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.

As announced, this Monday’s rehearsal will be held at New Rochelle HS. Click here for directions. DO NOT USE GPS or you will end up at the opposite end of campus.

The rehearsal plan is posted here. I’ll be working on the sections noted in the plan, but aim to try to play through all of the Navarro and Cuong because our harpist is coming to sit in and listen, and it is my hope to give her a chance to hear all of both the works because both showcase the harp.

See you tomorrow evening!

Rehearsal

We return to TMH on Monday for a full rehearsal. Malcolm Jones will join us for the first part of rehearsal to rehearse the Creston. The remainder of the rehearsal will be devoted to the Cuong and Navarro. As usual, the rehearsal plan is posted here.

Tickets for upcoming concerts

Caramoor posted our concert on July 4 for ticketing for Caramoor members. Tickets for the general public will go on sale soon. I posted the coupon code for discounted tickets for our members in our Slack Members workspace, and I will repeat it from the podium on Monday night.

The ticketing page for our May 10 concert will be posted as soon. When I have the Box Office URL, I will share it, and post the Friends & Family coupon code on Slack, as well as announce the code in rehearsal. (We don’t post the coupon codes here to maintain privacy for our members.)

Performance research

Selfless music director that I am, I’ve been in Ft. Lauderdale since Tuesday researching possible performance venues for a future WSW “Tour de la Florida.” We’ll see what develops. Brutal — know — but someone had to do it!

Sectionals!

The sectionals we held at the beginning of the cycle for the fall and winter concerts paid off in spades, and so we are repeating this again. Woodwinds & brass will meet at Irvington Presbyterian Church, 25 North Broadway in Irvington. Percussion will meet at TMH, on stage.

• Woodwinds meet in the annex building behind the main building. BRING A MUSIC STAND.
• Brass meets in the Parlor of the main building (use the side door adjacent to parking). BRING A MUSIC STAND.
• Jessica & Curt will rotate between the two sectionals for winds. Eric will organize and run the sectional for percussion.
• The rehearsal plan is posted here.

Please start to share the 8:00 pm on May 10 concert date with family and friends — let’s aim for a sell-out house! As soon as we have a TMH ticketing page and coupon code, we will share them.

Slack!

It’s not too late to join the conversation on Slack. It’s not only a great communication platform, but it is also an excellent way to to distribute Bandcamp codes for our recordings. If you have not yet done so, you can still join by clicking here.