APAB
Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters
News Archive 2020-21
Spring Concerts live in May
Acalanes Instrumental Music Program is excited to present two Spring Concerts live in May, featuring our fabulous Acalanes Bands and Orchestra! Director Lauren Gibson will be showcasing the following groups:
Both performances will be held at the Acalanes HS Stadium and will be live-streamed (see links above). Due to COVID-19 safety guidelines, only Instrumental Music families are invited to attend in person. We look forward to having you join us for our first live music concerts of the year!
The Acalanes DramaDon’s are proud to present...ONE ACT SHAKESPEARE LIVE: MACBETH & MIDSUMMER
These exciting 40-minute versions of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream will stream live on the DramaDon’s YouTube channel (link below). Each play is presented for one night only so log on to see Macbeth on April 30 and Midsummer on May 1 at 7pm PST.
Click here for the Playbill
Click here for the DramaDon’s YouTube Channel
This is not just your average “Zoom play”. All actors will perform from individual remote studios set up in classrooms on the Acalanes campus. Then, using the magic of technology, actors’ images will be composited into a single frame, giving the illusion of working together and all of it will happen live, in real time.
If you’d like to know more check out the article on our production in the latest issue of the Acalanes Blueprint on page 33. (link)
Acalanes Performing Arts Booster Scholarship Available
APAB will award one $1,000 scholarship to a Senior in the Acalanes Class of 2021 who participates in either Choral Music, Drama or Instrumental Music with an intent to major or minor in a performing art at a two or four-year college, university, or performing arts school. Applications are available now and must be submitted by May 1. Click here for the application.
View the 2021 Open House Choir performance here!
Choral Music Virtual Winter Concert, “Together, from a Distance”
This streamed concert features music from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras, as well as some solo acts. Watch the performance here.
Instrumental Music Virtual Winter Concert
Enjoy the amazing musical talents of the Acalanes Instrumental Bands. Instrumental Music Director Ms. Lauren Gibson showcased performances by each ensemble (Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra) as well as chamber music. Best of all, you can hear all this beautiful music safely from the comfort of your home right here.
DramaDons Virtual Holiday Special
Happy Holidays from the DramaDons! The DramaDons have a present for you! The premiere of our Holiday Special will include selections of work that the DramaDons have created over this past semester. Pieces include original puppet stories, dialect monologues, an 8-minute Zoom movie adaptation, and an original children's theatre Zoom play. Link here for the video of the Holiday Special.
Getting the band back together!
Acalanes Jazz Band Rhythm section playing together, first time —since March. Masked, distanced, and making awesome music! Riley Daggs, Dash Fabela, Max Simas, Brahm Sasner, Spencer Tantameng, Lucas Chow, Tommy Gallagher, and Sean McFarlane.
Tune in for some exceptional online programming from our Dons students over the next two months:
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National Parks History through Music Program - This program is put together by our recently retired AHS institution Larry Freeman, along with the Rangers at Hyde Street Pier National Maritime Park. They will provide a recording of a Sea Chantey entitled “Randy Dandio.”
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November 16 - High School Notes Program - Invited by the Diablo Regional Arts Association to participate in the High School Notes program, our Dons will sing in a virtual concert November 16. Acalanes, along with 11 other high schools, will collaborate with Deke Sharon, who arranged music for the Pitch Perfect movies and Sing Off. Our students will perform “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran and join other high schoolers in a group number to be determined.
GO DONS! AHS Fight Song Rediscovered
Instrumental Music Director Lauren Gibson was thrilled when student Autumn Long recently passed along a recording of the original Acalanes fight song from 1956 and highlights of other school events that year. This year, our music students will record the fight song to ignite our Dons spirit. The fight song, written specifically for Acalanes, has not been performed in years and will now be played at upcoming football and other Acalanes sports games. A link to the 1956 recording, which includes a surprise visit by Marilyn Monroe (portrayed by an Acalanes student), is here. Enjoy!
Please Join Us!
The Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters champions and helps sustain a high quality performing arts education at Acalanes High School. We are a parent led organization with individual discipline boards for the Choral, Drama and Instrumental Music programs. These boards also collectively work together on the APAB board to support our performing arts teachers and students.
Please join us! APAB and the individual discipline board meetings are open to families of Acalanes students who participate in the performing arts. Please drop us an email to learn more about our meetings and how you can lend a hand in supporting our programs!
Thank You for Your Support!
We want to acknowledge that this is a challenging time for everyone, and in particular for our performing arts students. With your support we have the ability to continue to help build futures for our students, even in these unprecedented circumstances.