String Ensemble

Hey Everyone,

Its time for our great finale, our concert to show who we are and how powerful, we freshmen, can be. This concert should come to all of you as a very important one. It is the concert for us to prove, that we, freshmen, can be better than the current Camerata orchestra. And so, I hope all of you share the same excitement for this concerta as I do, and that you will all try your best to make our school, our fellow students, and Ms. Mauro proud.

Now to the specifics. Our concert is on Saturday, 5/21/2016. It is going to take place at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ. The specific address is Pilgrim Pathway, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756. The weather forcecast for Saturday is poor, with a pretty high chance of rain. But understamd, that just because it is raining does not mean that anything in our concert will change. The show goes on! Please spread the news about the concert to your friends and family, and tell them that they can buy tickets at the door. The concert will begin promptly at 4pm, so make sure your parents get there on time! All students will be riding the bus to Ocean Grove ahead of time, and bus lists have already been set. Please be alert and check classroom from time to time until Ms. Mauro posts the bus lists. When the lists are posted, please make sure your name is on the list.

Everyone, please make sure that you get to school on time by 10:45 am on Saturday morning. We will be waiting at the front. Do not forget the following items when preparing for departure:

• Your Instrument

• A Folding Stand (Don't depend on your stand partner!!!!)

• Clothespins/Paper Clips/Binder Clips (Ms. Mauro said that it might be windy, so clip your music!!!)

• Your concert clothes (Don't wear it. Bring it in a bag. Boys, tux and bowtie; Girls, black dress)

• Your music (Again, don't depend on your stand partner!!!)

• An umbrella or a raincoat (We do not want you getting wet, and also, its for good luck, so bring something, otherwise the rain gods will not be happy)

• A Pencil

• A Mute (For Orchestra II players)

Please do not forget the items listed above as it will greatly impair your performance and it may ruin everybody else's time at the performance as well. Also please make sure you pay attention to the times listed above so that you will not be late.

During the concert, it is asked that all electronic devices to be turned off and that it is suggested that we should not talk during the entire performance unless asked to do so. Respect for the choir and Philharmonia students is asked for, and we shoul all be on our best behavior in during the rehearsals and the performance.

Please note, that after we finish rehearsing, which should be around 1:30 pm, you are to secure your belongings and free time is provided for you to wander about the small town. Please DO NOT go too far and please travel in groups so as to avoid issues. It is also asked that instead of just having fun during that time, please spread the news about our concert as well. Make sure you are back at the auditorium by 2:45 pm, as we will begin final preparations for the concert at that time.

After the concert, it is greatly appreciated if your parents can come and pick you up to take you home or out for dinner. It is encouraged that your parents and you and your friends go out for dinner to celebrate this special occassion. However, please DO NOT leave without seeing Ms. Mauro AND you bus chaperone first. You AND your parents must meet with them before you can have permission to leave. If you do not meet with the chaperone and Ms. Mauro before leaving, you will cause very big problems for the orchestra and administrative issues will probably arise. We do not want that, so please please check in with Ms. Mauro and your bus chaperone before leaving the auditorium after the concert.

Please enjoy your time at the concert hall and be on your best behavior to represent West-Windsor Plainsboro High School South. We would very much like to be invited back in future years and we do not want to leave a bad impression upon the people of Ocean Grove and High School North. Otherwise, practice well the night before and enjoy the performance!

Additionally, tomorrow, Friday, it would be greatly appreciated that you come to Orchestra and help fold and staple programs during lunch, study hall, and substudy. We will need all the help we can get as we need to make a lot of programs.

Attached in this message are the following documents and pictures:

• Ocean Grove Schedule

• Ocean Grove Seating Charts

• Picture of the Concert Hall

Thanks,

--Raymond J