Ballard Performing Arts News |
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Nov. 17 | From Screens to Stage Wrap Party, Peddler’s Brewery, 6 pm
Nov. 20 | Screens To Stage Fundraising Campaign ends
Nov. 25 and 26 | No School/Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day
Nov. 30 | Shawn O'Donnell's Dine out for BPA, Fiddlers perform 6 pm
Nov. 30 - Dec. 1 | Beauty and the Beast Auditions
Dec. 7 | Vocal Jazz Holiday Caroling during the day
Dec. 7 | BPA Boosters Board Meeting 6 pm
Dec. 14 | Orchestra Winter Concert 6 PM (9 and 10 grade); 8 PM (11 and 12 grade)
Dec. 15 | Band Winter Concert 6 PM (9 and 10 grade); 8 PM (11 and 12 grade)
Dec. 16 | Choir Winter Concert 6 PM (9 and 10 grade); 8 PM (11 and 12 grade)
Dec. 20-31 | Winter Break
Jan. 3 | School resumes
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The Scoop on Winter Concerts |
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Two people per student will be allowed to attend the winter concert in person! People will be seated in pairs, six feet away from other audience members. There will be two shows, a 6 PM show for grades 9 and 10 families and an 8 PM show for grades 11 and 12 families. Seats are free, but if you want to reserve seating in a particular spot you can do so for a $25 donation per seat. Link to reserved seats coming soon.
Kids will not be in the audience this time, but will be able to watch the concerts via livestream in the music rooms.
Tues. Dec. 14--Orchestra Concert
6 PM (9 and 10 grade); 8 PM (11 and 12 grade)
Weds. Dec. 15 -- Band Concert
6 PM (9 and 10 grade); 8 PM (11 and 12 grade)
Thurs Dec 16 -- Choir concert
6 PM (9 and 10 grade); 8 PM (11 and 12 grade)
General admission tickets are free, but you can reserve specific seating for a $25 donation per seat via Showtix (link coming soon).
How it will work:
After you check in and show your vaccination card, an usher will take you to either your reserved seats or a seat that is available.
Please consider volunteering at a concert when your student isn’t performing; we will need:
- Chaperones in the music rooms while other groups wait
- People to check parents and guardians in and check vaccine cards
- Ushers to escort people to their seats
Please note that you have to complete all the district volunteer paperwork to volunteer.
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We're So Close to our Fundraising Goal! |
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Thank you so much to those who have made a donation so far. We need to still raise more money to meet our goal and keep this program strong. Please donate now to the BPA Screens to Stage giving campaign to help us wrap it up!
Where will the money go?
- To pay for the clinicians, specialists, coaches, and additional instruction time to work tirelessly with students to bring out the best of their artistry.
- To raise enough money to have scholarships so that all students who want to participate in the arts can afford to.
- To pay for the extensive audio/visual needs required for livestreaming, which comes with the added bonus of expanding our audience.
1) Specialists, Additional Instructures, and Coaches
The $155 program fee music families pay at the beginning of the year covers the bare minimum for basic state-required curriculum. If that is where our directors stopped, the program would look completely different than it does and has in the past. No uniforms, no Jazz Band, no Fiddlers. No Masterworks at the winter concerts. No choreographers, playwrights, or other theatre help.
The Ballard Performing Arts program has always delivered a high-quality, award-winning program that has garnered awards and invitations to perform at prestigious music halls and festivals such as Carnegie Hall and Ellington Jazz Festival. The instructors, along with the coaches, specialists, clinicians, and others who support the program, have been vital to make that happen.
That is why our coaching and scholarships are so valuable to our booster program.
To pay for additional instruction that enriches the program, including but not limited to choir accompanists, jazz teachers, playwrights and choreographers. These instructors make an impact on all our students—everyone benefits.
Funding these resources represents 48%—almost half—of our Boosters Budget. The funds we raise allow the instructors to fulfill their vision of the programs and the kids to have the best experience possible.
Read all about our instructors, specialists and coaches on our website.
- Amanda Fitch, Fiddler’s coach
- Gary Hammon, Jazz Band coach
- Trevor Parrish, Jazz 2 instructor
- Denali Williams, Drumline instructor
- Rachel Atkins, playwright who teaches writing to Theatre Arts students
- Lisa Holmberg, Musical rehearsal accompanist
- Gustavo's Gutierrez, Scenic Artist (Projections) and more
- Eia Waltzer, choreographer
- Serena Chin, Choir accompanist
- Evan Norber, Tenor/Bass coach
…Not to mention the dedicated time outside of classrooms from our program directors Courtney Rowley, Jay Gillespie, Elizabeth Fortune, and Shawn Riley.
2) Funding Scholarships for All Students Who Want to Can Participate in the Arts
Students should have access to an Arts program that makes their heart sing. It’s good for the kids and the community. We don’t know about you, but the thought of students playing together again makes our hearts sing, too.
One of the primary commitments of the Ballard Performing Arts Boosters Club is that no student gets turned away from participating in the performing arts at Ballard High School because of their ability to pay. Whether it’s because students can’t afford the program or camp fees, or take part in trips like many families can, it doesn’t matter. We’re here to fund these things for all families. We want these programs to be an enriching and safe place for all kids to express themselves and grow.
3) Boost our Video/Streaming Budget and Make our Programs Accessible to More Audiences
We are SO happy to be back in person. Kids are on stage together, live music is being played, shows are being prepared. But, we are only back in person to a point. To stay safe and play safe, per district mandates, we’re livestreaming at least the fall concerts—and likely future concerts that will be in person. Livestreaming is a great solution so that kids can perform together and put on concerts and shows.
But as we move from having to be on screens to connect and learn to using screens to record, package, and broadcast and archive the concerts with a larger audience, we need funds to make it happen. In fact, the budget required for our audio and visual tech to produce these concerts has doubled.
With the funds to support our livestreaming and A/V, we can also reach more people, which is a terrific outcome. The added bonus to livestreaming our concerts is that it also allows us to expand our audiences so that family and friends who can’t make it to the concert in person can still watch.
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Three easy ways to give
Text to Give:
Text the word screens2stage to 44321.
You’ll be sent a link to make your donation.
Your donations go straight to The Boosters Club bank account and incur minimal processing fees.
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Donate on our website and pay through PayPal:
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A montly giving option is also available!
Pay by check:
Make check out to: Ballard Performing Arts Boosters Club
Mail to:
Ballard Performing Arts Boosters
PO BOX 17774
Seattle, WA 98127
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Come to the "It's a Wrap" party, hear some live music, and make your final donation. |
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Performer lineup (subject to change):
6:30 pm
- Tenor Bass Ensemble
- Grace and Ruth Jenkins, violin and cello duet
- Charles Landschultz (singer songwriter)
7:10 pm
- Hope Onstad, singing This is Love
- Ella Papineau singing Screw Loose from the musical Crybaby.
- Chamber Choir
- Ballard Brass (Band), a mix of Jazz 1 and Jazz 2 students
8 - 8:30 pm
- Kevin Bulson, Cello
- 5 1/2 Cats, orchestra quartet with Lina McRoberts, Monse Eckert-Mariscal, Carson Steffens, and Colin Dunlap
- Vocal Jazz
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The fall concert series was such a wonderful reminder of why we support the arts at Ballard High School. We celebrate that we are unique in Seattle schools in that we have one strong boosters group that supports all of the performing arts programs at our school. Check out what’s new with our programs: |
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Band
Marching Band Wins Best Musical Entry in Veterans Day Parade!
Mr. Gillespie is proud to announce that the Ballard High School Marching Band won the Mayor’s Award – Best Musical or Drill Entry in Auburn’s 56th annual Veterans Parade. This is considered the largest parade of its kind west of the Mississippi. This year, there were 166 entries with nearly 4,000 parade participants and thousands of spectators. They had a panel of three judges (all veterans!) carefully reviewing each entry. Congrats to the students and Mr. Gillespie!
Check out the video of their award-winning performance below in the Featured Video spot!
Prepping for Winter Concerts!
Mr. Gillespie is busy working on music for the winter concert series. This includes some exciting, complex pieces for Concert and Symphonic bands, along with some holiday favorites.
Brass Band to Play at Nov 17 Screens to Stage Wrap Party
The event starts at 6 and the Brass Band plays the second out of three sets. Mr. Gillespie also is hoping to bring in the Navy Band Brass to work with the brass band at some point.
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New Instruments Grant from PTSA
Thanks to a grant from the Ballard High School PTSA, we now have a new alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and a piccolo. Thanks to the BHS PTSA Fall Grants Team!
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Choir
Fall Concert
The choirs reinvented how the Fall Concert was delivered. Singing in masks without an audience, except for the other choirs and the livestream videographer, made for a very different experience. However, anyone who watched the livestream fall choir concert saw and heard how impactful it was to have the students be able to perform in person with one another. The 9th graders had a wonderful time performing in their first in-person concert since middle school. A very memorable moment was at the end of the concert when the students kept waving at the camera, which went on for a while until the livestream was off. Their waving showed how much it meant to the students that you were watching.
Choir Clinics
Phyllis Birdwell had an amazing clinic with the students on October 20th and they had a blast learning about the gospel music culture. Phyllis is the director of the University of Washington Gospel Choir, as well as the Minister of Music at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in the Central District.
On October 22, Concert Choir held a Zoom workshop with composer Reginald Unterseher and lyricist Afrose Fatima Ahmed. Unterseher and Ahmed are the composer and lyricist for the piece “This Morning”, a new composition that Concert Choir performed at our fall concert. Both Unterseher and Ahmed are residents of the Tri-Cities, and were excited to hear Concert Choir sing the piece and engage in a dialogue about the compositional and artistic process.
A big thank you to the Ballard Performing Arts boosters for making both of these clinics possible!
Tenor Bass Ensemble, Chamber Choir, and Vocal Jazz at Screens to Stage
Wednesday November 17 will be the exciting debut for Tenor Bass Ensemble and Chamber Choir at the Screens to Stage at The Peddler. Vocal Jazz will also be performing. The groups hope to see you there (6 pm.).
Vocal Jazz
Vocal Jazz is planning a caroling day to spread some winter cheer on December 7. We will perform for the Rotary Club at Picolinos in their outdoor tent. We are also working with elementary and middle schools to have Vocal Jazz perform before/after school or at recess times also on December 7. Due to COVID restrictions, caroling will be performed outside and masked.
We anticipate needing chaperones for this event. We will let you know as details become available.
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Orchestra
Orchestra Updates from the Board Meeting
- The orchestras are gearing up to play new music for the winter concert, including collaborations with the jazz band rhythm section.
- Upcoming February events include Chamber Orchestra performing at the Washington Music Educators Association annual conference and the Symphonic/Concert Orchestras are taking part in the Wintergrass Festival Youth Orchestra - stay tuned for details!
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Theatre
Beauty and the Beast Auditions are November 30
Audition packets will be available in the Black Box/NE224 starting November 1st. Sign up for an audition time in the Black Box
Auditions take place over 3 days:
Tuesday Nov. 30, 3:45 in the band room: Sing any Disney musical.
Auditionees must prepare a song from a Disney musical of NO MORE than
1 verse & 1 chorus (16 bars). You MUST supply sheet music for the accompanist.
Dec. 1: Dance auditions (in small groups, led by our choreographer)
You will not be dancing alone. Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes.
All students MUST attend dance auditions on December 1st to be considered for a part.
Dec. 2: Call backs, including reading.
Cast List posted shortly after and students decide whether they want the role.
Kids build all sets and costumes. Another school is also putting on Beauty & the Beast this year, so we may share props, costumes, and/or sets.
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The district only pays for teacher’s salaries; everything else we have to raise or donate. |
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Nov 30 is Dine Out for BPA at Shawn O’Donnells Pub in Fremont
25% of the night’s sales will go to the program AND the Fiddlers will perform at 6 pm. We recommend you go early for dinner to get a seat to see the show!
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Coffee Sales are On!
Order your favorite coffee, do some holiday shopping, and directly support a BPA student by writing their name on the order! For every $14 bag purchased, the student named will earn $6 in credits that can be used toward future trips, camps, and program fees. Proceeds with no student named will go into the BPA general fund.
Coffee sales will be online from November 8-29. Order forms can be accessed through the parent Source account/SchoolPay, or through this link (a SchoolPay account is not required to order):
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Coffee pickup will be at concerts--please make arrangements to deliver coffee to others who bought coffee in support of your student. |
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Shawn O'Donnell’s Dine out for BPA on November 30
Enjoy delicious food, live music, and support the arts! Dine-in or order take-out from Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub in Fremont on Tuesday, November 30th and 25% of your order will go to BPA programs! The Ballard Fiddlers will perform a set at 6pm.Videos will be posted!
To order takeout, call the restaurant at (206) 420-3656 (or walk-in) and mention “Ballard Performing Arts” when you order.
Note: at 7:30 we will be sharing the restaurant with Tuesday Trivia. You are welcome to join if there is space. Everyone who dines in or orders takeout and mentions BPA to their server will be included in this dine-out. Thanks for your support!
REMINDER: Masks are required in the restaurant when not seated. People ages 12 and over are required to show proof of Covid-19 fully vaccination or a negative test result to dine-in (call the restaurant if you are unsure).
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Spaghetti Dinner Coordinators and Volunteer Help Needed
The event is on February 12 and is an amazing, fun community builder. All groups perform. Directors do the programming, we organize the dinner and volunteer server part. Contact Jeannette if you’re interested.
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Check out the award-winning performance of the marching band at the Nov. 6 Veterans Day Parade in Auburn! |
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Check out past performances any time on our YouTube and Vimeo c hannels.
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Give While You Get
Passive fundraising couldn’t be easier—Donate to BPA Every time you make a purchase. Link to Amazon Smile, Fred Meyer, and more, and donate every time you shop. To sign up, follow the links below and select “Ballard High School Performing Arts Booster Club” as the benefactor.
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Thank You to Our Sponsors |
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Interested in becoming a BPA Sponsor?
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STAY CONNECTED
Share your BPA media with us.
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Ballard Performing Arts
Ballard Performing Arts Booster Club
Contact us at:
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