This week:

• IMPORTANT: Rehearsal on Monday will be held at KoC in Port Chester – see details below!
• Positive feedback for last week’s opening rehearsal
• Chris Peña’s exquisite performance with the West Point Clarinet Quartet
• Personnel remindersMonday’s rehearsal relocated to Port Chester

Comedian Pete Davidson booked the Music Hall for a stand up show on Monday, and so we have been bumped. We only learned about this on Wednesday evening. At that time, our insurance documents with White Plains HS were still in process, so our only option was to move the rehearsal this coming Monday, September 18 to the Knights of Columbus, 327 Westchester Avenue, Port Chester, New York. This is a site we’ve used before, and the acoustics are remarkably good. The KoC is able to provide chairs, but everyone must bring their own music stand. There is no parking lot per se, but there is plenty of on-street parking in the area. If you have not rehearsed with us previously at KoC, just leave a little extra time to find the venue and park. Thanks go out to Marianne Lepre-Nolan, who has been the band’s liaison with the KoC, for securing the venue for us.

The rehearsal plan is posted. Eric is contacting all percussionists with the equipment plan.

Principals – I suggest contacting members who may not read their email to ‘check in’ to make sure they do not go to TMH. Delegate calls/texts as needed so no one is left out.

Last week’s rehearsal

I want to thank everyone for the opening rehearsal last week — it was outstanding work! I especially appreciate that everyone successfully brought their own parts (a milestone in itself!) and that you all worked so hard to play through all of the Fall Concert rep plus the Hindemith Symphony in Bb. This was no small task, and there were hiccups of course, but as I said last week, there are few groups that could have read it as effectively as you did! If you would like to listen, I recorded our Hindemith read-through. I think this recording is a good marker of our starting point with this masterpiece — and a reminder that we all need to be thoroughly prepared with notes, rhythms, and (in particular) counting of rests when we start rehearsing this in earnest in March. It will be here before you know it!

Congratulations to WSW principal clarinet, Chris Peña!

L to R: Chris Peña, SSG Julian Jenkins, SFC Cory Thompson, and SSG Kristina Teuschler.

As part of my role as a volunteer at the Percy Grainger House, I made the arrangements to bring the Clarinet Quartet from the West Point Band to perform a special porch concert at the Percy Grainger House this past Thursday. West Point Principal Clarinet Kristen Mather de Andrade was not able to lead the quartet due to a last minute medical leave, and so our own Chris Peña was called to sub in. The quartet’s performances of Molly on the Shore, Children’s March, The Brisk Young Sailor, Irish Tune from County Derry, and Shepherd’s Hey were outstanding and exciting, and drew lavish kudos and praise from Grainger Society President, Paul Jackson, who traveled from the UK especially for the event. Thanks also go out to Dan, Marge, Nancy, Dave, and Rebecca (a member of the PGH staff) for attending the event.

Personnel reminders

• Please fill out this Google Form to log expected absences (up to 24 hours before rehearsal begins). This form is also on the home page of this site.
• Please contact Katherine directly if you have an emergency within 24 hours of the start of rehearsal. We’ll remind everyone of Katherine’s email and phone on Monday evening at Port Chester.
• Sub players should click here for the Google Drive link to the Fall Concert parts. This link is also on the home page.