West Point Band Concert on Saturday

Click on the flyer to enlarge.

The West Point Band is performing this Saturday evening at 7:30 pm at Monroe-Woodbury High School, Central Valley, New York. Guest Conductor is Dr. John Lynch, University of Georgia (who worked with us last June), and Guest Soloist is Michael Tiscione, trumpet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. It’s a great program with John Mackey, Eric Whitacre, Percy Grainger, Aaron Copland — an incredible program, actually!

In addition, Michael (an alumnus of Monroe-Woodbury) is giving a free trumpet master class on Thursday, March 29 at 6:00 pm at Monroe-Woodbury.

Please pass this on, and if you are available, please consider attending!

Rehearsal update for March 26

Tomorrow night is the last of the conflict nights with the children’s drama group (pun intended). Please arrive at 7:30 pm, at which time we gain access to the hall. The Board authorized the money necessary to have TMH staff move the equipment back from the Annex — we only have to set it up. We want to set up and start rehearsing by 8:00 pm, if not sooner. Please be prepared to stay until 10:00 pm to make up the lost time (if you come by Metro North and have to leave in order to make the train, please leave when you have to — I understand.)

I’ve posted the rehearsal order for Monday night on the Rehearsal This Week page. Please double-check it because I did make one change. Be prepared for another solid night of rehearsal on the Bernstein, both movements!

I’ve created that Google Doc questionnaire I promised for the personnel listing and travel arrangements for the ACB Convention. Everyone please click here to fill out and submit the form. (Note that it will open in a new page in your browser.) If possible, please do this before Monday night; it’s quick and painless.

See you tomorrow night, ready to rock ‘n roll!

Ready to roll!

I’m back on my feet (after 2 weeks of a cold/flu that just wouldn’t let go), and excited for our next rehearsal, tomorrow night at Pelham High School.

The rehearsal order posted on Rehearsal This Week is correct. Plan to spend a good deal of “working rehearsal” time on the Bernstein, which is our biggest challenge right now. Matt will continue to rehearse the van der Roost. We will also continue to dig out the details of the Ryan George, as well as reviewing the other works on the list.

See you tomorrow night!

Rehearsal CANCELLED for March 12

I’m sorry to do this, but I have not regained my 100% capacity since last week. Truthfully, after last Monday’s rehearsal, my condition went downhill, and I coughed my way through the last seven days. I fully intended to push my way through this evening, but aside from the fact of placing myself in a room full of otherwise healthy people, I am simply concerned that it would not be a fully productive use of our mutual time. (Actually, I have Donna Rossi to thank for the self-realization. We spoke about a separate issue last night, and she said — with love — “You sound awful!”)

I spoke with Matt about it all this morning. His concentration has been on the van der Roost, and agreed that it would not be a good use of time to transfer the entire rehearsal to him. On top of all this, the rehearsals at Pelham are rather inconvenient for many. At this point, it’s better to be proactive, and decide now to cancel the rehearsal.

Claudia knows the communication patterns of many who do not check this site/email accounts regularly, and will reach out individually to those at risk of not learning about this immediately. Upon reading this, please reconfirm the cancellation with friends and neighbors with whom you are close.

Instead of driving to Pelham, please find time this week for at least 1 hour of solid individual practice. If you are willing and able to organize a sectional, please do so. Even just practicing for an additional hour with one other player from your section will be a productive use of time! Especially concentrate on the Bernstein, which is where we need the most work.

Thank you for your understanding. I’ll do what I need to do to be back next week at 100%. See you then, Monday, March 19, at 7:30 pm at Pelham.