Friends and family who want to photograph portions of the Emporia school district’s Seasonal Celebration are welcome to do so at a dress rehearsal Monday beginning at 9:15 a.m. in the W.L. White Auditorium.
The rehearsal is open to the public at no charge.
The program has been divided into three segments, “Traditions and Customs,” “Music Around the World,” and “Peace,” with traditional to modern songs selected for each category. Choirs made up of students in Grades 6 through 12 will sing individually and in full chorus, with the Emporia High School band and orchestra, as well as interpretive dancers and narrators, completing the program.
“White Christmas,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “Believe,” are among the songs in the first segment.
The second portion brings a narrated explanation of global traditions, along with songs from Russia, the Ukraine, South Africa, English and France, in addition to a Hebrew melody.
A poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow opens the final portion of the program, followed by traditional carols, among them “Gesu Bambino,” the Hallelujah Chorus from “Messiah,” and “Silent Night.”
Singers will march out to “Sleigh Ride,” performed by the orchestra.
District staff, students, and community members involved in the presentation are:
Sheree Stoppel, EHS choirs; Melinda Flohr, EHS orchestra; Robert Haselhuhn, EHS band; Pam McGuire, Emporia Middle School choirs; Kelly Payton, EMS orchestra; Helen Williams, sixth-grade choir; Melinda Groves, Virgilene Swift and Emilia Chiroy, accompanists; and Rose Nasrazadani, Zach Button, Jacob Loucks, Delano Mendoza and Barbara Haynes, narrators.
Also Indy Dambro, general chairman; Lyle Klamm, production supervisor; school district and auditorium maintenance staff, decorations and set-up; Deon Hall and Sally Sanchez, choreography; Amanda Stice, staging and lighting; and Jayne Duncan, Basil Kessler and Kathy Weidner, sign-language interpreters.
EHS has 150 vocalists participating in the program, EMS has 242 vocalists, EHS and EMS have 85 students in the orchestra, and Lowther North Intermediate School has 280 vocalists.
Printing of the programs was donated by Professional Printing of KS, Inc., Emporia.
Tickets for the formal program, to be presented at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, will cost $2 per person, with children pre-school age admitted at no charge. Advance tickets are not required. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m.and no one will be allowed to enter the arena after the program begins.
Flash photography and videotaping will not be permitted during the performances. The concession stand will not be open and no food or drink will be allowed in the auditorium, according to information from the school district.
kansasgirl (anonymous) says...
It would be a great idea if the suggestion was made at the beginning of the program to hold applause until the end of the program instead of after each performance. This was always done at the program in years past to help keep the program from running to long. I hope everyone enjoys the program and keeps the spirit of Christmas in their hearts.
December 5, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
d23_66801 (anonymous) says...
i would like to smoke there bring on the firetrucks
December 5, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporialifer (anonymous) says...
I just felt like wishing everyone an early
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
December 5, 2008 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
Flash photography and videotaping will not be permitted during the performances?
when ya see the flash, that will be me!
Ain't NOBODY going to keep me from taking a damn picture. For gods sake , we going to have some group get another stupid ordinance passed for taking pictures now.
It's also to bad that if a parent has to work late that they will just have to miss out on the ENTIRE program because they happen to get there 15 mimutes late!
December 5, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
starfire (anonymous) says...
Here are a few thoughts:
Flashes from cameras distract the student performers. They are working hard to see their conductor in the dark and flashes keep them from being able to see sometimes.
Closing the doors at 7:30 is out of respect to the hard working student performers. When you come flying in the door at 8:00 it causes a distraction not only to those around you (who were there on time), but also to the performers.
Think about the respect you would like to see from the audience if you were 12 years old and had been working on this music for the past 3 months. It matters to the students. Not eating, talking, texting, using your cell phone, cat-calling, or getting up during the performance shows respect to the students.
Give it a try Emporia . . . lets show them respect for what they have accomplished and want to perform for us!
December 5, 2008 at 6:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
"Seasonal Celebration." I assume that since this gala musical program is so named, it will feature music to celebrate the season, which is fall. Will there also be a "Seasonal Celebration" next month to pay tribute to winter and one in April for Spring?
It's good that we have nice programs like this to celebrate the seasons, but since Christmas is less than three weeks away, and 84% of Americans celebrate Christmas, I think we should have a nice Christmas Celebration concert instead!
I was in North Kansas City today and my cousin, who has two children in grade school there. told me about their school's upcoming Christmas pageant featuring traditional Christmas carols, Christmas trees, and other Christmas fun. My Aunt, a teacher in Springfield, Illinois says her school does the same thing.
Just curious. Why doesn't Emporia pull it's head out of it's politically correct crevice and recognize a holiday celebrated by 84% of it's population?
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
December 5, 2008 at 6:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
starfire (anonymous) says...
Bjnemp - Simple answer to your question:
Because the Emporia school district won't leave 16% of its public school student population out of the celebrations. Fair enough? I think so.
December 5, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
starfire, I was in the CHRISTMAS program when I was younger, I appreicated the fact that my parents and friends took pictures/videos of me and my classmates, I also Loved to hear the crowd cheer and clap after a performance.
If the people of Emporia were not in such a damn hurry anymore to get home, a little longer program wouldnt make a difference,
I also agree 100% with BJ, "Why doesn't Emporia pull it's head out of it's politically correct crevice and recognize a holiday celebrated by 84% of it's population?"
one more thing starfire, where is the respect for a hard woking parent who wants to listen and enjoy his/her child but is locked out because they are trying to put food on the dinner table and might be a little late, give me a break, those kids are not going to notice someone coming in 15 min after the program starts.
December 5, 2008 at 6:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
starfire (anonymous) says...
If you would like to take a picture - that is what the dress rehearsal is for. Feel free to attend and take pictures!
People notice when you come in 15 minutes late. It disturbs the people around you and they end up paying attention to you instead of the concert.
Concerts are all about respect for the performers - concerts aren't about you and others shouldn't notice you. This includes common concert etiquette. Google it if you don't understand concert etiquette!
Again - lets focus on the students and give them our respect!
December 5, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pingeon (anonymous) says...
Simple... Some elitists in town complained the program was religious and offended them. Then, they call the ACLU and get things changed how they want it to run. Kind of like how the smoking ban got passed....
December 5, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Penny (anonymous) says...
BJ, have you ever actually been to the production? It does contain quite a bit of traditional Christmas fun. It also includes others' traditions. It's quite beautiful, if you haven't been you should try it.
December 5, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
starfire you say "People notice when you come in 15 minutes late. It disturbs the people around you and they end up paying attention to you instead of the concert."
hate to burst your bubble there honey, but I ain't that important. and for the 35 seconds it would take to get to and sit down in my seat, I doubt anybody but YOU gives a .....hoot.
and heres a little concert etiquette for you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_...
"mozart was delighted when his audience would clap during his symphonies"
"a rise in audience noise may be heard between movements, as people shift in their seats, stretch their legs, release pent-up coughs, blow their noses, pass comments to their neighbours, and ENTER OR LEAVE THE HALL"
lastly, if you want to split hairs, it is called the "Seasonal Celebration" and has "interpretive dancers " as well as just music.
I didnt see where it is called a music concert
December 6, 2008 at 12:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )