Join Us! BPAB Board Meeting tonight!

Our next BPA Booster Club Board Meeting is in the BHS Library tonight, Tues, Jan 9 at 6 pm.

These meetings are open to all parents/guardians of students in BPA programs. Listening to the directors’ updates and the planning for upcoming events is a great way to learn more about your child(ren)’s performing arts world. We promise, you will not be pressured to sign up for anything, but you will undoubtedly walk away with ideas for how you can lend a hand if you so choose.

Hope to see you there!

Buy Tix for 65th Annual Spaghetti Dinner | Sat Feb 3

The 65th Annual Spaghetti Dinner: Night at the Movies is coming up on Sat, Feb 3, 2024, 5:30-8:30 pm.

All Ballard Performing Arts groups will provide us with live entertainment throughout the evening. Please join us for a magical night of food, community, and performances at our biggest event of the year. Now available! You can purchase your spaghetti dinner here. Plus, we need lots of help, sign up to volunteer for the event or donate concession stand treats here.Thank you so much for your support of performing arts programs at Ballard High.

Band

Upcoming Dates

Mark your calendars for these band events (note that not all students are needed at all pep band events):

Jan 9th - Pep Band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Jan 17th - Pep Band at basketball game, 5:15 pm call time

Jan 26th - Pep Band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Jan 30th - Pep Band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Jan 31st - Pizza and Pep Band night, 5:30 pm 

Feb 6th - Wind Ensemble to PNW Band Festival

Feb 10th - EMBEA Solo and Ensemble Contest

Feb 14th - Small group performances from orchestra and band at Ballard Elks Lodge, 6pm

March 1st, Wind Ensemble to CWU Windfest 

EMBEA Solo and Ensemble

All students are invited to attend EMBEA solo and ensemble Contest, which takes place on Feb. 10th at Chief Sealth High School. The deadline for registering ($20) is Jan. 10th, so if your student is interested, please let Mr. Gillespie know by this date (tomorrow!). 

Band Trip to Portland June 7-9

We are still looking for chaperones for the band trip to Portland (we need 7 male chaperones and 4 females, plus alternates). Chaperones will pay the same cost as students. Please let the band rep know if you're interested in chaperoning, or sign up here. Information about further payment dates will be coming soon.

Basketball Games for Pep Band - Pizza and Pep Band Night January 31st

The band will be playing for various boys and girls basketball games until the end of January. Each student needs to attend five games plus the pizza and pep band night (which is mandatory), and they can sign up for which games they would like to attend on the signup sheet in the band room. They wear their band t-shirts to these games. We will also need one or two parent volunteers to be around the band room area while the game is going on. Please sign up here. Thank you for helping out! 

The Pizza and Pep Band night will be January 31st this year. This is a mandatory game and 8th grade band members from nearby schools will be invited to attend to see what BHS Marching and Pep band is like. This event is a great way to promote the band program with rising freshmen. Pizza will be provided and chaperones will be needed. Students will meet at 5:30 pm to rehearse the pep band songs, have pizza at 6:30 pm, play pre-game music at 7:10, and the game starts at 7:30 pm. If you know of 8th grade band students who are considering Ballard, please encourage them to join in on the fun. Please sign up to chaperone here. Chaperones will help with pizza handout and cleanup as well as directing families to the gym. Please plan to be there 5:00 to 7:30 or 8 pm.

Wind Ensemble is Going to Pacific Northwest Band Festival in February and Windfest Concert Band Invitational in March

On February 6th, Wind Ensemble and selected percussionists will play at the Pacific Northwest Band Festival at UW. This will be a day trip and a few chaperones will be needed. Then on March 1st the Wind Ensemble and selected percussionists will be traveling to CWU in Ellensburg for the day to attend Windfest. This will be a longer day trip and a few parent chaperones will also be needed. We do not currently have any chaperones for these trips so please consider helping out if you can! Contact the band rep or sign up here if you are available to assist for either or both of these trips. Thank you! 

Jazz Band Trip | Next Payment Due Soon!

Jazz 1 & 2 are headed to Reno April 25-28!

$150 deposit was due Nov 17! Deposits must be paid with cash or check (made out to BPA). Drop in the secure box in the band room or send to Ballard Performing Arts, PO Box 17774 Seattle WA 98127.

The remaining payments can be paid on our website or with cash/check (made out to BPA).

$257 due Dec 15

$257 due Jan 15

$ due Feb 15 (still TBD)

*Email bpabtreasurer@gmail.com if you'd like to apply your student's fundraising credits toward the upcoming trip payments. 

Choir

Upcoming Dates

Wednesday January 10th - Registration deadline for Solo and Ensemble. If your student is singing a solo, or in a duet, or small group, they need to speak to Ms Rowley and/or Sabrina before tomorrow! Ms Rowley and Sabrina will take care of registrations provided they know who wants to register. Information will follow about how to pay for registration and accompanist fees. 

Sign up for next year’s school classes is starting this week. Please encourage students to sign up for choir and direct any questions to Ms Rowley. 

Saturday February 3rd - Spaghetti Dinner, 5.30 - 8.30 pm, all choirs will be singing and all families are invited. 

Thursday February 8th - Prospective Families Night, 6-8 pm, all small ensembles will be singing. 

Thursday February 29th - Concert Choir will be attending a Choir Festival at Pacific Lutheran University, during the school day. Chaperones needed! (but not drivers this time). Please contact Sally bpabchoirrep@gmail.com if you are able to chaperone.

If you missed the winter concert, you can watch it on the BPA YouTube page.

Orchestra

Wintergrass Festival - Save the Date

Symphonic Orchestra will be performing at the Wintergrass Festival that takes place Feb 22-25 (exact date TBD).

Orchestra Vancouver B.C. trip

Symphonic and Chamber Orchestras will be going to an orchestra festival in Vancouver B.C. May 24-May 26! If you have not yet submitted the interest form, please click the link below to fill it out. The sooner we have everyone’s interest, the sooner we will have exact costs per student available.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjRRPAS6fCjv0FFdK9UyHAYfBlnGQK50uK6xlN_-dch8ahWg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Costs will be around $650 per person. In order to get confirmed head counts and reserve space in the festival we need a $150 deposit to secure your spot on the trip by Friday, January 12. Please send a check addressed to Ballard Performing Arts with your students name and “Vancouver” in the memo line to class before 1/12. Future payments can be paid online, but this deposit will need to be a check.

If you plan to apply for a scholarship and are unable to pay this initial deposit, please submit a scholarship request form on the BPA website and email Mr. Valdez.

Trip details:

• Dates: 5/24-5/26
• Activities: Adjudicated Festival Performance and clinic, Dinner and awards banquet, Grouse Mountain tour
• Included in cost: Charter Bus travel, 2 nights hotel stay
• Not included in cost: Meals outside of banquet dinner (hotel may have breakfast—will confirm.)

More details will be coming soon, along with an information night sponsored by the festival on a date TBD. Students planning to attend this trip must have a passport and/or Real ID that will allow them entry to Canada.

Theatre

Addams Family

Rehearsals for the musical are underway!

Our talented cast have already begun practicing our opening numbers - learning music, character, and choreography. Our wonderful crew is also getting started and we recently had our first full production meeting. Set construction has begun, costume measurements have been taken, and the technical side of our production is chugging along. We’re already having a blast and can’t wait to share these delights and frights with you this spring!

Questions? Email Ms. Miller at mashor@seattleschools.org.

The district only pays for teachers’ salaries; everything else we have to raise or donate.

New Year’s Purging? | Save Your Donations!

Needing to make space for your new gifts? Please consider bagging up your old clothing, small furniture, appliances, toys, and decor and tuck it away until March. Our next Fill-a-Truck Goodwill event will happen on Sat. March 16 from 9am-12pm. With your help, we can fill two trucks to raise $1,200 for BPA!

Mattress Fundraiser in May!

Save the date - mattress fundraiser on Sun, May 5!

Wait until May and buy your new mattress from us! BPA earns money, students can earn money toward trips and fall fees, and you get a new mattress. It’s a win for everyone!

It's Not Too Late | Become a Sponsor for BPA!

If you own a business (or know of a business) that would benefit from advertising on our programs, website, and newsletters, click here to learn about all the perks of becoming a corporate sponsor.

Newsletter and Communications Volunteers Needed!

We want to keep our community informed about upcoming events but we are currently running on a skeleton crew. Please sign up here if you're interested in learning more about our weekly e-newsletter and other digital communication platforms. Our newsletter team has graduating seniors and will not be back next year, so it is imperative that we start training replacements sooner than later. Thanks for considering!

Mattress Fundraiser Coordinator Needed!

We will co-host a Mattress Fundraiser on Sun. May 5 with Whitman MS. This is the easiest fundraiser ever because our contacts at Custom Fundraising Solutions supply us with all the promotional materials, take care of set up, sales, and take down. We are just looking for one volunteer to serve as our BPA point of contact to field communications about the event, set up an informational parent meeting 3 weeks prior to the event, distribute flyers and posters, and greet people on the day of and thank them for coming. Please sign up here if you're interested in learning more.

CPA for 501C3?

Our longtime CPA has retired and we are looking for a new CPA to help us file our taxes starting next fall and moving forward. We would love to find someone from our own Ballard community. Please contact bpabpresident@gmail.com with any recommendations. Thanks!

Check out our YouTube Channel to see videos from the Winter Concert Series.

Check out past performances any time on our YouTube and Vimeo channels.

Cornish's Summer@Cornish Music Program

Our program is very accessible to all stages of development for teens.  Our music foundations program is modeled after our Cornish undergrad musicianship program which combines theory, ear training, and singing - ideal for any student interested in songwriting or composition. Teens can mix and match electives in other artistic areas in the afternoons. Additionally, we have unique electives in music such as music for games, vocal ensemble, piano lab, and even taiko drumming!

Learn more at summer.cornish.edu/music.

*Scholarships are available and parents can access this simple form here: https://apply.cornish.edu/register/extensionscholarship

*Info session for parents - first session in January: https://apply.cornish.edu/register/Summer2024Jan