Excursion Spotlight: Laguna Playhouse

SH-BOOM! Sessions 2 and 3 will travel to Laguna Playhouse for "Life Could Be a Dream."  Meet the Crooning Crabcakes, the boy group banned from the Springfield High School prom which made it possible for The Marvelous Wonderettes to perform. The guys get one more chance at fame and fortune as Denny, Eugene, Skip and Wally form a singing group to enter and win the local radio contest and realize their dreams of making it to the big time! Will these delightfully goofy guys be able to pull it together and win the contest? Featuring such classic songs as “Stay” (Just a Little Bit Longer),” “Runaround Sue,” “Tears On My Pillow,” “Unchained Melody,” “Earth Angel,” “Little Darlin’,” “The Glory of Love,” and of course the title song. Life Could Be A Dream will leave you laughing, singing and cheering – let’s hear it for the boys!

Excursion Spotlight: Cirque de la Symphonie

Kicking off the summer with a bang, participants in week 1 will attend a jaw-dropping fusion of two art forms: aerial fliers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers and strongmen will perform their cirque acts  — all accompanied by a live symphony orchestra performing classical masterpieces.

The artists of Cirque del la Symphonie include world-record holders and gold-medal winners of international competitions, and rank among the most exceptional cirque artists in the world. Pacific Symphony's popular and charismatic assistant conductor leads this feast for the eyes and ears!

Not attending AXP session 1?  You can purchase tickets to the Pacific Symphony's summer series at www.pacificsymphony.org

Getting Ready for AXP!

We're almost there! If you've misplaced your documents, you can download them here:

Packing list
Bus Schedule
Medicine Labeling Form

Stay tuned for the latest updates, and we'll see you soon!

Summer Orientation

It was so awesome to see so many of you at Welcome Night this weekend!

We look forward to seeing everybody at the Summer Orientations:

Wendesday, June 9, 7 pm

Saturday, June 12, 10 am

Orange County Dept. of Education, Building D 1002-1003
200 Kalmus Dr., Costa Mesa

View Larger Map

See you soon!

2010 Welcome Night at the Symphony

Don't miss Welcome Night just for the incoming class of 2010!  
Come join your fellow 2010 AXPers and their families on June 5th to see Carl St.Clair conduct the Pacific Symphony at Segerstrom Concert Hall. The program features some great music: Ravel's Mother Goose Suite, based on some familiar (and a few not-so-familiar) fairy tales; a suite from Igor Stravinsky's ballet Firebird; and John Adam's Violin Concerto featuring Leila Josefowicz.

Tickets are still available at a discount for 2010 arts-X-press students and their families. Call the box office at (714) 755-5799 and mention arts-X-press.

Paperwork and Fees due today

Today is the deadline for all paperwork and fees for this summer!

If you are dropping your packet off, we are at 3631 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 100.  Our offices are located in the Harbor Corporate Park just north of Ikea. But feel free to save yourself a trip and drop it in today's mail.

If your pink form will be late because of a doctor's appointment, don't worry!  Please submit the rest of your paperwork on time and let us know when we can expect the pink form.

Please give us at least 5 business days for us to input our mountain of paperwork into the database before calling with inquiries about whether we got your forms, payments, etc.  You will be the first to know if we're missing anything!

See you soon!

Meet our 2010 Counselors!

Congrats!

Backstage Tour SOLD OUT!

The backstage tour for the 2010 Welcome Night is SOLD OUT!  But there's still plenty of room at the Welcome Night concert for incoming 2010 arts-X-pressers and their families--be sure to purchase your tickets in advance by calling the box office, and we'll see you there.

Counselor Interviews

Just a few slots left!  If you were invited for an interview, be sure you call the hotline to schedule your time by the end of today.
Updated 4/23 11:02am

Wednesday, 4/28

4:10

4:20

4:30

4:40

Thursday, 4/29

3:20

3:50

4:00

4:10

Wednesday, May 5

3:30

3:40

AXP Class of 2010

Before you know it, we'll be all together for AXP 2010!  It's starting to come together--most of the staff is hired, registration meetings are almost done, and we begin interviewing counselors at the end of the month.

If you applied to be a counselor, you should have received an e-mail notifying you if you've been invited for an interview.  If you have been invited for an interview, you can choose from the following open times:
Updated 4/22 2:56pm

Wednesday, 4/28

4:10

4:20

4:30

4:40

Thursday, 4/29

3:20

3:40

3:50

4:00

4:10

Wednesday, May 5

3:30

3:40

3:50

Application Deadline

Don't forget!  Counselor applications for AXP 2010 are due on April 1, no exceptions.  This includes your letter of recommendation.

Week 2, 2008

Calling all Counselors

Do you want to be an arts-X-press counselor?  Will you be between the ages of 16 and 20 as of July 1, 2010?  We are now accepting applications for this summer!  E-mail us at arts-x-press@pacificsymphony.org with "Counselor Application Request" in the subject line to request application materials.  The deadline is April 1st, and applications will only be accepted via e-mail.

 Join the ranks of fabulous counselors like these, from 2009, Week 3

We also need some help from our Veteran Counselors to welcome our new AXPers.  Please let us know if you are available to help at any of these spring registration meetings:

Monday, March 29, 7-8:30 pm
Newport Mesa District Office

Tuesday, March 30, 7-8:30 pm
Irvine District Office

Wednesday, March 31 7-8:30 pm
Placentia-Yorba Linda District Office

Thursday, April 1, 7-8:30 pm
Garden Grove District Office

Monday, April 12, 7-8:30 pm
Santa Ana District Office

Thursday, April 15, 7-8:30 pm
Capistrano District Office

AXP Alumni News - Ben Paltin

You may remember him from AXP 2008 as Ben-jammin'.  AXP alumn Ben Paltin was voted the Grand Prize Winner by the audience at the recent Queen Mary's First Annual Salsa Expo.  Check out his amazing Matrix move (Ben is the one in the fedora.):

Ben also "auctioned" his performance of two songs during his recent bar mitzvah reception and is donating the auction proceeds to AXP!

Got news you'd like to share?  Let us know!

AXP 2010 - Now Accepting Applications!

We are now accepting applications for AXP 2010!

Anyone who is currently in 6th or 7th grade and lives or attends school in Orange County is eligible to apply.  Get more information and an application form at the Pacific Symphony website: www.pacificsymphony.org/arts-x-press .  Applications must be received in the Symphony office by February 12.

 

Aspiring counselors, you're next!  If you will be between the ages of 16 and 21 as of July 1, 2010, keep your eyes open for counselor applications at the beginning of March.  Make sure we have your current contact info--if you've moved or changed your e-mail address, make sure you let us know.

AXP 10 years later

How amazing is it to look at the very first week of arts-X-press in 2001 and know that so many people are still around as of 2009?  Can you spot these people in the 2001 photo?

AXP 2009: 

Phillip Womack (2001- counselor, 2009- visual art instructor)

Eddie Oliver (2001-2009 instrumental music instructor ) with Carl and Susan St.Clair

Mollie Fry Gilmore (2001 counselor , now a PS staff member) with Jack Meza (AXPer 2002, counselor 2005-2008, Coordinator 2009)

Garret Wehrman (AXPer 2001, and as of 2009 the veteran counselor with the most experience of any counselor EVER!)

AXP Celebrates 10 years in 2010

AXP Session 1, 2001

In 2010, AXP will be ten years old!  That's right--the first ever class of arts-X-pressers joined the fun in July of 2001.
You can help us celebrate!  Please e-mail arts-X-press@pacificsymphony.org if you want to help plan the 10th Anniversary festivities, or if you know how we can contact any arts-X-press alumn who have lost touch.  Stay tuned for more information on the 10-year Reunion coming in September 2010.

AXP Updates

We can't believe we're almost to December!  Here's the latest and greatest in AXP news.

Applications for AXP 2010 will be distributed to schools and posted online in February, and we are always thrilled to have references from alumni.

Will you be 16 by July 1, 2010?  Come back to be a counselor!  Counselor applications will be available in March 2010.


Congratulations to 2 members of the AXP family!
Former counselor Adrian Noack has joined the full-time Pacific Symphony staff as the Manager of Youth Ensembles.  And Manager Molly Buzick got married and will henceforth be known as Molly Pontin.

Got news to share?  Let us know!  We love to share concerts, recitals, and other accomplishments with the AXP blogosphere.

Halloween Spooktacular!

Trick or treat!  Make sure that the 5-10 year olds in your life don't miss the musical thrills and chills at this weekend's Family Musical Mornings Halloween Spooktacular.  Tickets are still available at www.pacificsymphony.org .

We can always use more volunteers to assist in running the Musical Carnival during Family Musical Mornings, and we love to see AXP alumni and their families!  If you are interested in volunteering on the following dates, e-mail musicalcarnival@pacificsymphony.org.  Volunteers must be at least 13 years old.

Family Musical Mornings 2009-10

October 17, 2009
December 12, 2009
February 6, 2010
March 20, 2010
April 17, 2010

Reunion

It was so great to see 157 alumni, counselors, staff, friends and family at the 2009 reunion!!

Helpful Reunion Info

We can't wait to see everyone at the reunion! Here's some info that will help you get to where the fun is:
September 12
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Pick up your tickets between 6:30-7 at the arts-X-press table near the front gate.
Bring a blanket or low lawn chairs (seats are on the lawn), a picnic or snacks, and a jacket.
Wear your arts-X-press t-shirt!
Parking is $8
The concert begins at 8 pm and will finish at approximately 10:15.

Haven't ordered your tickets yet? Don't worry--we'd still love to have you. Call the hotline at (714) 876-2336 as soon as possible and plan to pay by cash, check, or charge tomorrow night.

Map to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre:


View Larger Map