WHO ARE THE TEACHERS?
Mrs. Susan Rossetti, music teacher at Perrysville and McIntyre, is returning to work with us for year number 8. Mr. Shaun Cloonan, music teacher at West View and chorus teacher at the Junior High, returns for his 5th year with the choir. Feel free to contact us with questions or concerns throughout the year. We can be reached via email at rossettis@nhsd.net or cloonans@nhsd.net, or by calling the buildings listed and leaving a voice mail.

WHERE DO WE MEET?
We rehearse on Monday evenings at West View Elementary School, located at 47 Chalfonte Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15229.  (To reach the main office, call 412-318-1502).  Please use the auditorium entrance in the back of the building.  Parents should use the parking lot entrance on Bellevue Avenue.  Our Winter Holiday and Spring concerts will both be held in the West View auditorium this year as well.

WHEN ARE PRACTICES?
We meet every Monday evening (following the school schedule) from 6:30-7:30PM.  Due to After-School Care and other activities using the auditorium, please do not arrive any earlier than 6:15PM.  We will begin promptly at 6:30 and end promptly at 7:30, unless you hear otherwise.  Dress rehearsals before concerts are extended – they end at 8:00PM.  Parents, due to teachers’ non-school obligations, your students must be picked up by 7:30PM.  If you know you will be unable to arrive by this time, please make other arrangements for your singer’s departure.  We cannot leave students unattended.

HOW WILL I BE PICKED UP SAFELY?
We were delighted to report that our choir has reached 80 members in some years!  Along with this increase in numbers came a few safety concerns.  We respectfully request that during pick-up time at 7:30PM; please exercise caution when pulling out in the back parking lot.  There are a great many cars that are all trying to exit a small pathway, and we have witnessed a few near-accidents.  Please follow these simple guidelines to assure the safety of all choir members:

1) It would be most helpful if at all possible; students could enter their vehicles on the passenger
    side, as to eliminate walking in front of another car that may be pulling out ahead of them. 
2) Please be patient and resist the temptation to pass vehicles.  Students do not always look before
    they run to their respective rides, and a faster moving car passing toward the exit could result in
    an unintended injury.
3) In order to avoid congestion on Bellevue and Chalfonte Avenues, it would also be helpful if those
    arriving earlier would pull in to parking spaces in the West View lot.  There were some evenings
    when cars went the whole way around the block and almost onto Perry Highway.  For safety’s
    sake, please consider this option.

WHAT IS THE ATTENDANCE POLICY?
In order to participate in the NHSDCC, singers must be at all practices and performances.  You are permitted 3 absences (excused or unexcused) during the year.  We only meet one day per week for one hour – every minute we have together is valuable.  After the third absence, we will call home to find out if there is a problem, and you may be asked not to sing at our next concert if you do not know the music well enough.  Chorus is much like a team sport; we all work together to be the best we can be, and if you miss too many practices, you won’t know how to play the game (or sing the song in our case!).

WHAT IF I AM IN BAND OR ORCHESTRA?
There should be no conflicts with the band or orchestra practices and concerts this year.  We worked together as a department to make sure that didn’t happen when we made the 2009-10 concert calendar.  You can do both!

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME TO PRACTICE?
Just energy and a singing voice!  At your first practice with us, you will fill out an index card with your name, grade, and school on it.  Each week, you will receive a sticker on the back of the card for your attendance.  After a certain number of stickers, you may earn a reward.  When you arrive on Monday nights, pick up a folder and then find the seat with your index card on it.  Make sure that all pieces we are singing are in the pocket of your folder, and that you have also picked up any important notes that may need to go home.

At the end of practice, you must return you music folder to the box by the auditorium back door.  You will receive your attendance sticker for your card before leaving.  Make sure to take home any papers with special information on them.  This will help us to make sure everyone gets the information sent home.

*Special note about “Dress Rehearsals”: this is a term used in the performing arts to refer to the practice just before a performance.  In musicals and theater, the cast members “dress” in their costumes and run the show without stopping.  We will do our best to run our concerts at these extended rehearsals, but you do NOT need to dress up for them!

WHEN ARE THE CONCERTS?
We will have two performances at West View (December and April) and one with the combined junior and senior high choirs at North Hills Junior High School (March).  In addition, we may sing for a School Board meeting (TBD) as well as at Northway Mall in December.  We’re a busy group!  Please refer to the schedule on the next page for specific dates.  All scheduled district concerts begin at 7:00PM.  Any changes will be listed.

WHAT IS THE DRESS FOR CONCERTS?
We strive to look as polished and presentable as possible, reflecting the hard work put in before each performance.  We will let you know well in advance of our concerts what we would like you to wear (shopping alert for Mom or Dad: make sure your child has a “dressy” outfit before December!).

HOW WILL I KNOW IF THERE IS A CHANGE TO THE SCHEDULE?
While there are times when things change at the last minute, we will do our best to make sure changes to rehearsal times, locations, etc., get announced at your school at least once before the school day is over.  Also, we will be posting our schedules, practice tracks from our CDs, photos, and any other important information on Mr. Cloonan’s teacher webpage.  You can find the most updated information on this site. 

LET’S SING!
We want to have a really fun and exciting year together, full of singing and beautiful music.  Help us to do that by attending all of our practices and performances (and letting us know if you can’t be there), and giving us your best effort for the hour we spend together.  So, now that you know what’s going on – let’s sing!

  2009-10 Information & Guidelines (pdf)
  Practice Tracks & Song Clip Files -- spring songs coming soon!

Last Updated: 06/08/2010