Congratulations to Godwin chorus for their success at this week's Hanover Festival of Choirs!
Madrigals (Select Mixed Choir) earned 1st place, Best Vocal Quality, and Grand Champion of the whole competition!
Ala Ross (Select Women's Choir) earned 2nd place in their division!
Chorus Quick Reminders
All information about next year's Chorus Classes can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CeJiS_2BSf8T02TwNRCf_DgEihm07pT9Dcay9LVXvtY/edit?usp=sharing
Attendance Reminder
All Godwin Chorus performances are mandatory unless otherwise noted. The absence and make-up work policy is here. Please bear the Chorus Calendar in mind as you are scheduling family events. If one student is missing it lets the group down. Thanks for your attention here!
Debut Orientation (New!) - Thursday, 5/2 - 6:30 PM
We will be having an orientation meeting for all Debut students and parents for the 2024-25 School Year. Students will learn a piece of music together, followed by a brief parent meeting to discuss commitments and volunteer needs for show choir.
Spring Banquet - 5/14, 6:00 - 8:00 PM (Doors open 5:30 PM)
All students welcome, potluck dinner: More information coming soon from Mrs. Barnes Springer
Spring Concert - 5/19, 3:00 PM
2:10 PM Call Time
3:00 PM Concert
Graduation - 5/30, 7:00 PM
Final Exam Grade for Debut, Madrigals, and Ala Rossa - absences must be excused in advance and an alternate assignment must be given
Underclassmen students will ride a school bus to the new Henrico Recreation Center, then ride back to Godwin
Final timeline TBA
Announcements for 2024-25
I am pleased to share that the Godwin Band, Orchestra, and Chorus will be traveling to DISNEYWORLD in Spring 2025!! Chorus students will participate in a sound design workshop in addition to attending shows and exploring the parks. Trip information will be available soon.
Choral Boosters Volunteer Positions Needed!
The Choral Boosters meet once a month to support the Choral Department activities throughout the school year. Please consider if your skills would be helpful in supporting this organization, and contact jmsdevol@henrico.k12.va.us or jennwiggins79@gmail.com if you are interested, or just come to our next Booster Meeting, Tuesday, December 5th at 6pm!
The following committees are ready to receive your help!
Winter Raffle Coordinator
Singing Valentines Coordinator
Booster Memberships make up half of all Choral Department Income
Please join the Choral Boosters here
The Choral Boosters is a non-profit organization formed in 1991 and designed to support the Choral Department. The Choral Department spends about $17,000/year on student experiences, for which we receive just about $2500 in county funding and school fees. The rest comes from Booster Memberships and Fundraising. Last year only 60% of chorus families joined the Boosters – the more we have available, the better we can support our students.
Please join us for the next Choral Boosters Meeting on November 14th at 6pm
Welcome Back Godwin Chorus!
I am so excited for your student to be involved in our choral groups – they are called Harmonium (Open Choir for Changed Voices), Musical Illusions (Open Choir for Treble Voices), Debut (Auditioned Show Choir), Ala Rossa (Auditioned Treble Choir), and Madrigals (Auditioned Mixed Choir). We’ve had a great first two days. Please note the following:
“Where can I see the guidelines for chorus at Godwin?” Your student should have brought home:
Welcome Back Letter (WHITE SHEET)
Student Expectations Checklist (BLUE SHEET) due back signed Friday 8/25 for Day 1 classes and Monday 8/28 for Day 2 classes
“How can I order my student’s uniform or costume for performances?” Your student should have brought home either of these order forms due back with payment on Tuesday, September 5th:
Concert Attire/Show Choir Order Form (Pink Sheet for Musical Illusions and Harmonium, White Sheets for Madrigals and Debut)
Class T-Shirt and Uniform Replacement Form (Gray Sheet)
“Where can I find the Chorus Event Calendar?”
The calendar, booster meeting minutes, the Choral Booster Budget, and more can be viewed at www.godwinchoralboosters.org.
“How can I be helpful and get involved?”
Please join the Choral Boosters here.
The Choral Boosters is a non-profit organization formed in 1991 and designed to support the Choral Department. The Choral Department spends about $17,000/year on student experiences, for which we receive just about $2500 in county funding and school fees. The rest comes from Booster Memberships and Fundraising. Last year only 60% of chorus families joined the Boosters – the more we have available, the better we can support our students.
Debut families are asked to purchase the $150 Golden Eagle Membership to cover the base expenses of show choir.
You can also Donate Directly to Choral Boosters Here
Contact Booster President Mrs. Jennifer Berger at godwinchoralboosters@gmail.com with any questions.
“When is the first Booster Meeting?”
Tuesday, 9/5 @ 6 PM in the Chorus Room. (This is a change from past years)
Booster meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month. They will be moved to the second Tuesday if there is a school holiday on the first.
We need a VP of Ways and Means (Fundraising), as well as several committee members. As we rebuild from the pandemic enrollment losses, we have more new parents than returning parents! New parents, please get involved if you see a place of need.
“Have I paid the $12.00 school chorus fee?”
Please check Online School Payments to see if you still owe the $12.00 fee for your student’s chorus class. This fee covers District Choral Assessment and contributes to materials purchases for the course.
“What else does my student need?”
3-ring, ½” to 1” black binder, pencils, water bottle (recommended)
Suggested binder: https://www.amazon.com/Avery-Economy-Binder-1-Inch-Round/dp/B000V99JYI?th=1
Thanks and Appreciation
Thanks to our student leaders who came in to help prepare the classroom for Back-To-School last week! Camille Miller, Kallee Hess, Matt Cropper, TyQuan Brown, Carli Ruff, Sarah Mandeville, Shannon Metzgar, Grayson Garmon, Emily Mandeville, Alivia Hutcheson, Reeves Kapel, and Ava Wiggins.
Thanks to parents Doug Moore, Suzanne Klaas, and Jennifer Kapel for working the Chorus Table at Eagle Academy!
My best,
Mr. Jacob Saunders-Devol
Choral Director
Mills E. Godwin High School
Website Quick Links
Hello! Thanks for coming to the new-and-improved Godwin Chorus website. I am so excited to get singing together in-person again this year. Please check out some of the things you can do now to start preparing for the school year:
Become a member of the Choral Boosters (Show Choir parents, please consider purchasing the Golden Eagle membership)
Review the Calendar and Student Expectations
Sign up for Kroger Cares fundraising
Follow @GodwinChorus on Instagram
Learn more about our Ensembles
We can't wait to see you soon!
My best,
Mr. Devol (if you're new, my legal name is Saunders-Devol, but you can still call me Mr. Devol - it's still my "last" name)
Welcome Back from Winter Break!
Hello Chorus Families,
I hope you all had restful and joyous Winter Break! I'm reaching out knowing that once we're back in school, things are going to move very quickly and need to make sure you and your students have a heads up on what is coming down the line:
Auditions for 2024-25 Select Choirs:
Dance auditions for Debut will be held Monday, 1/15 at 9 AM (MLK Student Holiday). Current Chorus students interested in Debut will need to attend from 9 AM to 11 AM. There is no make-up date - if students need to be absent due to a prior commitment or there is an emergency, email Mr. Devol to request a video audition for your student.
Vocal auditions for Debut, Madrigals, and Ala Rossa will be held during your student's Chorus Class during the week of 1/15 - 1/19. All students in grades 9-11 are required to complete a vocal audition as an end-of-semester vocal check-in, whether or not they intend to take a select chorus class in 2024-25.
All information about next year's Chorus Classes can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CeJiS_2BSf8T02TwNRCf_DgEihm07pT9Dcay9LVXvtY/edit?usp=sharing
Extra Performance Opportunity:
Monday, Feb. 26th: Any Godwin Chorus students may sign up to participate in the HCPS Black History Month Concert at Centerstage. Students will be required to learn 5 pieces of music mostly on their own, with a few Common Study rehearsals throughout January and February. This is the day after our Pre-Assessment Concert at Godwin, so please consider that when your student signs up. This will count for 10 honors credit points (5 for learning the music independently, 5 for participating in the performance) for our honors-level students.
All-District Chorus: Feb. 8-10, 2024
Reminder that District Chorus will be held at Tucker High School for students who qualified at auditions in November. Students need to be available from 5-8 PM on 2/8, 9-5 PM on 2/9, and 8-3 PM on 2/10. Please pay the $40.00 District Chorus Registration located under Obligations on OSP as soon as possible.
District Chorus sheet music and learning tracks will be distributed during Common Study this week.
Show Choir Choreography Date Change
Our choreographer has requested that we change the 1/20 Debut Choreography Date to Sunday, 2/11 from 1:00-6:00 PM. Please make this adjustment and let me know of any conflicts.
Upcoming Dates;
Tuesday, 1/9: 6:00 PM - Choral Booster Meeting (All are welcome!)
Thursday, 1/25 - Madrigals has been asked to perform for the HCPS School Board (more info to come this week)
Sunday, 2/11 - Debut Choreography with Jason
Monday, 2/12 (evening) - Debut Choreography with Jason
Tuesday, 2/13 (evening) - Debut Choreography with Jason
Wednesday, 2/14 - Singing Valentines in Commons (volunteers needed!)
Saturday, 2/17 - Final Debut rehearsal with Jason, onstage with band, set, costumes, stage crew
Sunday, 2/25 - Pre-Assessment Concert at Godwin
Monday, 2/26 - Black History Month Concert
Thursday, 2/29 - Mads and AR compete at Manchester
Saturday, 3/2 - Debut competes at Manchester
Friday, 3/8 - Godwin Chorus Talent Show (to be named)
Thursday, 3/14 - Mads and AR compete at Hanover HS
Saturday, 3/16 - Debut competes at Hanover HS
Wednesday and Thursday, 3/20 and 3/21 (Times TBD) - ALL CHOIRS perform at District Choral Assessment at St. Christopher's School (our SOL for music performance)
Saturday, 3/23 - Debut competes at Powhatan HS