Gratitude and Hope

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This week:

Thanksgiving 2020 – I am so grateful!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable, safe, and healthy Thanksgiving. Among many other things for which I am grateful, I continue to give thanks for this ensemble, and you — our playing members. As the pandemic marches on, I’m finding hope in seeing light at end of this tunnel, with the advent of effective treatments and several high-efficacy vaccines. It’s likely that we will lose the Winter Concert, but it’s my hope that things may change enough in March and April to enable us to produce the Spring Concert on May 8, 2021, even if we have to do it with minimal rehearsals.

Nudge to practice!

As with any skill, it will be difficult to anticipate regaining our accustomed level of individual and ensemble proficiency if the majority of the group has not played for a year. I encourage you to pull out the horn, wet the reed, and revisit those long tones and scales. Practice that sonata you love. Consider using a resource like SightReadingFactory.com (it’s free!). Consider one of the upcoming virtual ensemble events (below). But don’t let the “long winter of our discontent” keep us from stepping up to the plate on Day One of our return, once we’re truly able to do so. (The last thing you want to hear me say is, “I told you so!”)

February 28 Webcast

We received many positive responses to the webcast on November 8. You can share this link with any friends or family who couldn’t watch that day; the event is archived on our YouTube channel. Marge Hone reported that we raised a total of $3550.00 from the event, and from that we made donations to Tarrytown Music Hall and Feeding Westchester, each in the amount of $520.00. If you would like to comment on the webcast itself, please click to answer this quick 3-question form. It’s looking likely that we’ll have to repeat this type of webcast event on February 28 in place of a live concert, so your feedback will be helpful. If we do move forward with another webcast, we’ll need more content. So if you perform somewhere, please consider recording a video to share, form your own small ensemble and make an audio recording, or consider opting in to one of the virtual rehearsals (below).

Upbeat Virtual Rehearsals – Hallelujah Chorus and Mouse Mashup March

After the Fall Webcast, I thought it best to just let everything rest for a bit. Many of us stare at screens all day anyway. But I’d like to get these up and running again, using Sunday afternoon/Monday evening options to accommodate different family schedules. At the next Upbeat virtual events, we’ll work on Barton’s arrangements of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, and his Mouse Mashup March (ingenious, based on Three Blind Mice and Mickey Mouse March!). The links above will take you to Dropbox folders with the parts and a recording to preview.

I hope you will want to join us next on either:

  • Sunday, December 6 at 4:00 pm (3:30 pm for Upbeat orientation)
  • Monday, December 7 at 8:00 pm (7:30 pm for Upbeat orientation)

Join me first in our WSW Zoom room (link below) and we’ll go from there. Remember you need: 1) Laptop/Macbook/Chromebook/desktop computer (it won’t work on a phone or tablet), 2) Chrome browser, 3) headphones/earbuds, 4) patience. Check these instructions for details and helpful tips.

Maslanka Symphony No. 4

I appreciate everyone’s help in collecting all the Maslanka parts. I erased all the markings and returned the rental. But before I returned the parts, I had this terrible accident where I dropped all the parts directly through a scanner. Tragic, I know. I’m now in the process of assembling the results together in cloud folder, and will let you know when I can share access with you. I continue to hope to program this at some point, and practicing those difficult sections will give us a headstart when that is possible.

Please consider supporting the Music Hall

Björn recently sent out this message to the audience base at TMH. December 12 will mark the 135th birthday of the Music Hall! Please consider supporting our rehearsal/performance home by taking a membership, purchasing a 2020 commemorative holiday ornament, or donating directly to help keep the Music Hall running. Our success depends on their success!