Welcome to the 26th Season!

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As always, please click the link in the notification email to reach my blog site and the full content of this message! Be sure to email Claudia Mickelson to confirm your commitment for the coming season!

I hope everyone is enjoying the Summer of 2013. I’ve been busy getting ready for Band Camp and the new season . . . wait a minute! I’m doing no such thing!!!! I’ve been relaxing on Fire Island, and scheming and planning with our guest artists for a fantastic new season with you!

25th Anniversary Wrap-up

WSW 25th Gala collageThe CD’s for our 25th Anniversary season have gone to pressing at Candlewood Digital! In compiling this year’s usual 2-CD set, it became very clear that it just wasn’t possible to fit all the deserving selections onto two 80-minute CD’s. So, with the Board’s approval, we have decided to produce a 2-CD set with the the majority of the season’s favorites, plus a Bonus Disc 3 with the remaining works from the season, which can be purchased separately. Information regarding purchasing CD’s will be forthcoming.

Principal openings for 2013-2014

The following principal chairs are open: Oboe, Bassoon, and Trumpet. If you would like to audition, or want to recommend someone, please contact Claudia Mickelson as soon as possible to schedule an audition.

The 26th Season!

Plans are in place for the coming season. It is filled with exciting new works, old favorites, challenging works, and wonderful guest conductors and guest soloists. We are planning our regular three-concert series at TMH, plus these special events:

  • Side by Side Concert at Mahopac HS (tentative, waiting for final confirmation
  • Volunteers (brass only) to play for Ars Musica holiday concert (in exchange for volunteers from that choir to sing with us in May; see below)
  • ACB Convention performance (Allentown, Pennsylvania; application will be submitted in September)
  • Out-of-this-world opportunity to perform on July 4 at a venue to be announced (top secret until confirmed!)

Season highlights include:

  • Fall Concert, “Frolic and Whimsy” – Rich Guillen, guest conductor (Arlington HS) will conduct Danzon No. 2 by Marquez; Anthony Mazzocchi (Montclair State University), trombone, will be our guest soloist for Capriccio by Frank Gulino. This concert is filled with music that is simply fun, from the Overture to “Funny Girl” to Sullivan’s Pineapple Poll. We are also awaiting final confirmation from the Putnam Arts Council to participate in our first-ever “Side by Side” concert on November 20; music for this program will be pulled from the Fall repertoire.
  • Winter Concert, “Images, Designs, & Textures” – Matt Kowalski, our assistant conductor, will conduct American Elegy by Frank Ticheli; Amy Wilcox, guest conductor (Northern Valley-Old Tappan HS) will conduct Passacaglia by Ben Hackett; Bill Owens, trumpet (West Point Band), will return as our guest soloist to perform the iconic Concerto for Trumpet by Alexander Artunian. This concert will be filled with works which will form the framework for our proposed participation in the Association of Concert Bands National Convention in late March (tentative until our application is reviewed), including Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Olympiada Fanfare by Samuel R. Hazo (just in time to celebrate the Winter Olympics!).
  • Spring Concert, “Hymns Sacred and Profane” will undoubtedly be the most anticipated concert of the season! Dr. Shelley Axelson will return as our guest conductor, to conduct Profanation, the scherzo from Bernstein’s Jeremiah Symphony. Also on the first half: Bach’s Fantasia in G and Angels in the Architecture by Frank Ticheli. The second half of the program will be 14 highlighted movements of Carl Orff’s massive Carmina Burana, featuring the 100-voice choir from Northern Valley-Demarest, conducted by Leslie Mac Pherson. We are also in negotiations with Ars Musica, based in northern New Jersey, to add their adult voices to the mix. In exchange for their participation, they are asking for our support of brass players for their holiday concert on December 13 (see attached schedule). I will be looking for volunteers to fill those spots.
  • July 4 Concert, “A Salute to America” – This concert is tentative until final plans are confirmed. But be assured: if this concert comes about, it will be a guaranteed sell-out and a milestone for WSW! My plan will be to pull substantial works from the 2013-2014 season, and add several patriotic works to complete the program. Please note the 5 added rehearsals in June. (Believe me, you’ll kick yourself silly if this concert does come about and you forego the opportunity to play!)

Download our tentative rehearsal schedule here (this version reflects the correction of date for the Spring dress rehearsal). Note that I’ve tried to cover all possible scenarios; none of the performances outside TMH is confirmed yet.

Please triple-check the concert dates, and email Claudia Mickelson to confirm your participation. This is going to be a watershed year!