Come on -- I know this is what you're all thinking every Monday night.
Time to get serious, folks
Author Archives: Curt Ebersole
Winter Concert poster and more
Winter Concert Poster
Jessie Katz has once again designed and provided us with a knockout poster for our Lincoln’s Birthday concert. Download the PDF version. Please consider printing and posting them at work, school, or your local Starbucks. (Yes, they accept them! Just ask the manager. It’s great publicity for us!)
So what’s that funny black and white graphic at the bottom? You’ve seen more of them around, in newspapers, magazines, Metro North station posters, and websites. It’s called a QR code, and I’ve made sure that we’re “keeping up with the Jones’s” by including it on our poster and annual season brochure. Just point the camera on your iPhone, Droid, or any other smartphone, at the QR graphic, and it will automatically send you to the WSW website. Try it — it works!
Rehearsal follow-up
Thank you for a hard-working and productive rehearsal last night. We really needed the “down and dirty” clean up rehearsals on the Hazo and George, and it was possible because of the great work you did in the sectionals and rehearsal with Matt Kowalski last week. Thanks for making that possible. I’m also glad to have had an extended time to work with Bob Sherman and the important second half of the Copland. He is a very kind man and experienced professional — we are indeed fortunate to have him on our team!
Please keep working on your parts. There is so such thing as overworking your preparation. If you are experienced technologically, I encourage you to look at SmartMusic. (Click on the student tab for individual practice.) This application is a first-rate practice assistant. It gives you the opportunity to practice ensemble music with the full band recording, adjust the tempo without changing the pitch, have the application assess your performance for pitch/rhythm accuracy, and more. If you’re looking for a personal recommendation, talk to Jim Savage. He practiced the Schönberg with SmartMusic!
Concert attendance
We had terrific attendance at the Fall Concert — you saw how many people were in the balcony! I want to acknowledge our Public Relations chair, Greg Governale. He has been doing a great job sending out our press releases to a huge number of papers, websites, and more. Please continue to invite family and friends. Try to invite 2 friends or family members who have never attended a concert before — chances are they will want to return. And don’t underestimate the power of a flyer posted in Starbucks!
ACB countdown and beyond
Our first performance on a national stage is just about 3 months and 2days away. Check out the convention repertoire. Stay informed and up to date with our rehearsal schedule. Please note that we must have a rehearsal on the day after the Winter Concert. I wish we could relax on that Monday, but (if you check the schedule) you’ll notice that we are not rehearsing the next two Mondays: February 20 (President’s Day) and February 27 (dress rehearsal conflict for me at NVOT). We really need this February 13 rehearsal to get a head start on the ACB and May rep. So please count on this rehearsal, and be sure you’ve marked it in your calendar.
We have made tentative arrangements for a clinic with Mallory Thompson again this spring. The Board will vote for final confirmation of this at our next meeting. The date is Friday, June 1, 7:00-9:30 pm, at NVOT. Please mark your calendars, and we will take a poll soon to confirm personnel.
Lastly, I invite you to consider playing in the wind ensemble for this year’s Wind Conducting Symposium, Saturday and Sunday, June 2 & 3, 1:00-4:30 pm, at NVOT. Follow the link to register to play on Saturday and/or Sunday afternoon.
Check out our rehearsal plan for next Monday. Focus your practice and preparation. Remember that we are rehearsing once again (and probably for the last time this season) at Pelham High School. Thanks again to Rocco Polera for once again helping us to secure this rehearsal space.
See you next Monday, at Pelham.
Rehearsal January 23
Please remember that we are rehearsing at Pelham High School, 575 Colonial Avenue, Pelham on Monday, January 23 & January 30. Click here if you need directions.
Bob Sherman will be joining us for our first rehearsal of the Copland with narration. Shelley Axelson will be joining us again on January 30 for the Grainger.
Visit the Rehearsal This Week page for Monday’s rehearsal lineup.
Now, get off the computer, and go practice!
Rehearsal January 16
Don’t forget that we are rehearsing at NVOT this week, because TMH withdrew our use of the stage for this Monday. Directions can be found in direct email sent separately, and below. The band room is adjacent to the rear parking lot. Use the doors closest to the Auditorium.
I’ve posted the rehearsal order on the Rehearsal This Week page. See you then!
Directions to NVOT:
Directions From the Garden State Parkway Heading South:
Take the Garden State Parkway south to Exit 172.
Exit Parkway and go left onto Grand Avenue. Continue on Grand until you cannot go any further–this will be River Vale Road.
Make a right onto River Vale Road. Follow to Poplar Road approximately 1.5 miles and make a left onto Poplar Road. (There will be a Firehouse on your left right before Poplar.)
Follow Poplar to the first traffic light and make a left onto Old Tappan Road. Follow Old Tappan Road to the first traffic light and make a right onto Central Avenue.
Northern Valley Regional H.S. at Old Tappan is on Central Avenue approximately 300 yards down on the right side.
From Garden State Parkway Heading North:
Exit 168 – go right at exit (Washington Avenue, Route 502 East) through Hillsdale to Westwood, across railroad tracks, continue straight on Westwood Avenue (main shopping street in Westwood), bear right at “5 corners” (Fire statue), through River Vale to Washington Avenue, Old Tappan. Left on Washington Avenue (route 17N) Old Tappan, to Old Tappan Road. Right on Old Tappan Road to Central Avenue (opposite Bi-State Shopping Plaza). Right on Central Avenue to school on right.
From the Palisades Interstate Parkway:
Take the Palisades to Exit 5 South (Tappan, NY) to Route 303 South.
Go south on Route 303 through several traffic lights through Northvale, NJ. Route 303 is now called Livingston Street. Continue to follow into Norwood, NJ.
Make a right on Broadway (at TD Bank) and follow thru one traffic light, one blinker, one more traffic light, across RR tracks, to the gas station at the “Y” in the road.
Bear left at the fork in the road, which is Central Avenue. Follow 1/4 mile on Central Avenue to the school, which is on the left side.
From the George Washington Bridge:
Take Palisades Interstate Parkway north to exit 5 south – Tappan NY. Go south on Route 303 through several traffic lights through Northvale, NJ. Route 303 is now called Livingston Street. Continue to follow into Norwood, NJ.
Make a right on Broadway (at TD Bank) and follow thru one traffic light, one blinker, one more traffic light, across RR tracks, to the gas station at the “Y” in the road.
Bear left at the fork in the road, which is Central Avenue. Follow 1/4 mile on Central Avenue to the school, which is on the left side.
From Tappan Zee Bridge:
Follow thruway to Route 303 south, through Blauvelt and Orangeburg over Palisades Interstate Parkway. Route 303 is now called Livingston Street. Continue to follow into Norwood, NJ.
Make a right on Broadway (at TD Bank) and follow thru one traffic light, one blinker, one more traffic light, across RR tracks, to the gas station at the “Y” in the road.
Bear left at the fork in the road, which is Central Avenue. Follow 1/4 mile on Central Avenue to the school, which is on the left side.
From New Jersey Turnpike:
Take Route 80 west to Garden State Parkway North. Follow directions above from Garden State Parkway.