TMHS Wildcat Choir

DISTRICT MOCK AUDITIONS ARE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 at 3:00pm. We are hoping to be done by 5:00pm with the auditions. All students auditioning for district must participate in mock auditions.

Students will meet in the Choir room after school and receive cuts and audition order. After you sing your mock audition, you are free to leave. Comment sheets will be distributed the following day in class.

Please see the singing order below:

Students, please know that Guadalajara and Rosas Pandan will not be auditioned. Your focus should now be on the remaining 3 pieces for the District round.

DATE/LOCATION/TIMES

The District Audition is Saturday, September 20th at Grand Oaks HS (4800 Riley Fuzzel Rd. Spring, TX 77386).

Students should arrive at Tomball Memorial High School no later than 6:30 am. Students should be dropped off or park in the fine arts lot and enter the school for a warm up together. Students may ride the bus or drive behind the bus to GOHS.

PARKING

Please see the maps below for parking instructions.

CONCESSIONS

GOHS Booster Club will be providing concessions throughout the day. In the morning there will be some breakfast items available for purchase and they will have pizza for lunch. There will also be candy, chips, and drinks available. We will be doing a ticket system: $1 = one ticket; $10 = 12 tickets; $20 = 24 tickets We will only accept cash for tickets; no cards or apple pay.

ARRIVAL

Upon arrival, students will go to the cafeteria to put their stuff down and then to their assigned rooms to register, warm up, and be taken through cuts. Grand Oaks HS will have ample signage directing singers to their appropriate rooms. Directors cannot escort students to these spaces.

Sopranos - Cafeteria

Altos - Auditorium

Tenors - Orchestra

Basses - Band Hall

Chaperones will wait in the Cafeteria.

REGISTRATION

Once in their registration room, students in voice parts with multiple zones (sopranos, altos, and baritones) should find the posted list to determine the zone in which they will be auditioning. Once they know their zone, they will go to the registration table to sign for their badge.

All students should be prepared to stay in their assigned registration/warm-up areas for a while with their water and music, etc. The first 20 singers will go directly to their audition rooms from here. Students will also need to follow directions regarding line up and appropriate times to go to the restroom.

Registration opens at 7:30 am and closes at 8:30. Students arriving after 8:30 am will not be permitted to audition unless they are a LATE request with their entry. LATE requests must arrive and register by 12:30 pm to ensure they get to audition.

AUDITION PATH

After the first 20 have left the registration room to audition, all remaining singers will be dismissed to the cafeteria when instructed. Any personal items (books, water bottles, etc) will have to travel with them when they leave their warm-up room. After their audition, students will be directed to the Cafeteria, where they will be allowed to call their parents (FROM THE CELL PHONE TABLE) to pick them up. Students who are waiting until the end of the contest for results will remain in the cafeteria.

WARM UP

During the "warm-up" the students will go through the cuts 2 times per section (e.g., Alto 1 ­ 2x, Alto 2 ­ 2x). The cuts will not be rehearsed again. Students may vocalize after that point but may not practice the audition music. Students can only sing the cut material for their section. In other words, a soprano 1 cannot sing through the cuts again with the soprano 2s. This is a violation of the audition process and will be enforced.

LINE UP

In their warm up rooms, students will be lined up in groups of 10. Once the first 10 are sent to the audition rooms, the next 10 will be called to lineup. Note: in the cafeteria there will be designated cafeteria tables for the groups of 10 to sit in line while they wait to be sent.

NOTE ABOUT RESTROOMS

Students should take care of any personal needs prior to going to registration. If they are in the first group of 30 (or have requested an EARLY time), there won’t be an opportunity to use the restroom until after their audition. If students ask to go to the restroom before 9am, the answer will be NO. Please share this information with your students.

NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES

There are no electronic devices allowed at the audition. This includes smart watches. There are no musical instruments allowed at the audition. Chaperones and parents can use electronic devices but may not allow students to use them. Please use a safe distance when operating a device in proximity of students.

Students WILL be allowed to call for parent pick-up at the cell phone table, monitored by the adult at the table.

TIMELINE FOR THE MORNING

7:30 - 8:30 Registration

8:15 Cuts are distributed

8:30 Warm up begins in designated areas

8:35 Cuts twice with each voice part in room (16 minutes)

8:45 GOHS students ready to take auditionees to their rooms.

8:52 SINGERS Line up and depart for rooms

9:00 1st person waiting to walk into the room

9:01 Auditions begin.

Once your student has finished their audition, they are free to leave. They can also ride the bus back to TMHS at the conclusion of the auditions.

If you are interested in being a choir class representative, please complete the form below. Please make sure you have discussed these leadership roles with your parent or guardian prior to filling out the application.

Class representatives are expected to be at all monthly officer meetings at 6:45am and will be chosen this year for Dudes, Belles, and Bel Canto.

You will be contacted later regarding an interview if you have applied for class representative.

All applications are due by 3:00pm MONDAY SEPTEMBER 29TH!!

The Major Chords will be on a field trip on Tuesday to sing The National Anthem at the N2 Learning Leadership Event at the Tomball Event Center. They will be on a field trip leaver from 9:00-10:30am. Students will wear their TMHS Choir polos, blue jeans with no holes, and closed toe shoes.

About the trip:

The opportunity presents itself once again to perform in THE Carnegie Hall in NYC! Mr. Ragsdale has been asked to conduct in the prestigious concert hall and invite all who wish to perform Schubert's Mass in G! This will also include alums, parents and other family members who have the vocal ability and wish to perform. That's right, the performance isn't just for students! The performance is scheduled for June 6, 2026. Rehearsals in NYC will be on June 4, 5, and 6th. Details are being worked out but since this is a summer trip, academic eligibility will not be a determining factor, but behavior issues and disciplinary infractions could possibly be. This will be a unique trip with some flexibility in schedule, other than rehearsals and performance time.

A payment plan and payment system will be worked out before school begins. The trip will vary in price, as we will work to build some flexibility for families who wish to extend their trip and make this a family vacation. What we need now is for all parties, interested or not, to complete the Google form below. This is very important! We need to make plans and packages and must communicate directly with those interested. What a unique opportunity for families to possibly perform on stage at Carnegie Hall with a professional orchestra! We hope you will consider it! NYC isn't cheap, but what an opportunity! A SAMPLE itinerary is as follows:

June 3: travel, city tour, dinner together

June 4: breakfast on own, lunch on own, Rehearsal TBD (2 hours), planned excursions with various options that may include: hanging out/picnic in Central Park, Tour Statue of Liberty, SHOP, tour one of the many museums, NBC studios tour, Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, Ground Zero and possibly other options, dinner on own. Broadway show #1

June 5: breakfast on own, lunch on own rehearsal TBD (2 hours), planned excursions with various options that may include: hanging out/picnic in Central Park, Tour Statue of Liberty, SHOP, tour one of the many museums, NBC studios tour, Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, Ground Zero and possibly other options, dinner on own, Broadway show #2 (might be optional if Yankees or Mets are playing!)

June 6: breakfast on own, lunch on own, Dress Rehearsal, performance, Dinner Cruise on the Hudson.

June 7: Travel day, Breakfast on own, last minute souvenir shopping (if time permits), check out and head to airport.

Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? Please complete the Google Form and send in your trip contracts! We will continue accepting contracts and deposits this week!

On Friday we began distributing chocolate boxes for our World's Finest Chocolate Fundraiser! Many of your students took a box or two to begin selling as a booster club fundraiser. When students finish selling the entire box of chocolate, they should return the envelope with their name on it and the money included to one of the choir directors. Student scholarship points earned by selling chocolate/doing flags will be available to see in Presto, and these points can be used towards things like Spring trip payments, voice lessons, solo and ensemble accompanist fees, class fees, and more!

Seniors, as you begin your journey of college admissions, please fill out the google form below to let us know where you have been accepted!

Homecoming is just a few weeks away and choir always participates in the Homecoming parade, though it is not required, it is a blast! We are in need of a parent or family member with a 16ft trailer, so if you or your family own one and would be willing to donate it for the afternoon/evening of September 24th, please let Mr. Ragsdale and Ms. White know!

Trailer would be needed in the fine arts lot after school that afternoon to be decorated, and then will drive around to get in line in the athletic lot. Roads will close at 5:30pm and the parade will begin at 6:00pm. The parade is approximately an hour long and is followed by a pep rally to get ready for Homecoming weekend!

Family & Individual Supporters

$25 Donation - Booster Supporters will receive slideshow recognition at our end-of-year concert.

$50 Donation - Silver Supporters will receive four reserved seats to the winter concert and slideshow recognition at our end-of-year concert.

$100 Donation - Navy Supporters will receive four reserved seats to the winter and senior recognition concerts, as well as slideshow recognition at our end-of-year concert.

$250 Donation - Wildcat Supporters will receive four tickets to the Pop Show, four reserved seats for all concerts, and slideshow recognition at our end-of-year concert.

Business & Community Supporters

$250 Donation - Big Cat Supporters will receive two tickets to the Pop Show, two reserved seats for all concerts, and slideshow recognition at every concert.

$500 Donation - Super Cat Supporters will receive four tickets to Pop Show, four reserved seats for all concerts, and slideshow recognition at every concert.

$1000 Donation - King of the Jungle Supporters will receive a TMHS Choir t-shirt, four tickets to the Pop Show, four reserved seats for all concerts, and slideshow recognition at every concert.

Our first Booster Club meeting is Tuesday, September 9th at 6:00pm in the TMHS Choir Room!

If you or your company that you work for would like to have a 30 minute - 1 hour long performance by The Major Chords during the holiday season, please click the link below. They are also available for longer engagements if requested via the google form.

Our Pop Show theme for this school year is Icons and Legends! Please see the list of current approved icons and legends and note that if you have an artist in mind that is not on this list, it must be approved by directors prior to auditions.

Section of the week is back as we are in full swing in the choir room! Every week, the directors will select a section in each class that has done extraordinary work throughout the week. Sections are competing for the honor of being "section of the year" and winning donuts at the end of the year!

Belles: Altos

Bella Voce: 1st Sopranos

Dudes: Tenors

Chorale: Altos

Chamber: Altos

Bel Canto: Altos

Each week, the directors will choose one student that has stood out and represented some of our campus core values.

This week's Student of the Week is Evelynn Bennett for her growth in music, work ethic, and development as a leader in class. Thank you for being awesome!

September 15 - 3:00-6:00pm - District Mock Auditions

September 20 - TMEA All-State District Auditions @Grand Oaks HS

September 24 - Rock the Block Homecoming Parade

September 26 - Home Football Game (Homecoming)

September 27 - Homecoming Dance

October 6 - 7:00pm - Fall Concert

October 10 - Home Football Game

October 14 - 6:00pm - Booster Club Meeting

October 17 - Home Football Game and Patriotic Halftime Show

October 20 - 3:00-6:00pm - Region Mock Auditions

October 24 - 3:00-7:00pm - Fall Solo and Ensemble

October 25 - HOST TMEA All-State Region Auditions

October 28-29 - Pop Show Auditions after school

October 30 - 5:00-7:00 - Trunk or Treat Social

November 1 - 9:00-10:00am - Flag pick up

November 6 - Bella Voce Kemah Choir Days Festival

November 7 - Home Football Game (8th Grade Night with WWJH and GLJH)

November 11 - 6:00pm - Booster Club Meeting

November 14-15 - Region Weekend Clinic and Concert

November 16 - 3:00-4:00pm - Flag drop off

November 20 - 6:00pm - Family Feast Thanksgiving Social

December 2 - TMEA All-State Pre-Area Auditions

December 4 - 7:00pm - Winter Concert

December 5 - 5:00-7:00pm - Winter Social

December 6 - TISD Winter Festival

December 9 - 6:00pm - Booster Club Meeting

Bolded events are required of all choir students

jedragsdale@tomballisd.net

jordynwhite@tomballisd.net

Website: tmhschoir.com
Location: 19100 Northpointe Ridge Lane, Tomball, TX, USA
Phone: 281-357-3230 1106
Twitter: @theTMHSchoir
Instagram: @tmhschoir