Author Archives: Curt Ebersole

Moving forward

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I’ve posted the new rehearsal plan for November 21. Please check the rehearsal order so you can be prepared for a great rehearsal!

We will be sure to play through all of the Grainger Children’s March this week, and also the Copland Lincoln Portrait, which we simply did not have time for last week.

The Copland is a big piece, well-known, and iconic. All those create a special challenge, as you already know. I’m especially excited about having Robert Sherman join us as narrator. He was very impressed with your performance at the March concert for Yonkers Public Schools at Sarah Lawrence last year. I know he is very excited about this opportunity.

Lastly, thank you for all the good wishes during my recuperation. I think I am finally feeling like myself again, and am eager to see you on Monday!

Winter cycle begins 11/14

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Our next cycle of rehearsals begins tomorrow evening, Monday, November 14. This rehearsal begins at 8:00 pm (because of a children’s theater booking in TMH prior to our arrival). Please arrive by 7:30 pm so we can set up quickly and start rehearsing as soon as they have cleared the area.

IMPORTANT: Although Nancy will have new music to hand out, there is one piece (a rental) which just arrived from the composer in PDF format. I am asking that everyone download, print, and bring their own part to help us with the huge task of printing and duplicating this music. To do this:

  • Click here for the download page I’ve created.
  • Enter the password which Claudia will send in a separate email to gain access to the page. I have password-encrypted the page in order to protect it through this distribution. Once I know that everyone has their part, I will eliminate this download page. I have tested the password and also tested every download link.
  • Click on your part name, download, and print. I also encourage you to tape multiple pages together to avoid loss.

Also note that the rehearsal plan is posted.

Thanks — see you Monday!

Commerce, education, and . . .

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"Really, I know this . . . "

“I’ll tell you: It’s three agencies of government, when I get there, that are gone: Commerce, education and, the, uh, what’s the third one there? … Commerce, education and the uh, the uh…,” before being interrupted by a question. “The third agency of government I would do away with — the education, uh the, uh, commerce, and let’s see — I can’t… the third one, I can’t. I’m sorry … oops. No wait, I’ve got it — the Department of . . . Tony Bennett!!!!”

Post-surgery update

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A big thank you goes out to all of you who expressed concern for me on the advent of my surgery. Everything went along, right on schedule yesterday. I came out of the anesthesia on time and as expected (last time they kept calling me Jon, and, of course I have never responded to my first name). Although I didn’t speak with the surgeon afterwards (he had an off-site appointment), I did learn that he took care of two distinctly different hernias on the same side during the same procedure. I have yet to learn the full medical explanation for this, but apparently it was all successful and that’s all that matters.
After returning home about 6 pm and getting settled, I had a big beautiful steak for dinner (I was starving; no food for 18 hours at that point). The pain, although intense at times, seemed manageable with the Oxycodone prescribed for me, and I had no trouble falling asleep. Unfortunately, I woke up out of a dead sleep at 1 am with a bad case of heartburn, (which of course), made me cough like a banshee and swear like a sailor. (For those of you unfamiliar with the sensation, I do not recommend it.) And of course now, even this morning, I am prone to more coughing fits. So I am keeping a small pillow with me here in my den chair, and I pull it tightly into place when the coughing resumes. I just hope I don’t “bust a gusset” somewhere.
The surgeon reinforced that we are looking at a full week’s recovery before returning to work. I am hoping to make a “limited appearance” at rehearsal next Monday. The current plan is for Matt and I to split the rehearsal. You already have Puszta, and his part of the rehearsal will center on that piece. I will read through as much of the rest of the program as possible. I can’t promise cartwheels on the podium, but I intend to give it my best shot.

Finally, thank you again for Sunday’s dynamic and energetic performance. No concert is perfect, but you accomplished so much with this fall repertoire:

  • The audience members clearly enjoyed themselves.
  • They had to open the balcony! Let’s keep this as an attendance benchmark for the future.
  • The inclusion of Joe and Rick on the program inspired both them and you.
  • New audience members were very vocal about their return in the future.
  • New donors were inspired to speak with us about long-term support.
  • The audience was truly moved. We can’t ask for much more.

I must apologize for forgetting my usual row-by-row acknowledgement of the band at the end of the encore. I also forgot to invite Joe and Rick back up on stage. By that point, my “core” had been overworked, and I just wasn’t thinking straight. Last spring, I think we found the right combination for acknowledging percussion, and I was disappointed that I didn’t take advantage of that. I will make the effort to correct that in February.
So, my plans for the week include sitting (a lot), grading papers and entering grades, communicating with the Marching Band faculty about our game on Saturday, studying scores, and – oh, yes – trying to relax. Thank you all once again for your thoughts and prayers.