WCSMA ALL-COUNTY CHORUS NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE 2024-2025

November 2024

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to begin our All-County Chorus Season! As we shared in our original correspondence, we are able to accept ALL students nominated for the Intermediate All-County and Elementary All-County festivals. We are happy to welcome Craig Knapp as the conductor of the Elementary All-County Chorus and Amanda Gundling as the Conductor of the Intermediate All-County Chorus. Both Craig and Amanda are phenomenal educators, musicians, and builders of community and we know this festival will prove to be an amazing experience for our singers.

Student Letter of Responsibility/Guardian Permission

  • There is a downloadable Student Letter of Responsibility and Guardian Permission Form on DaCapo. It should auto-generate your students and their information. Please fill these out and upload these forms to DaCapo no later than December 9th, 2024.

Invoices

  • Please ask families to submit payment to you as the teacher. Checks and POs should be in progress as of December 9th, 2024. Please send ONE check for all students, payable to WCSMA. The invoices can be downloaded from DaCapo!

PLEASE NOTE: We can only prepare the music once we’ve received all materials and fees. Music will not be prepared for any students who have not returned their letter of responsibility form or participation fees.

Festival Dates Reminder:

  • All rehearsals and the performance will be held at New Rochelle High School.
  • The first rehearsal will be Monday, February 10th, 2025 (3:30 pm arrival, 4 pm – 7 pm rehearsal.) Snow Date is Tuesday, February 11th, 2024.
  • The second rehearsal will be Tuesday, March 4th, 2024 (3:30 pm arrival, 4 pm – 7 pm rehearsal.) Snow Date is Wednesday, March 5th, 2024.
  • The concert will be Sunday, March 9th, at 1:00 pm (arrival for students at 11:00 am.) Snow Date is Sunday, March 17th, at 1:00 pm.

We appreciate your patience in receiving this information. As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our chorus coordinator Dana Celestino at DCelestino@byramhills.net.

Sincerely,

Dana Celestino, All County Coordinator

Hannah Geiling and Emily Ilson, All-County Chorus Chairs

 

WCSMA ALL-COUNTY CHORUS NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE 2024-2025

November 2024

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to begin our All-County Chorus Season! As we shared in our original correspondence, we are able to accept ALL students nominated for the Intermediate All-County and Elementary All-County festivals. We are happy to welcome Craig Knapp as the conductor of the Elementary All-County Chorus and Amanda Gundling as the Conductor of the Intermediate All-County Chorus. Both Craig and Amanda are phenomenal educators, musicians, and builders of community and we know this festival will prove to be an amazing experience for our singers.

Student Letter of Responsibility/Guardian Permission

  • There is a downloadable Student Letter of Responsibility and Guardian Permission Form on DaCapo. It should auto-generate your students and their information. Please fill these out and upload these forms to DaCapo no later than December 9th, 2024.

Invoices

  • Please ask families to submit payment to you as the teacher. Checks and POs should be in progress as of December 9th, 2024. Please send ONE check for all students, payable to WCSMA. The invoices can be downloaded from DaCapo!

PLEASE NOTE: We can only prepare the music once we’ve received all materials and fees. Music will not be prepared for any students who have not returned their letter of responsibility form or participation fees.

Festival Dates Reminder:

  • All rehearsals and the performance will be held at New Rochelle High School.
  • The first rehearsal will be Monday, February 10th, 2025 (3:30 pm arrival, 4 pm – 7 pm rehearsal.) Snow Date is Tuesday, February 11th, 2024.
  • The second rehearsal will be Tuesday, March 4th, 2024 (3:30 pm arrival, 4 pm – 7 pm rehearsal.) Snow Date is Wednesday, March 5th, 2024.
  • The concert will be Sunday, March 9th, at 1:00 pm (arrival for students at 11:00 am.) Snow Date is Sunday, March 17th, at 1:00 pm.

We appreciate your patience in receiving this information. As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our chorus coordinator Dana Celestino at DCelestino@byramhills.net.

Sincerely,

Dana Celestino, All County Coordinator

Hannah Geiling and Emily Ilson, All-County Chorus Chairs

Good afternoon orchestra colleagues,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. This is a reminder to please upload commitment letters for all accepted students including recently accepted alternates by next Monday, December 9th by midnight. This is a requirement to confirm your student’s participation in the festival. Please also make sure that payments for accepted students are in progress by this time.

To submit commitment letters:

  1. Log in to Da Capo and navigate to the “View All Nominations” tab on the left.
  2. On the far right of the next page, click the “Missing Commitment Form” link in orange. This must be done for each individual accepted student. Note that only .pdf and .jpeg files will be accepted.

I will be in touch later this month with a firm payment deadline. This will also be the deadline to submit commitment letters for any alternates accepted after December 9, 2024.

Thank you,

Shadman Mirza

WCSMA 2024-2025

ELEMENTARY

ALL-COUNTY ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL

                                                                 Coordinator: Shadman Mirza                                           Chairperson: Gabriella Savino

Dear All-County Orchestra Participant & Families,

Congratulations on being selected to participate in this year’s Elementary All-County Orchestra Festival! You should be proud of your musical accomplishments and the honor in which you represent your school and community. We are looking forward to the music you and your peers will create together in the next few months.

We are pleased to announce the conductor for the 2025 Elementary All-County Orchestra: Mr. Charles DuChateau, Tuckahoe UFSD.

Calendar of Events

Students must attend all rehearsals.

Date Event Location
Monday February 10th, 2025
(snow date: Feb. 11th, 2025)		 Pre-Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. New Rochelle High School
Tuesday March 4th, 2025
(snow date: March 5th, 2025)		 Pre-Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. New Rochelle High School
Saturday March 8th, 2025 Student arrival: 3:00 p.m.
Concert: 5:00 p.m.		 New Rochelle High School

**It is imperative that all teachers, students, and parents understand and follow the WCSMA Attendance policy (see All-County Commitment Letter in DaCapo).

Your orchestra teacher at school should be giving you a commitment form, which you must fill out and return to your school orchestra teacher. Your teacher will also be collecting a participation fee of $25.00. It is important that this is done in a timely manner so we can in turn send the music to you. Commitment letters (found in DaCapo) are due no later than December 9th, 2024. Payments/Purchase orders must also be in progress by this time.

General Information

  • Please bring the following to all rehearsals: A music stand, your instrument, your music, water, and a snack.

Please Label all of your belongings!

  • Students are expected to have all music selections prepared. Please work diligently before the first rehearsal.
  • Ticket information will be available at the first rehearsal.

Again, congratulations on this musical achievement. We are looking forward to meeting you all at our first rehearsal. Happy practicing!

Sincerely,

Shadman Mirza                                                 Gabriella Savino

All-County Orchestra Coordinator                Elementary All-County Orchestra Chairperson

WCSMA 2024-2025

INTERMEDIATE

ALL-COUNTY ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL

                                                             Coordinator: Shadman Mirza                             Chairperson: Melissa Neyer

Dear All-County Orchestra Participant & Families,

Congratulations on being selected to participate in this year’s Intermediate All-County Orchestra Festival! You should be proud of your musical accomplishments and the honor in which you represent your school and community. We are looking forward to the music you and your peers will create together in the next few months.

We are pleased to announce the conductor for the 2025 Intermediate All-County Orchestra: Ms. Kate Stocker, Mamaroneck UFSD.

Calendar of Events

Students must attend all rehearsals.

Date Event Location
Monday February 10th, 2025
(snow date: Feb. 11th, 2025)		 Pre-Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. New Rochelle High School
Tuesday March 4th, 2025
(snow date: March 5th, 2025)		 Pre-Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. New Rochelle High School
Saturday March 8th, 2025 Student arrival: 3:00 p.m.
Concert: 5:00 p.m.		 New Rochelle High School

**It is imperative that all teachers, students, and parents understand and follow the WCSMA Attendance policy (see All-County Commitment Letter in DaCapo).

Your orchestra teacher at school should be giving you a commitment form, which you must fill out and return to your school orchestra teacher. Your teacher will also be collecting a participation fee of $25.00. It is important that this is done in a timely manner so we can in turn send the music to you. Commitment letters (found in DaCapo) are due no later than December 9th, 2024. Payments/Purchase orders must also be in progress by this time.

General Information

  • Please bring the following to all rehearsals: A music stand, your instrument, your music, water, and a snack.

Please Label all of your belongings!

  • Students are expected to have all music selections prepared. Please work diligently before the first rehearsal.
  • Ticket information will be available at the first rehearsal.

Again, congratulations on this musical achievement. We are looking forward to meeting you all at our first rehearsal. Happy practicing!

Sincerely,

Shadman Mirza                                            Melissa Neyer

All-County Orchestra Coordinator           Intermediate All-County Orchestra Chairperson