Almost two-thirds of our membership still has not confirmed their participation with Claudia for next season. Please double-check the Rehearsal and Concert Calendar and email Claudia to confirm that you will be playing with us next season. We need to hear from you as soon as possible so we can determine openings and recruit new players. Please reply to Claudia no later than this Thursday, August 7.

Gravesite of Sergei & Natalie Rachmaninoff

I spent the afternoon today with Judy Mitchell, Public Relations Director at Kensico Cemetery. She gave me a tour of the grounds in anticipation of our November 9 concert, which is sponsored by Kensico. I was completely taken aback by the grace and beauty of the place. The various divisions of the cemetery all have their own atmosphere. She pointed out several of the graves of various notables interred at Kensico, who inspired the program I’ve selected for this concert: Sergei Rachmaninoff (Vocalise, arranged by Donald Hunsberger), Lou Gehrig (Pastime, by Jack Stamp), and Marguerite Cullman (O What a Beautiful Mornin’ and Some Enchanted Evening), and William B. Williams (The House I Live In), sung by our guest baritone soloist, Matthew Scott. The beautiful trees on the property will be reflected in City Trees by Michael Markowski. And the serenity and peace of the place will be represented by Sleep by Eric Whitacre and Gloriosa by Yasuhide Ito, the latter conducted by Dr. Peter Martin, our guest conductor. Memories of loved ones will be present in El Jardin de Esperanza by Timothy Broege, and Frank Gulino’s Skyline Drive will outline our “Circle of Life” performance initiative.

Our Winter and Spring concerts are just as exciting (we will get a jump on the Winter season during the Fall cycle), and the May concert will, of course, be the springboard to our trip to Chicago in June. We will have detailed information about itinerary and pricing when we regather on September 8 for our first rehearsal. We should also be able to deliver the 2014-2015 CD box sets at that time.

It’s going to be a great season, and I want you to be a part of it. Please reply to Claudia today, if you have not already done so, but no later than Thursday, August 7!

Marc Perler just sent this to me — I had no idea something like this had been put together. Apparently one of the handbell ringers (from Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pleasantville) recorded the free-ring section of 1812 and created this slideshow to go with it. The recording really gives a feeling of what it sounded like out there! Thank you, Marc, for sharing this!

Have you come down yet from last Friday? As I’m sitting here on the beach on Fire Island (seriously, I’m ON the beach!), my mind keeps drifting back to the Caramoor concert and how wonderful it really, really was. I’ll be hanging on to this feeling for quite a while.

The CD box set deadline is this Friday, July 11.  I have repeated the order form at the bottom of this post. We have 55 sets ordered so far. Don’t miss out if you have not already ordered yours. The three CD’s will include everything from our three TMH concerts (but not the Caramoor concert; that recording has not materialized yet). At 5:00 pm on Friday we’re sending the order to Richard at Candlelight to get the presses rolling, so don’t miss out!

I’ve been working on our programs for next year, including the concert on November 9 sponsored by the Kensico Cemetery on the occasion of their 125th anniversary, with Dr. Peter Martin, guest conductor; our Warm Sounds of Winter concert (Get it? WSW!) on January 25, with Dr. Tom McCauley, guest conductor; and our Big Apples and Onions Concert on May 16 (one of Chicago’s nicknames is The Big Onion, and this is our prep concert for the Chicago trip), with Dr. Emily Threinen, guest conductor.

Please make sure you email Claudia to reconfirm your intend to play next year by July 15 (next Tuesday). We need to assess personnel issues and advertise openings as soon as possible so we can recruit new players and schedule auditions as needed.

I’ll be in touch again over the summer. In the mean time, enjoy the warm weather!

It was an energized performance, an amazing evening! How could all of the pieces fit together any better? I have no idea.

Lois’s solo was superb. Ryan was a gem. I still can’t get over Matt’s arrangements. Bob nailed it with the free advertising for our next season at TMH. The individual solos from within our ranks were spot-on. The handbells and sound effects topped off 1812 at a level far above what I had hoped were possible. The Caramoor staff made us all feel like world-class musicians; they were completely accommodating and kind. I’m not sure what was going on with the stilt walkers — apparently they were miscued and sent out too early. Oh, well. (They owe us one.)

I was so impressed with your focus and determination. Fatigue did not seem to be a negative factor. Once again, you peaked at the performance. We were all united as one — and that is the greatest thing that I can ask of you.

I’m grateful to Jim Savage and the Board for their support of this project, Mark Dodge and our amazing percussion section for packing-moving-unloading-setting up-tearing down-loading-moving-unpacking all of our equipment safely to and from Caramoor, and to Matt Kowalski for handling the 68 handbell ringers last evening. And I’m grateful for the untold personal sacrifices you made to prepare the music at this level and deliver it last night.

Paul promised a recording. As soon as I have access to it, I will share it. In the meantime, here is a recording of See Rock City which Deb Dashnaw’s husband recorded from the audience. The quality is amazing!

I’ll be in touch again over the summer. Everyone: please confirm your return in the fall by emailing Claudia by July 15. We need to assess personnel needs, advertise, recruit, and audition new players to fill vacancies before our first rehearsal on Monday, September 8. Until then, have a great summer!