Rehearsal Monday at New Rochelle HS – a critical rehearsal!

I went into a tailspin when I learned that TMH is not available on Monday. Our only possible solution was New Rochelle. I’m grateful to Steven Foti and Scott Byers who both helped us, not only to gain access to this space again, but to get this rehearsal scheduled under extreme circumstances while everyone was off during Spring Break.

I recognize that New Rochelle represents a longer drive for many, and the board is aware of this. We are lucky that New Rochelle has a wonderful band room with excellent equipment — and the rental costs are far, far less than White Plains HS (who never responded to my usage request). Knights of Columbus doesn’t have percussion. There wasn’t enough time to investigate other schools, because of the insurance requirements and spring break. We just didn’t have a choice.

This is a critical rehearsal on Monday, as Steve Cohen, our clarinet soloist, will be joining us for our only working rehearsal on the Navarro. In addition, the score calls for ‘cello, and our ‘cellist, Sachi Patitucci, will also attend for her only working rehearsal with us. Lastly, both the Navarro and Cuong call for harp — a critical part of the instrumentation — and Joy Plaisted will also be on hand. The latter part of rehearsal will be our final in-depth working rehearsal on the Cuong; having Joy there covering the harp part will be critical to our success.

This is our only opportunity with all these forces to pull this together. Please maneuver through last minute emergencies as best you can so you can attend — this is a critical rehearsal for all. This opportunity will not be possible again.

As noted many times, please do not use GPS to find the Band Room at New Rochelle HS. Click here for directions. Otherwise you will end up at the wrong end of campus and hopelessly lost.

Remaining weeks

The concert is closer than it seems! We only have these rehearsals remaining:

• Monday, April 28 – final working rehearsal at TMH. Malcolm Jones final rehearsal of Creston
• Monday, May 5 – CANCELLED (previously was the dress rehearsal)
• Wednesday, May 7 – Dress rehearsal and clinic rehearsal with Viet Cuong (instead of dress on May 5 and clinic on May 7). Viet will be present.
• Thursday, May 8 – Clarinet Choir rehearsal at KoC in Port Chester
• Saturday, May 10 – Ensemble sound check at 6:00 pm; Clarinet Choir sound check at 6:45 pm; doors open at 7:30 pm; performance at 8:00 pm
• Monday, May 12 – no rehearsal

These dates are also posted on the home page, along with this week’s rehearsal plan.

This is a high profile concert. Please spread the word, encourage WSW newbies to consider attending, and remind our ‘regulars’ of the dynamics of this program. Pick up flyers again on Monday. Share the social media posts that Rebecca puts out. We need BUZZ for May 10!

Monday, April 7 rehearsal – last rehearsal at New Rochelle for the season

TMH is not available tomorrow night, and so we will be rehearsing at New Rochelle HS. This will be the final rehearsal at New Rochelle for the 2024-25 season. Thank you for adjusting your travel plans to accommodate this alternate rehearsal site. Remember to click here for directions. DO NOT USE GPS! The rehearsal plan is posted.

Michael Markowski will be visiting us on Monday to clinic his composition, All My Heart. Jessica will conduct. We will also review all of the Navarro, so we are all set for Steve Cohen’s working rehearsal with us on April 21, and all of the Cuong (including a run-through recording I intend to send to Viet).

Tickets and more for the Spring Concert on May 10

I have printed flyers to distribute tomorrow evening. Please post/share flyers, and share these links liberally:

• Shareable concert flyer (emails, social media)
  You can also click/save the graphic posted here.
• TMH ticket site for May 10. See Slack for coupon code (I’ll also re-announce at rehearsal).
• May 10 Press Release

Looking ahead: Click here for the ticket site for Caramoor on July 4. See Slack for coupon code. (I’ll also re-announce at rehearsal).

As of 3:00 pm, I’ve heard nothing more from Karina about a possible delayed start, even after the prompt email I sent this morning. So I guess we proceed with starting the setup at 6:45 pm and expect the downbeat at 7:30 pm, as usual. Just be en garde in case Karina moves the master class to the stage without notifying anyone.

See everyone tonight!

Rehearsal Monday at TMH – possible late start!

We’re rehearsing again on Monday at TMH. The rehearsal plan is posted, and includes Creston, Markowski, Cuong, and Navarro.

Because of a last minute situation at TMH, we may have a late start tomorrow night. I’m still waiting to hear a final decision from Karina. It is possible that we may not be able to enter TMH until 7:30 pm, and start our setup then.

Please check the home page for an update. I will also post on the Members Slack channel and will try to send another quick post email if time allows. If the decision comes exceptionally late, I’ll post a notice on the stage door, directing you where to wait and at what time we can enter to set up.

Rehearsals through the performance on May 10

The home page of my site also lists the remaining rehearsals through the performance. Please note this change:

I originally planned for the dress rehearsal on Monday, May 5 and the clinic with Viet on Wednesday, May 7. In respect for your time, and in consideration of running the full dress rehearsal and clinic with Viet most effectively and efficiently, I have combined the elements of the dress rehearsal and clinic on one evening: Wednesday, May 7. This means the rehearsal on Monday, May 5 is cancelled. The performance week now looks like this:

• Monday, May 5 – no rehearsal
• Wednesday, May 7 – dress rehearsal of all full-ensemble works in program order. The evening will end with the clinic with Viet on hand to work with us, ending with a dress rehearsal run of the work.
• Thursday, May 8 – Clarinet Choir rehearsal at Knights of Columbus, Port Chester (all players have signed on for this date)
• Saturday, May 10 – full ensemble sound check at 6:00 pm, Clarinet Choir sound check at 6:45 pm (includes a final run of all three works), house opens at 7:30 pm, performance downbeat at 8:00 pm. Reception for all performers will follow after the concert at Christ Episcopal Church, one block from the Music Hall.

Band Camp update

NOTE: For recordings made after the dues increase in Fall 2024, the recording costs are included in your yearly membership dues, so you will be able to download recordings of the concerts starting with this season at no charge. You will be able to download these recordings with the links sent via Slack (via email for those who have not yet registered for Slack).

Eric & Rebecca have been hard at work, culminating in the staggered release of four live performance albums. The first of these albums, our Spring 2023 concert recording of Diamonds and Dragons, is now available via Bandcamp.  You can listen to this recording and purchase it for $10 (because this was recorded before we included recordings in the annual dues) at this link: https://westchestersymphonicwinds.bandcamp.com/album/diamonds-and-dragons-spring-2023

Purchasing allows you to download the recording at a higher audio quality onto any devices you like, and it helps defray our costs of recording.

You can recommend friends and family become a Follower of our Bandcamp channel by making a free Bandcamp account. By doing so they will be advised of future releases.

Kristin Mather de Andrade concert today at 3:00 pm!

Kristen Mather, principal clarinet of the West Point Band, and dear friend of WSW, is presenting a concert of Brazilian music on Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 pm in the Chappaqua Library Theater. Click the QR code for more information, or visit kristenmather.com.