FALL NEWSLETTER

 

TO:             ALL PARENTS AND STUDENTS

RE:                 SEPTEMBER, 2008

FROM:             PATRICK. BURROUGHS

DATE:             SEPTEMBER 13, 2008

 

WELCOME!  Our Saturday Program, begins on September 13th – with greetings and registration at 9:00 a.m. and tune up and Play-Ins at 9:30 a.m., at Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School, 1065 Sunningdale Road East.  

Directions:  Drive to Sunningdale Road, north of Fanshawe (follow any of Highbury, Adelaide, Richmond, Wonderland or Hyde Park Road to Sunningdale).  The school is midway between Adelaide Street and Highbury Avenue on Sunningdale.  We enter the school using the south entrance, not the front.  You can park along south edge of the bus drop off area (near the football field).  There is usually enough room in that area but there is plenty of parking in the lot at the east side of the school (you still must enter through south entrance).

REGISTRATION FORM: The Registration Form gives us up to date, accurate information.  If you are a new family you must fill out a registration form.  Families with changes in contact information (particularly email) should fill out a form or email us with the changes and your intent to register at infofcte@rogers.com  Otherwise, your form from last year will suffice.  Please return completed forms to Pat Burroughs or to Lorie or John Grandmont on Saturday or email them to the address listed above. Alternatively you could fax it to Lorie at 519-858-9554. There is a downloadable form on the school website at http://www.forestcitytalenteducation.com.  WE CANNOT SEND YOU PROGRAM EMAIL WITHOUT A CURRENT ADDRESS.

FEES: There has been a slight increase in fees this year as we, like everyone else considered to experience an increases in our costs.  The basic fee for the first child in the program is always based on the highest level violin or cello student in the program.  Book 2 students who participate in orchestra are required to pay the Book 3 and up fee.  Book 2 students must be recommended for orchestra and approved by Mr. Burroughs and Mr. Chute.    Our new schedule of fees is as follows:

Level of Student

Basic Fee

2nd Child

Additional children

Pre-twinkle, twinkle, Bks 1 and 2

$450

$175

$100 each

Book 3 and up

$600

$200

$100 each

Guitar

$400

$175

$100 each

Fees are due by the first session – September 13, 2008.  Families paying in two installments must provide a post-dated cheque dated January 17, 2009 for the balance of the fees.  Cheques should be made payable to “Forest City Talent Education.”

FUNDRAISING:   We expect that tuition fees will cover approximately 85% of the cost of operating the Saturday Program and we will be required to raise the remaining 15% through fundraising efforts, including donations for which tax receipts will be issued.  Our goal for fundraising this year is approximately $100 per family.  You can certainly help by purchasing snacks from Karen's Confections and donations are always welcome.  We welcome offers from families who would like to volunteer to help Karen by either working the snack table or providing snacks.  Nut free products are requested.

Schedule for Registration Saturday

9:00 – registration  in the lobby – All families must register and pay fees.  Those that have no changes in contact information and no new students can pay fees and go directly to the 9:30 location.   New families can speed up the process by downloading the registration form and bringing it filled out to the desk.  All families should calculate their fees based on information in the fees section (see main page of the website).  It is important to remember that fees are based on the highest level violin or cello student.  There have been some increases in fees this year.   It is preferable to confirm your fee amount at registration before you fill out your cheque.    

9:30 -  Welcome and Play-in   As soon as you have registered, please go to the location listed below.   

-         

All violins on the stage in the cafetorium - Includes everyone from pretwinkle and up.      
All cellos in the library (junior, intermediate, senior)
Guitars in Room  246 - second floor)
 Basses in Room – 152

 

9:45 – 10:45  As we work through the play-in, students will be instructed to leave with teacher/s assigned to their playing level.  This procedure will be followed this week only.  Classes for next week will be posted.  Students will move as follows (you may want to copy the assigned room for your child and bring it with you in the event that you are delayed at the registration desk and miss play-in.  You can go directly to the room listed at 9:45.

 

-          Twinkles and pre-twinkle violins – with Mary Lou and Carleen to Rooms 165 and 167 (same as last year)

-       Senior violin class – Pat's class - this list will be  as posted to the Music Room 137/38 - this group can leave after twinkle

 

-       The rest of the violins will leave as the play-in reaches the listed book as follows:

-          All book 1 students (early and late) – with Tori  – Room 145

-          All book 2 students – with Jordan – Room 147

-          All book 3 students -- with Heather - Room 148

-          All book 4/5 with Kerri  – Room 169

-          Irene’s class will stay on the Stage

 

-          Cellos – after the full cello play-in,  Lisa and Lac-Hong will take the junior and intermediate cellos who are not in Julia’s class to  room 149  Guitars and basses will be given instructions during their sessions.

G

All sessions should end at about 10:45 – no later than 11:00. You will be finished for the day at that time.  Regular sessions beginning September 20 will end at 12:00. 

PLEASE REMEMBER that it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to leave the school exactly as we find it, to refrain from touching classroom materials, and always to move back any furniture we move.  A member of the Custodial Staff, who will always be on duty when we are in the building, will oversee our presence, help when needed, and ultimately assume responsibility for the care, maintenance and locking up of the building when we leave.  We will value his/her assistance and respect his/her role on Saturday mornings.  The school however, bears no responsibility for our program, so please do not call the Mother Teresa school office for information about our program.  

TIMETABLE for a regular morning of classes, beginning September 22/07:                                           

             8:55 a.m.  Arrival and classes

            10:30 a.m.  Recital

            11:00 a.m.  Orchestra Rehearsals          

            12:00 noon – End

  CALENDAR:  Our program dates for the year are as follows:

September: 13, 20, 27

October: 4,18,25 (no program October 11 - Thanksgiving)

November: 1,8,15,22,29  (November 29th is the Concert day for the first session).

Program resumes - January 10, 2009

January: 10, 17,24,31

February: 7,21,28  (February 14 is the family day holiday weekend)

March: 7, 28 (March 14 and 21 - no program during March break)

Chamber music workshop - tentatively February 28/March 1 weekend)

April: 4,18,25 (no program April 11 - Easter Weekend)

London Kiwanis Festival - April 14 to May 2

 May: 2,9,23,30 (no program May 16) Final concert for the year is May 30.

 FCTE ORCHESTRA PLAN FOR 2008-09

I am pleased to announce that a new plan for our Senior Orchestra will be launched on September 20th.  This year, there will be no Primus Chamber Ensemble, and all of our senior students will play in our one and only Senior Orchestra.  Our purpose will be to study and perform some of the larger works for String Orchestra, works that are not possible with a small ensemble and works which will set a new standard for our senior orchestra program.  This new senior orchestra will be jointly conducted by Bruce Richardson and Steve Wolsley, each of whom will select a specific piece to conduct this fall.

The minimum standard for new members of this orchestra will be RCM Grade 8 repertoire.  All students who played in the orchestra last year will continue in the orchestra this year.  Some will find the repertoire considerably more challenging than in the past, and it is hoped that all members of the orchestra will work hard to rise to the challenge of our chosen repertoire this year.

We will also be looking at performances standards for our Intermediate and Junior Orchestras. 

RECITALS occur almost every Saturday.  Student progress depends upon many aspects of musical study, much is gained from the experience of polishing a piece and performing it in recital.  Our recitals provide a warm and supportive audience for your exciting performance.  In addition, the recital is a valuable training ground where our students gain from hearing others and learn how to participate as attentive audience members.  We highly recommend that each student remain for the recital portion of the Saturday Program.  Speak with your teacher and plan to perform as often as possible.  Please supervise your children during this time.

 WEBSITE:  Remember to check our web site regularly for announcements and other information.  Our web site is:  http://www.forestcitytalenteducation.com

CONGRATULATIONS again this year to our many students who attended Suzuki Institutes, summer music camps, lessons and to those who completed conservatory exams this summer.  Summer is a great time for concentrated musical study and experience.                        

Soon we will hear wonderful music filling the rooms and halls of Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School.  Your teachers look forward to seeing all of you on September 13th.

                                                                                Patrick Burroughs, Director

E-mail:  psfburroughs@rogers.com

                                                                                Telephone: (519) 472-2768

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