Concert Checklist

These are the things that need done for a concert to run smoothly.

• August
• Reserve the stage or venue
• send note home about concerts - get translated for other languages
• Send out the information to teachers - ask them to put it in their Newsletter
• Ask Secretary to placed on school website
• Ask to meet with teachers if your concert aligns with their curriculum
• Select Music (for the most part); videotape students performing one of the songs from the concert each quarter (same song throughout the year so they can see their growth).
• January
• Ask teachers to again place information in their newsletter
• Send home additional note
• At Least 6 Weeks before the Concert
• Rehearsal Schedule - Always 2 with the entire group.  No large group rehearsal on the day of the concert if at all possible.
• Rehearsal Schedule for Readers and Soloists - including practicing with the microphone in front of an audience
• Send home fliers with Concert Information and Lyrics
• Writing Challenge and Art Contest
• 4 Weeks Before the Concert
• Riser Order (If students are transitioning to play instruments, consider placing groups on risers as opposed to in rows.)
• Start building stamina for standing on the risers.
• Assign instruments and part (if used.  Practice transitions including the expectations for voice / body when moving to instruments).  Remember to put all the instrument in rehearsal where you want them at the concert.
• Request permission to video from publishers.
• Create a Scale with students regarding behavior and performance at the concert.
• 3 Weeks Before the Concert
• Custodian Request - Concert Arrangement and Instrument Moving to Concert Location
• Refreshments - Cookies and Drinks
• -Prepare Packets / Files for Classroom Teachers
• Email Schedule to Classroom Teachers
• -Get someone to run the CD Player (even a student)!
• Record and Critique
• 2 Weeks Before the Concert
• Call parents of students ending video permission
• Pre-concert meeting to go over the details with all staff that are involved (if possible)
• Make a recording of students reading the Concert Etiquette to play at the concert.
• 1 Week Before the Concert
• Concert Program created and printed
• Reminder letters (include where to go at beginning and how to pick up)
• Double check in with the secretary at the Auditorium that the event is taking place.
• Week of the Concert
• Parent Phone Calls
• Provide Concert Order to Teachers for Rehearsals
• Create Riser Order by ROW for use in pre-concert staging area.  Students should go on the rises in a long row even if they are groups by class spread out among multiple rows)
• Request teacher assistance with monitoring hallway and video
• Plan your thanks you for after the concert.  Give thanks to ALL that helped with the concert and families for getting students there.
• Decorations if needed
• Double Check with Venue about Performance Dates and Details
• Be very clear about expectations during rehearsals
• Evening of Concert
• Signs to show parents where each classroom is standing
• Concert Etiquette - 
• Student microphones should be loud.  More light on stage than in audience
• Students should exit the risers and stay in their order - returning to the staging area for pick up and meeting their parents.  Parents form a line and staff call the student to meet with parent.
• Need supervision of students in the classrooms by 10 minutes before students arrive.
• Student Arrival and Pre Concert Staging.  Students should sit in their spot and stay seated until heading out to the auditorium.
• Post Concert
• Thank you Emails and Small Gifts (Kind Bars, Small bags of Chips / Popcorn, etc)
• Students
• Concert Evaluation
• Rewards for Coming
• Grading - input information as students evaluate their performance
• Fun Activities!