Cabin John Chorus Performs at Convention
Cabin John Middle School’s 7th and 8th Grade Chorus, led by Kathy Gomez, performed for music teachers attending the 2005 Convention of the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) in Springfield, Mass on March 11-13. The first performance by the chorus was in an optional seminar before about 40 teachers. Gomez shared her teaching techniques and the chorus performed several demonstration warm-ups led by students Iliana Avergun, Natasha Lazerev, Josi Suslov, Maddie Georgevich and Adam Burke.
Cabin Johns’ chorus then sang four performance songs, including two by Zoltan Kodaly, the Hungarian composer who developed the teaching technique used by the organization members. The convention’s nationwide senior honors chorus performed one of the same pieces in English at the convention’s closing concert. The Cabin John group sang it in Hungarian.
Attendees at the seminar were so impressed by the Cabin John performance that when another chorus had to cancel because of weather, Cabin John was invited to substitute in performance before the whole convention before roughly 200 music teachers, who gave the group enthusiastic applause.
One of the convention organizers, who had been responsible for introducing the Kodaly method in the United States, stated that the Cabin John students were already “complete musicians”, and that Gomez was the finest Kodaly teacher in the country. Several of the teachers requested videotapes of the chorus performance for use in their own classes. Cabin John’s chorus has been informally invited to perform at next year’s convention.
'Seussical' at Wootton
Thomas S. Wootton High School presents “Seussical,” a musical featuring the talents of Frank Cevarich as the Cat in the Hat, Matt Mooney as Horton the Elephant, Kelly Cook as Gertrude McFuzz, Sam Tempchin as Mayzie and Kelly McKutchin as the Sour Kangaroo. The leads are supported by an ensemble of 70 students and an orchestra of more than 40 student musicians.
Performances are on April 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m., and April 20 at 4 p.m. at Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Parkway, Rockville.
Reserved seats are $12, general adult admission $10, and general student admission is $8. For tickets and information, call 301-279-8581.
Art Boosters Tour Strathmore
Join the Walt Whitman High School Art Boosters for an exhibit and tour of the new Strathmore Concert Hall on Saturday, April 30, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Strathmore Concert Hall and Mansion. Tour includes a chance to see the new hall and view the Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibit. Lunch is included at the Hall’s Promenade Café. Cost is $25 per person, $50 per family.
Post-Prom Plans Afoot
With prom season approaching, area high school students have the opportunity to prepare for a staple of college life — the all-nighter. Thomas Wootton, Winston Churchill and Walt Whitman high schools will all sponsor post-prom celebrations through the wee hours after their May proms.
Last year, 655 students showed up at Churchill’s post-prom. All seniors are invited, whether or not they attended the prom, and each may bring one guest.
“We want them in a safe environment,” said Joyce DeMond, a third-year co-chair of the event.
“Rockin’ the Night Away" follows Churchill’s prom on May 20, from 1-5 a.m. “Celebration” will include casino games, disc jockey, obstacle course, food and raffle prizes. Many of the biggest raffle prizes will be awarded near the end of the event, an incentive for students to stay all the way through (once students leave, they aren’t allowed to return). Last year, students who stayed until the end were eligible to win the iPods and Xboxes that were raffled off last.
“It’s a real community event,” said Ann Sablosky, president of Whitman’s PTSA. “I think it’s a great way to keep 500 seniors busy, happy, safe and alcohol- and drug-free.”
Area restaurants participated in Dine Out for Whitman, in which portions of proceeds on a designated night went to support Whitman’s Post-Prom. Following the Whitman Senior Prom on May 6, Whitman’s Post-Prom will feature games, contests, food and music.
Wootton’s Post-Prom, “The Places We Go,” follows the prom on May 28.
Get Involved
Churchill seeks contributions for its After-Prom celebration, including gift certificates and college t-shirts and sweatshirts for raffle prizes. Volunteers are also needed for the decorating committee and the midnight shift. Call Joyce DeMond at 301-299-0427. The committee also welcomes cash contributions, which may be made payable to “Celebration 2005" and sent to Winston Churchill High School, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac, MD 20854.
Wootton Down Under
There’s a reason why a group of Thomas Wootton High School students now greet each other by saying, “G’Day.” A group of 26 Wootton students went on a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii for their spring break last month, chaperoned by Principal Michael Doran and teachers Michelle Hanson and Madeleine Osgood. The trip was part of Wootton’s Arts and Humanities Signature Program. The Wootton group stayed in Sydney, visited the Opera House and the harbor, and spent a day in an Australian school. “The language isn’t very different, but the culture is,” said Wootton Principal Michael Doran, who went along as a chaperone. “It’s a very outdoors society.” On the way back, the students stopped for one day in Honolulu.