheryl Carleton and Sue Hollinger 7

8 ******Specialty Foods and Concession Items Chair needed! ****** Band Escorts Ayuko Siegel Trophies and Awards -- Lisa Abate Photographs Mark DiLucca TE TV Mike Bascom Spectator Parking main lot and JV Football field --Ron Mintz Equipment Trucks Lower gym lot and upper bus loop - Mark Szpila Bus Parking - Old Conestoga Road (and Transp lot?) - Sean McCauley Tickets PreSales / Online/ night of : Joan Colbert Accounting Nancy Higgins Director and staff / post contest Hospitality Jessica Mintz and Leeanne DiLucca Publicity and Communications Sharon Gurak and Mary Vilter Signs printing and posting-- Paul Vilter Technology pre and during show -- Noah Austin and Mike Starner Warm Up Area Traffic Flow Track and baseball fields - John Whelan Auto/ Street Traffic Flow Night of event -- TE Police / Fire police Information for the Middle Schools: Keep current on all musical events at the middle schools by regularly checking their websites. For Valley Forge Middle School, go to For TE Middle School, go to the school s website at and click on activities, then Music. Fundraising Opportunities TEMPO offers many ways to raise funds for your child. Opportunities include: Entertainment Books: Sharon Kirkby Wawa Hoagies: Mary Walheim Pathmark: Susan Lee 8

9 Acme: Ayuko Siegel Innisbrook: Marybeth Panaro Fundraising: Ayuko Siegel and Deborah Miller New! The Conestoga Bank Sharing Card Fundraiser Fall brings many occasions for gift-giving. Thanks to a partnership between TEMPO and Conestoga Bank, we have a suggestion that will simplify your shopping and benefit your TEMPO fundraising account at the same time: The Conestoga Bank Sharing Card. TM What is a Sharing Card? The Sharing Card TM is a Visa gift card accepted everywhere Visa is accepted and available in amounts from $25 to $750. There is a nominal activation fee of $2.95 per card - $1.25 of every activation fee goes directly to your personal Tempo fundraising account. After 18 months from the date of purchase, any unused balance from the Sharing Card TM will be donated directly to TEMPO. How Can I Purchase Sharing Cards? Just stop in any day at the Conestoga Bank Branch in Chesterbrook Shopping Center. The bank is located at 500 Chesterbrook Boulevard, Wayne PA. The hours of operation are: Monday-Thursday, 9 am- 5 pm, Friday, 9 am-6 pm, and Saturday, 9 am-1 pm. When purchasing the Sharing Card at Conestoga Bank, be sure to mention that this is for a TEMPO student, since Conestoga Bank offers multiple Sharing Cards TM. You will purchase Sharing Cards TM with a check, made payable to TEMPO. Questions? Contact Conestoga Bank at (610)