Musical Auditions Start Today!

Students do not have to be in a music or theatre class to audition because they are open to all BHS students! 

How do students audition?

Prior to Tues, Nov 28: Students can sign up in the black box for a 3 min time slot for their musical audition. They should also pick up a copy of the audition contract and audition information form. Students need to prepare 32 bars or a verse and chorus of a contemporary musical. They will be accompanied by a pianist.

Tues, Nov 28: Auditions will be in the band room. Students need to arrive a few minutes before their time slot. Students should bring their sheet music and a filled out copy of the audition contract and the audition information form.

Wed, Nov 29: Dance call on stage in the PAC (time TBD). Students do not need to prepare anything but should wear comfortable clothing and sneakers. 

Thurs, Nov 30: Callbacks. If students are called back, they do not need to prepare anything. Not all students cast will be brought in for a callback, not all students brought in for a callback will be cast.

Fri, Dec 1: Cast list will be posted at the end of the school day outside of the black box.

Mark Your Calendars and Reserve Your Seats!

Winter Concerts are coming up! Concerts are open to the public and free to attend; however, if you’d like to reserve seats, the money directly supports our BPA programs. Visit ShowTix4U to reserve them today!

Band

Upcoming Dates

Mark your calendars for these band events:

Nov 28 - Pep band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Dec 1 - Pep band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Dec 6 - Pep band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Dec13 - Band Winter Concert, 7:30 pm (call time 6:30 pm)

Dec 15 - Pep band at basketball game, 4:30 pm call time; second game 8:00 pm call time

Jan 9 - Pep Band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Jan 17 - Pep Band at basketball game, 4:30 pm call time

Jan 26 - Pep Band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Jan 30 - Pep Band at basketball game, 7:00 pm call time

Jan 31 - Pizza and Pep Band night, 5:30 pm 

Basketball Games for Pep Band - Pizza and Pep Band Night January 31st

The band will be playing for various boys and girls basketball games between November and January. Each student needs to attend five games plus the pizza and pep band night (which is mandatory), and they can sign up for which games they would like to attend on the signup sheet in the band room. They wear their band t-shirts to these games. We will also need one or two parent volunteers to be around the band room area while the game is going on. Please sign up here. Thank you for helping out! 

The Pizza and Pep Band night will be January 31st this year. This is a mandatory game and 8th grade band members from nearby schools will be invited to attend to see what BHS Marching and Pep band is like. This event is a great way to promote the band program with rising freshmen. Pizza will be provided and chaperones will be needed. Students will meet at 5:30 pm to rehearse the pep band songs, have pizza at 6:30 pm, play pre-game music at 7:10, and the game starts at 7:30 pm. If you know of 8th grade band students who are considering Ballard, please encourage them to join in on the fun. Please sign up to chaperone here. Chaperones will order and pick up pizza and stay to help until the game starts at 7:30. 

Wind Ensemble is Going to Pacific Northwest Band Festival in February and Windfest Concert Band Invitational in March

On February 6th, Wind Ensemble and selected percussionists will play at the Pacific Northwest Band Festival at UW. This will be a day trip and a few chaperones will be needed. Then on March 1st, the Wind Ensemble and selected percussionists will be traveling to CWU in Ellensburg for the day to attend Windfest. This will be a longer day trip and a few parent chaperones will also be needed. Please contact the band rep or sign up here if you are available to assist for either or both of these trips. Thank you!

Jazz Band Trip

Jazz 1 & 2 are headed to Reno April 25-28!

$150 deposit was due Nov 17.

$257 due Dec 15, Jan 15, and Feb 15.

*Payments must be paid with cash or check (made out to BPA). Have your student drop in the secure box in the band room or send to Ballard Performing Arts, PO Box 17774 Seattle WA 98127 

*Email bpabtreasurer@gmail.com if you'd like to apply your student's fundraising credits toward the upcoming trip payments. 

Band Class Fees

Every music class has an annual fee to help pay for buses, trips, uniforms, sheet music and other supplies that support the students and the program. If you’ve forgotten whether you’ve paid or not, check on zeffy.com! 

Please pay your annual band class fee.

Choir

Upcoming Dates

Tues Dec 5th - Vocal Jazz Caroling*

Sat Dec 9th - Chamber Choir and Tenor Bass at Seattle Seachordsmen

Sat Dec 9th - Vocal Jazz Caroling (evening)

Sat Dec 16th - Vocal Jazz Caroling at Seattle Pops (Wallingford)

* Chaperones and drivers are needed - please contact Sally at BPABChoirRep@gmail.com if you can help.

You will need volunteer level A in order to attend the various trips throughout the year, so please apply for that if you want to accompany the choirs. https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/volunteer/volunteer-application-process/

Concert Choir at the CWU Fall Choral Classic

Congratulations to our wonderful and hard working students on their performance and award at the CWU Fall Choral Classic! Watch the video of their performance: CWU Fall Choral Classic 2023 - Ballard High School Concert Choir

Vocal Jazz Caroling 

The next opportunity to drive and to chaperone our talented Vocal Jazz group will be Tues Dec 5th, when they will visit local area middle schools to entertain staff and students with some holiday music. We hope they will encourage middle school students to consider choir in their choice of classes when they come to Ballard High School. Details to follow, but please consider getting your volunteer status approved, your driver permission form in (yes, you will need a new form every time you drive our students! volunteer driver check list.pdf), and a copy of your driver's license to the school main office now, so you are able to go. Please contact Sally at BPABChoirRep@gmail.com if you have questions.

Chichester Psalms Rehearsals/Performances

Concert Choir and Advanced Chorale are combining with Chamber Orchestra and select Wind Ensemble members and percussionists to present Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms for the Winter Choir and Orchestra concerts! This means that Concert Choir and Advanced Chorale singers will perform on BOTH the Dec 12 Orchestra Concert and the Dec 14 Choir Concert. In addition, there are two after school rehearsals with full orchestra on Thursday, December 7th and Monday, December 11th from 4-6 pm.

Choir Class Fee

Every music class has an annual fee to help pay for buses, trips, uniforms, sheet music, and other supplies that support the students and the program.

Please pay your annual Choir class fee.

Orchestra

Upcoming Dates

Dec 12 - Winter concert. Chamber Orchestra students will also need to attend after school rehearsals on 12/7 and 12/11, and the Choir concert on 12/14.

Save the date! Vancouver Trip

Symphonic and Chamber Orchestras will be going to an orchestra festival in Vancouver B.C. May 24-May 26. More details coming soon!

Theatre

Musical Auditions Start Today!

Students do not have to be in a music or theatre class to audition because they are open to all BHS students!

How do students audition?

Prior to Tues, Nov 28: Students can sign up in the black box for a 3 min time slot for their musical audition. They should also pick up a copy of the audition contract and audition information form. Students need to prepare 32 bars or a verse and chorus of a contemporary musical. They will be accompanied by a pianist.

Tues, Nov 28: Auditions will be in the band room. Students need to arrive a few minutes before their time slot. Students should bring their sheet music and a filled out copy of the audition contract and the audition information form.

Wed, Nov 29: Dance call on stage in the PAC (time TBD). Students do not need to prepare anything but should wear comfortable clothing and sneakers. 

Thurs, Nov 30: Callbacks. If students are called back, they do not need to prepare anything. Not all students cast will be brought in for a callback, not all students brought in for a callback will be cast.

Fri, Dec 1: Cast list will be posted at the end of the school day outside of the black box.

The district only pays for teachers’ salaries; everything else we have to raise or donate.

Everybody Loves Chocolate! | Next Student Fundraiser Has Started!

Want your BPA student to help raise money for their spring trip?

We've estimated that each trip will cost at least $400 per student for transportation and lodging. Encourage your student to pick up a box of chocolates and sell them to family, friends, and neighbors.

How does it work?

Students fill out this form, check out a box of candy, sell the candy for $1 bar, and then turn in $60. For each box sold, the student receives $24 credited to that student's account and those funds can then be used for the spring trip, camp payments, or program fees in the fall, and they can even be transferred to a younger sibling when a student graduates.

Jill will be available for checkout in the morning before school starts (8:15 to 8:40). Checkout will be at the uniform room door. A completed form is required to get a box.

Students are responsible for turning in the full cost of the box of candy, $60, whether they sell it all or not. They cannot turn in coins; all money should be bills or checks (payable to BPA).

All money is due Friday December 15th, the last day of school before winter break.

Become a Sponsor for 2023-2024 School Year!

If you own a business (or know of a business) that would benefit from advertising on our programs, website, and newsletters, click here to learn about all the perks of becoming a corporate sponsor.

Bake Sale Help at Winter Concerts

Sign up using the links below to help volunteer or to donate baked (or store bought) items for the winter concerts. Thank you!



Dec 12 | Orchestra Concert Bake Sale

Dec 13 | Band Concert Bake Sale

Dec 14 | Choir Concert Bake Sale

Newsletter and Communications Volunteers Needed!

We want to keep our community informed about upcoming events but we are currently running on a skeleton crew. Please sign up here if you're interested in learning more about our weekly e-newsletter and other digital communication platforms. Our newsletter team has graduating seniors and will not be back next year, so it is imperative that we start training replacements sooner than later. Thanks for considering!

Mattress Fundraiser Coordinator Needed!

We will co-host a Mattress Fundraiser on Sun. May 5 with Whitman MS. This is the easiest fundraiser ever because our contacts at Custom Fundraising Solutions supply us with all the promotional materials, take care of set up, sales, and take down. We are just looking for one volunteer to serve as our BPA point of contact to field communications about the event, set up an informational parent meeting 3 weeks prior to the event, distribute flyers and posters, and greet people on the day of and thank them for coming. Please sign up here if you're interested in learning more.

Congrats Saylor and Dalton! | All-State Band and Orchestra

Congratulations to Saylor Stevens for being selected to the All-State concert band for bassoon and Dalton Lemmel for being selected to All-State orchestra for cello. They were selected over hundreds of other applicants and this represents a huge accomplishment and testament to their dedication and musicianship. They will join the top musicians in the state to perform in Yakima in February. Bravo!

Check out our YouTube Channel to see videos from the Fall Orchestra Concert and other past performances.

Check out past performances any time on our YouTube and Vimeo channels.

Discount for White Christmas Tickets!

One of our amazing BPA parents works at the Fifth Avenue Theatre and is generously extending a friends and family discount to our performing arts community. They are producing White Christmas this holiday season. The show opens December 1, previews start last week of November. Use the promo code SNOWFLAKE to get discounted tickets!