What a year!

We are one week away from the spring concert and senior recognition that ends our year together...and what a year it has been!  I decided to put a thank-you and sort of "year in review" in the program this time just because we've had such an amazing time together.  Here is what you will find in the program next Wednesday:

Thank You for an Amazing Year!
This has been an incredible year for the choir.  We collaborated with the Slippery Rock University music department in November, the North Hills Singers performed all over the community in December, we held successful Madrigal Dinner and Cabaret Night fundraisers by the Choral Parents Association, all in addition to our regular curricular concerts.  And, of course…there was the Disney trip! 

The hard work in planning, music preparation, and fundraising was well worth it for an experience of a lifetime. A special thank you needs to go out to those involved in the planning and execution of the trip:

• our NHSD and NHHS administration for allowing us to miss 3 days of school; 
  
• Mr. Lavelle and the IPA for letting us “tag along” on the trip they were already planning to take; 
  
• Choral Parents Association co-presidents Lynn Botterman and Sandy Knobeloch for organizing all of the fundraising efforts (and the individual fundraiser chairs as well – for fear of missing someone, thanks to all of you!); 
  
• Rick Sicilio and the staff at Artistic Ambassadors for the fine job of organizing and planning the details of our trip; 
• and the chaperones who joined us – Monica and Joe Carothers, Susan and John Hughes, Lorraine and Gus Just, Sandy Knobeloch, Jeanie Mientus, Sharon Pritchard, Lauren Sarazen, and Karen Smith.

This particular group of seniors is very special to me.  They moved to the high school with me from 9th to 10th grade.  Even though there was a year that I didn't have them in class (since 9th graders have been in the high school choir classes for many years even before we became a 9-12 building), many were still in the jr. high concert choir or musical with me, and so several of them I had the privilege of working with from 7th-12th grades.  And there are a couple from West View that I've had off and on since they were in 2nd grade!

I'm so proud of them for the leadership they exhibited this year in the classroom and especially when out in the community or on the trip.  We have a lot to be thankful for at North Hills, and I'm honored to have been a part of their musical experience these past several years.  The juniors have some big shoes to fill next year, but I know they're up for the challenge!

Thank you to all for an amazing year.  Best of luck to our graduating seniors as they move on to the next part of their lives.  And to everyone else: have a great summer and I look forward to another fantastic year of singing together in the fall.  Lots of great things planned to continue our motto of "pride, tradition, and excellence" in music at North Hills!