November 2022

YORK MUSIC BOOSTERS

Newsletter #110422

SELL PIZZA COUPONS: EARN TRAVEL DOLLARS

York Music Boosters is pleased to offer another opportunity for band, orchestra and choir students to earn money for future school-sponsored trips. This includes the orchestra trip to Orlando in 2023.

Lou Malnati's Frozen Pizza Coupon Sale
November 1 - 30

Students sell coupons for Lou Malnati’s Take-Home Frozen Pizzas, $13 each. Students earn $5 in their individual escrow accounts for each coupon sold. So, 10 coupon sales = $50 to the student’s escrow account. Seller instructions are on our website.

"My son sold enough pizza coupons last year to pay for half of the band trip to New Orleans. This fundraiser was the real deal and a super easy way to help pay for the trip."
- Katie B., Band Parent -

ILMEA JAZZ FESTIVAL

York is proud to host middle and high school jazz musicians from 28 area schools for the ILMEA Jazz Festival on Saturday, November 12. Concerts are open to the public. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online or at the door on the day of the concert.

ILMEA CONCERT TIMES for NOV 12

2 p.m.
Middle school programs
Location: York Commons

3 p.m.
Vocal jazz groups and senior jazz bands
Location: York Commons and York Auditorium


Your help is needed!
York Music Boosters is organizing donations and volunteers to support this big event and make visitors feel welcome. Please sign up to donate snacks, volunteer your time, or provide a cash donation.

Sign up for snack donations and volunteering 

RevTrak cash donations - Please type ILMEA JAZZ in the "Organization Description" box

NEWS FROM YORK'S CHOIRS

  • Choir and theatre students traveled to the University of Illinois in October to see York alum Kathyrn King ('20) perform in A Little Night Music. Students also were treated to a masterclass with Prof. Sarah Wigley and Prof. Nathan Gunn. And, to top it off, everyone was excited to have alums Kathryn King and Matt Hauser ('19) perform for the group. Photo from the trip, above.
  • Congratulations to this year's Handel Messiah soloists - Liesl Noll, Amelia Koering, Aidan Espinosa, and Aidan Costanzo. These students will perform with Concert Choir and Symphony Orchestra in December.
  • Choraliers and Concert Choir will be traveling to Nashville March 16-19 to perform, record, and clinic with faculty at Belmont and Vanderbilt University.

NEW VIDEO FOR MUSIC PRODUCTION
Enjoy this new promotional video for the music production program that encourages students to get involved. Music used in the video is an original by York's Devin Smego. You can hear Devin's song "Alright" and more originals from York songwriters on the York Album Project, available on all major streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.

ATTENTION: ORCHESTRA FAMILIES
For orchestra students traveling to Orlando, the next payment is due to Bob Rogers Travel on November 8.
If your student will earn escrow dollars from the Greens Sale or Lou Malnati's Pizza Coupon Sale OR they already had money in their escrow account:

  • Stay on the payment plan. DO NOT pay the full balance of the trip just yet. Instead, just submit the minimum amount for each payment deadline.
  • York Music Boosters will automatically transfer all escrow dollars from your student's account to Bob Rogers before the last payment is due in February.

Learn more about YMB student escrow.

MEMBERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE
There are more than 450 families at York right now who have kids involved in band, orchestra, choir, music production, or dance, yet only 22 percent have joined YMB so far this year. 

Not a member? Join York Music Boosters today. Your membership dollars support all performing arts students with things like grants, facility improvements, financial assistance, private lessons, guest speakers, summer camp scholarships, and more.

DANCE EVENTS - COMING UP

Dance Concert 
November 16 (Wed), 7:30 p.m.
Black Box Dance Studio - Free admission

Placement Auditions for Intermediate and Advanced Level Courses
November 17 (Th), After School
Black Box Dance Studio

Did You Know?
Students in grades 9 - 12 can enroll in a dance course as their PE credit.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Sam Griffin (York ’18, BFA Boston Conservatory at Berklee BFA Musical Theater ’22) is currently touring with the Lincoln Center Theater Production of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady as a member of the ensemble, Charles, and a swing. He performs in the show every night, as well as understudies other featured ensemble roles. 

Sam made his professional debut in Newsies at the Marriott Theatre while still in high school. Other credits include Hello, Dolly! (Marriott Theatre), The Inheritance (SpeakEasy Stage Company, Boston), West Side Story (Reagle Music Theatre, Boston), and Foreigner's Journey (dancer, North Shore Music Theatre, Boston). He has performed as a guest artist with Commonwealth Ballet (Acton, MA), Odyssey Opera (Boston), Ballet Chicago, and Chicago Festival Ballet.

Sam trained locally at Ballet Chicago and Salt Creek Ballet. While at York he was involved in band, choir, dance, and theater, where he performed roles such as Riff in West Side Story and The Man in the Yellow Suit in Tuck Everlasting. Sam also served as a dance captain for York Drama for four years. 

We are so proud of this York alum! Check out Sam's website which includes video of this talented performer.

MORE NEWS TO SHARE

  • Community Cleanup - More than 50 band students participated in the Community Cleanup event in October. They not only picked up trash all over Elmhurst, they also raised more than $2,500 for YMB's general fund! Thank you students and thank you to everyone who donated. Money raised will help support student grants and financial assistance, the York Album Project, facility improvements, and more.
  • New YMB Board positions filled - We are thrilled to announce that Kay Boychuk has stepped up for the Fundraising Chair position. And, current board members Lisa Pingel and Julie Vacko have agreed to take on additional responsibilities as our new YMB Gear Co-Chairs. Learn more about the YMB Board.
  • Spring musical announced - We look forward to seeing Bandstand in April! Auditions are November 11-15. Also, mark your calendar for the winter play - 12 Angry Men - coming February 2-5. Visit York Drama's website for tickets and more info, coming soon.
  • Thank you to the uniform team of parent volunteers - Stacy Hildy, JeNyce Lopez, Renee Pas and Denise Steinbrecher fitted 41 orchestra and band students with formal concert attire in October. We appreciate their hard work and support for our awesome York musicians! Learn more about formal concert attire.