- Friday, February 22, check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. and rehearsal will begin at 8:30 a.m. The concert is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. Please keep in mind that these times are subject to change and directors will receive an email with a finalized schedule closer to this date.
- When you check in with your singer(s) in the morning, you will receive a t-shirt for each singer. Singers are to wear them with black slacks/skirts for the concert in the evening.
- Music is to be memorized upon arrival on February 22.
- Lunch will be provided for members of the choir. Teacher assistance is welcome and needed with escorting choir members to and from lunch; however, lunch is not provided for teachers.
- Teacher assistance is needed with escorting choir members to the dress rehearsal. Details regarding the schedule will be emailed to you in the near future.
- Parents and guests, who are not KMEA members and who are planning to attend the ISW, should obtain a Guest Pass for each member of their party. Guest Passes will be available at the KMEA Registration Table in the Century II Connecting Lobby, which is located immediately south of, and adjacent to, the circular part of the Century II Convention Center.
- Everyone attending the concert will be required to have a ticket. Teachers should be able to order their tickets when they register for the ISW. Parents and guests can order their tickets at: www.WichitaTix.com, clicking on the Event Calendar link and selecting the 2/22/13 KMEA 2013 Middle Level ACDA Choir event. Ticket cost is $7.00 per person.
If you have a student who was selected for the honor choir and he or she is unable to participate, notify me immediately so an alternate may be notified and allowed to participate. Please applaud your students for achieving this honor and remind them to make repertoire preparation and participation in this event a priority in their lives.
Our guest conductor this year is Janeal Krehbiel. For most of you Janeal requires no introduction and it is both a joy and a privilege to invite her to conduct this honor choir in her home state. She is the founder of the Lawrence Children's Choir and under her direction; they were invited to perform at state, regional, national and international conventions, festivals, and workshops. Janeal holds degrees from Bethel College and Wichita State University and is an active member of ACDA, NAfME, KMEA, and Chorus America. She is frequently a featured clinician and conductor for institutes, honor choirs, and seminars. Janeal has directed camps and festivals and published many articles about choral music for children and youth. She was the recipient of the Kansas ACDA Harry Robert Wilson Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to choral music. In June 2012, Chorus America honored Janeal and the Lawrence Children's Choir with the National Award for Outstanding Outreach and Education. Janeal was also inducted just this past year into the KMEA Hall of Fame.
I encourage you to schedule time into your day on Friday, February 22, to observe Janeal's work with the ML choir. You will walk away with great ideas to incorporate into your teaching and have the rare opportunity to see a master teacher at work! On Saturday morning, February 23, be sure to include time to attend Janeal's session designed especially for teachers of middle level/junior high choirs: "Creating the Rehearsal; Shaping the Adventure." Discover the importance of climate in the classroom/rehearsal room and the significance of the link between morale and discipline. Learn the importance of planning rehearsals for middle level choirs and receive ideas for promoting musical independence and wisdom from a master teacher!