Well, hello everyone! What a summer it has been!  As a joke (but with a grain of truth), I think I'm ready to go back to school so that I can get a break!

Last year, we launched our Cadet orchestra.  I'd say that it was/is a successful program.  This year, Cadets will actually be on our Christmas Concert, and will start rehearsing in September!  Of course, neither Dr Waters nor I are satisfied with that, you know we have to keep pushing and working.  So this year, what do we do?  We launch LAYCHO! LAYCHO is the Lima Area Youth Choir, and it will be directed by Mr Anthony Taylor.  Information is under the "CHORAL" tab at the top.  

I'm excited to work with Mr Taylor this year.  I can safely say that I've known Mr Taylor for a number of years (perhaps more than either he or I would like to explain).  I am not the "top dog" of choral music, but I think that them singing a couple of pieces on our concerts would be a great thing.  Mr Taylor made the tragic mistake of allowing me to pick a piece or two, and I couldn't resist the temptation for "'Twas the Night Before Christmas".  I hope that you'll like it.

I'm also excited because on the orchestra side, our Cadet kids will be performing on the Christmas Concert.  What other way to start off than one of the pieces they did last year, Blizzard?  Besides, what kid, or even adult, doesn't shiver with excitement at the mere thought of a school delay or closing?  And excitement.... our LAYO group will be performing selections this year from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  I hope that our audience and our students relish in the chance to "rock out".  

Auditions are September 18... unless you've already submitted yours virtually.

I hope that you are all ready to return to the rehearsal room and the stage as I am.   All the best - Mr MacBenn

We have an invitation to perform with the Ohio Northern University Symphony.  If you didn't fill out the form, please do so today - Dr Waters needs to get the programs to the printer to make sure that they are correct.

The Finale Concert is on May 15, which is surprisingly close: we only have 2 rehearsals left before dress rehearsal!  Call time will be 2:00 PM on stage at Lima Senior High School in the auditorium.  Dress is formal black & white, please.  We will rehearse from 2-3 PM, and then have pictures.  Ayers Photography will be doing the pictures.  The form for pictures is uploaded in the Members' Section.  Concert will begin at 4:00 PM, and last for roughly 75 minutes.  Cadet Orchestra will be first on the program.  See Mr MacBenn for detailed concert/program information.  Tickets will be on sale... soon?  I believe that the cost is $10/ticket (should be same as Christmas Concert).  

Awards lunch will be on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at the American Legion Post 96 in Lima, Ohio at 11:00 AM.  At the time of writing this, I have no idea what is on the menu.   If you are still in school, an excused absence letter will be posted for you - you will need to print it out & hand it in to the proper authorities.  If you are one of those unfortunate few who has major tests that day, or something of that nature, please do not feel pressured to come.  LAYO & Cadet Orchestra members will be paid for.  Guests, including parents, will need to pay for tickets: $11/per person.  American Legion Post 96 is at 711 South Shore Drive, Lima Ohio 45804.  Or, if you know Lima, it's on the corner of Metcalf & South Shore, across from Caprella's, along the bike trail.  

I sent out a Google Form to all members & parents for whom I have email address for - please fill this out ASAP (like... tonight!) so that Dr Waters can get an accurate count of who's going to be at ONU Symphony.  There are Luncheon questions on there as well - if you need to fill the form out again later to make sure it's correct, that's fine.

As if that wasn't enough.... I want to have information posted for auditions the week after Easter!  Personally, I would like to do auditions on the first weekend in June, but, Dr Waters and I will have to discuss it further.  Virtual auditions WILL be an available option for anyone who would like to do so.

Thanks LAYO family for doing an awesome job.  Let's keep it up!

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up.  You can watch the video of the Children's Concert.  It's up.  The link is in the "Digital Music" section (we had to put it there for copyright reasons).  So, use your password and it's at the top of the page.  Yay!

Here's an article about us in the Lima News. (What a GREAT picture of Bryson!)

​And here we are on WLIO, too! (Great interview Eli, Madison & Dr Waters!)

Just a reminder: no rehearsal this weekend (Sunday).  See you Sunday, April 3 at Lima Senior!  Back to regular rehearsal schedule!

Great performance, everyone!  Thank you for all you do.  We had an audience from many different schools, and I know (because I've already gotten emails and texts) that you touched a lot of lives today.  To use a baseball metaphor, that wasn't a home run, that was a grand slam!   

Great job, again.  Thank you.  I continued to be humbled by your talents, and honored to be a part of this organization.  I know that Dr Waters is going to say pretty much the same thing.   

No rehearsal this weekend - please enjoy it and spend it in a way that you can enjoy it.  Have a great rest of the week!

Just wanted to remind our fabulous members of a couple of things.

Tonight, LAYO (NOT Cadets) have a performance at 5:00 at the Allen County Fairgrounds.  Dress is black bottom white top.  Call time is 4:30.  Tonight's "set list" is (in no particular order): Firework Music, 1812, Ear-Igami, Scheherazade, and Vistas Espanolas (both movements).  Provided we start right around 5:00, we should be done around the 5:30 PM mark.

Reminder: NO rehearsals tomorrow, for either LAYO or Cadets.

Reminder: YES Rehearsal March 20... this is going to be an important one, for sure!

And a final reminder that the Lima Noon Optimists support us, a lot.  And, conversely, we should support them.  So please come to the home show this evening.

This Saturday, there is District 3 Solo & Ensemble competition.  Good luck to all who participate.  I know that I've been working with a few folks.  I plan on being in the room and listening to folks play for most/all of the day.  If you are a little worried, and need a little help, feel free to send me a video or audio recording of you playing.  If you get REALLY daring, you could FaceTime me.... maybe a good idea to text first to see if I'm available.

The NEXT day, please don't forget that Dr Waters has called rehearsal for this coming Sunday, 3-6 PM.  I have shared all of my scores with her (and I have hers as well) so she'll be rehearsing my pieces, as I will not be there (I have a personal commitment).

During this time of year, it's easy to lose our focus, and be very hard on ourselves.  Please exercise excellent mental & emotional health along with your own physical health.  Depression is real, and it almost took one of more former students recently.  Please know that I would never want anything bad to happen to any of you, and the world would not be as bright without you.  It's easy to feel worthless because of smaller mistakes that we make.  But we often lose sight of the positive things that we have done, and continue to do, and the positive FAR outweighs the negative.   So let's get out there and do some great things, together!

I have put up a link to order your shirt.  It's in the Members section, just under the list of members.  If you already have a LAYO shirt, you do not need to order a new one.  If you want something other than a polo shirt (which we really do get a good deal on, by the way), please order your stuff from Cappie's directly.  My wife bought me a lovely quarter-zip Under Armour top and I love it.  I feel like the sizes tend to run a little large, so I would recommend ordering your regular size.  Cadet Orchestra members do NOT need said shirt.  

​Someone is going to tell me that the member list is ALL messed up.  I know.  I'm working on it.  Between school, home life, some personal issues going on, and taking care of the home, life gets a little busy some times.  I'm working on it.

Just a reminder that the next practice for BOTH groups is January 23.  That's next Sunday.  See you then!