Frederick Douglass High School Orchestras

Hello Orchestra families!

We are down to our final 14 days of the Fall Semester, and only a few days away from our Winter Concert! Here are some updates and reminders for the final few weeks before winter break.

1. Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra  Dress Rehearsal  will be Monday, December 6th from 3:30-5:30pm. Students need to bring their uniforms to school, as we will be having photographers taking pictures during and after rehearsal for our KMEA Conference Program and the KMEA Bluegrass Music News. 
2. Winter Concert  for all Orchestra students is  Thursday, December 9th.  Students need to be in the orchestra room dressed, ready to play at  5:30pm.  The concert will be in the  Gymnasium starting at 6:30pm.  The performance is free and open to the public; masks required. The concert will feature all of the FDHS Bands, Orchestras and the CGWA World Percussion Ensemble. Students are required to stay for the duration of the concert (approximately 90 minutes or less). Students may stay after school if transportation is a concern. All students need to remember to wear their concert uniforms. 
3. Instruments  MUST be taken home over winter break; do not leave them at school!

Also, congrats to our 5 students who were accepted into the KY All-State Orchestras! This is a huge achievement; the KY All-State Audition is harder than some college auditions! This is the most students FDHS has ever had in the All-State ensembles.

Navin Tantasook, Symphony Viola

Logan Smith, Commonwealth Viola

Riley Hooks, Commonwealth Viola

Ethan Tantasook, Commonwealth Cello

Emma Anderson, Commonweath Bass

If you have any questions/concerns, please let me know. I look forward to seeing everyone at our Winter Concert!

Mrs. Payne

Good Afternoon,

Please update your calendars, as we will be extending our rehearsal on Monday, December 6th to have professional photos taken of our dress rehearsal. Students are to bring their concert uniforms to school that day for the photos. If you have another sport/activity that day, we please request that you try to attend rehearsal for the entire time, so you are not left out of the photos. These will be the photos that will be posted to the KMEA Website for our Conference performance, and will be in our concert program. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you!

Mrs. Payne

Good Evening,

We had a GREAT first full-orchestra rehearsal with the Symphonic, Chamber and band members for our KMEA performance! The students worked very hard, and the students should be very proud of what they’ve accomplished today! Shout out to A4 Symphonic Orchestra who played all of A4 and then again right after-school (almost 3 hours of playing)! I know they were tired, and we appreciate their hard work.

Just a few reminders:

1. Students who need to miss all or part of rehearsals for other FDHS sports/activities need to make sure to let me know ahead of time (not the day of the rehearsal). Usually we can work it out with the coaches to split the time, which is why it’s helpful to know ahead of time. 
2. Students have a break from 3:15-3:30pm to use the restroom, get a snack, etc. Snacks are not provided by the school; if students need a snack before rehearsal, they should plan accordingly, and bring one to eat during the 3:15-3:30pm break. The students should not go to the front office and ask for snacks. I’ll keep a few in my office for emergencies, but I cannot afford to feed all 150 students every week!
3. Our next rehearsal is MONDAY, November 15th, 3:30-5pm. 

Thank you again for all of your hard work! 

Mrs. Payne

Good Morning!

Last nights concert was amazing! The students did a fabulous job and really show cased the efforts of their hard work the past 9-weeks. Thank you to all the parents who donated food, drinks and money to feed our students and the middle school students last night. We had 126 performers in our large ensemble – which sounded amazing! 

The concert program that was unable to be printed is attached. If you have any videos or photos please send them to me – the year book is always asking for photos!

Here are some reminders for upcoming deadlines and events:

• November 1st: Solo & Ensemble Permission Slips are due
• November 1st: KMEA Conference Permission Slips are due
• November 6th: All-State Recording at FDHS
• November 8th: Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal 3:30-5pm
• November 15th: Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal 3:30-5pm
• November 29th: Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal 3:30-5pm
• December 6th: Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra Dress Rehearsal 3:30-5pm
• December 9th: Winter Concert for all students; 6:30pm Gymnasium

Please make sure all of the above dates are marked in your calendar.

Thank you again for your continued dedication and support to our ensemble! If you have any questions, please let me know. 

Thank you!

Mrs. Payne

Good Afternoon,

This is a reminder that our first orchestra concert is tomorrow!

Attached is a parking, entrance and seating map. Please remember tomorrows concert is in the main gymnasium. Please be aware other events are taking place at FDHS tomorrow night, so parking may be limited. 

Please remember all audience members school aged or older must wear masks. Families should maintain social distancing in the audience. Masks must remain on while inside the building. 

Our concert program will be digital and can be found on our orchestra page: http://www.fdhsorchestra.com; we will have a QR code you may scan when entering the building to access the program as well.

3:15-4:00pm: Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra students report to orchestra room/Set-up Gym/Change into uniforms

4:15pm: Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra students move to Gymnasium (leave cases and personal belonging in lockers/orchestra room); Orchestra room will be LOCKED until the end of the concert.

4:30pm: Middle School students will arrive. Students will be seated “next” to a high school student but will have their own stand and will be 3-4 feet apart.

5-6pm: Rehearsal in Gymnasium (Symphonic, Chamber and Middle Schools); Concert Orchestra arrives dressed; report directly to the Gymnasium and put cases to the side of the gym. Sit in the stands upon arrival – please do not disrupt the rehearsal. 

6-6:30pm: Outside Pizza Party for students (weather pending; in cafe if raining – will keep school groups together and not mix groups)

6:45pm: Students In seats (we’ll have the ensembles taped/marked off in the stands, so we don’t mix schools/groups)

7:00pm: Performance begins

Students must stay for the entire performance. 

Students must remember to bring their instruments, music, and all parts of their uniform!

Boys: Tux Pants, Tux Shirt, Bow Tie, Cummerbund, Black Socks, Black Dress Shoes

Girls: Concert Dress, nude/black tights (optional), black dress shoes

We will provide a disposable black mask for all students; students may wear their own black mask if they choose. 

Thank you to all parents who have donated food/drinks for the students! Please remember to drop them off at the FDHS main office tomorrow morning. 

I will be contacting you individually if you volunteered with set-up or clean-up.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you, I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow evening!

Mrs. Payne

Hello,

Due to the FCPS change for an extended Thanksgiving break, KMEA has had to move the Solo & Ensemble Event that was originally scheduled for November 20th. 

The event will now be on January 29th at Bryan Station High School. Please mark your calendars accordingly. Permission slips will now be due November 1st. 

If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you!

Mrs. Payne