I’m putting a couple reminders in writing to make sure everyone is clear about all things Caramoor for tomorrow:

Attire

As in the past for this performance – white tops (open neck, no ties, no jackets), black bottoms, comfortable black footwear. No perfume/cologne, please.

Call time/parking

Please arrive between 3:00-3:45 pm. The grounds are beautiful! It’s well worth the time to come a little bit early and enjoy the setting.

Regular parking/staying for fireworks – Tell the parking attendants you’re “with the orchestra” and they will send you the long way around to Artist Parking (past the Rosen House, past the picnic grove, all the way to that isolated parking lot off back stage right). Pro tip: In years past, many folks brought a bottle of wine and we broke them open during the fireworks, sitting in the artist/crew outdoor dinner seating area. It’s a nice way to wind down after the performance and celebrate the end of the WSW season, while waiting for the fireworks to end and the path to clear out of Artist Parking.

Alternate parking/leaving BEFORE fireworks begin – Tell the parking attendants you’re “with the orchestra” but that you need to park in the audience parking area close to the exit, so you can duck out the exit before the fireworks begin. Note: I’ve been advised that no traffic will be allowed to move in any way after the fireworks begin, so if you’re exercising this option, ask your stand partner to drop hand your folder, and leave quickly after the final applause ends.

Soundcheck/Performance timeline

4:00 pm – Sound check, in performance order. The only numbers we will run in their entirety are the Puccini and Verdi arias/duos, so the sound engineer can work with the soloists.
5:45 pm – Rehearsal with handbell ringers/1812.
6:00 pm – Dinner break (5 vegetarian and 5 gluten-free meals have been reserved for our group)
7:45 pm – Section tuning circles backstage
7:50 pm – Take seats on stage
8:00 pm – Downbeat!
9:10 pm (estimated) – Performance ends. Fireworks follow as soon as ushers help direct audience members to the viewing area.

Folder collection

After the performance, your first priority is to please take all your music and other materials out of your folder, and place your empty folder in one of the green collection bags backstage. Please don’t take your folder with you! (But please take or recycle all the music parts!)

See you all tomorrow for the grand finale of this amazing 36th season!!!

Dress rehearsal on Monday at TMH

Our dress rehearsal for Caramoor (and also our final rehearsal of the season) is this Monday, July 1 at 7:30 pm at Tarrytown Music Hall. The rehearsal plan is posted. We will be spending the first part of rehearsal working out everything with our two vocal soloists, then run the remaining numbers in program order.

Personnel commitment forms for 2024-25

39 members have responded to the form. We are looking for everyone to respond by the dress rehearsal on Monday. If you have not responded, please complete this form by Monday. It’s very important that we hear back from everyone before we break for the summer after the Caramoor concert. Otherwise, it’s extremely challenging to plan for next season.

Art sale – from Andrew Hill

If you or anyone you know would like to purchase any of the custom speciality art we have displayed in our apartment in NYC, please let me know. The link below has everything organized with links to more photos, physical space renderings and pricing. Local pickup and delivery to the Continental USA is available.
Matthew Plaza Art for Sale at UPPER EAST SIDE MUSIC!
Matthew Plaza is a good friend of ours from college who is a brilliant artist and musician. You can find more of his work on his Instagram and also videos of how he makes it! 

Rehearsal Monday at TMH

Tim and I are back from San Diego and a week of R&R (rest and roller coasters). We’re back in the Music Hall tomorrow night for our penultimate rehearsal before the Caramoor gig on July 4. The rehearsal plan is posted at wsw.ebernet.biz, as usual.

Personnel forms

Thank you to the 26 members who replied to the personnel form for the 2024-2025 season. If you haven’t done so, please remember that we are looking for everyone to reply by next Monday, July 1. Please click here to complete the form.

See you tomorrow evening (Monday) at TMH!

The 2024-2025 season kicks off now!

We have already started planning our 37th season for 2024-25. Please click here to complete the concert commitment form for next season. It’s our hope, of course, that everyone will return to play all concerts!

Please note: Membership dues have remained at $100 since the ensemble reorganized in 2005. At its monthly meeting on June 11, the WSW board voted to raise dues for the coming season to $125 per member. This increase — the first in 20 years — is way below the inflation rate (which would put dues at $165), and will go a long way in helping us to cover our expenses for hall rental, music costs, guest artists, insurance, website costs, and much, much more. Thank you for your understanding and support.  As usual, dues will be due by October 1 once the new season rehearsals begin.

We have so much to look forward to next season, especially the new Viet Cuong commission, which will be delivered on February 15, 2025 and premiered on May 10, 2025!

Grant-writers sought

In an effort to boost our income, we are looking at several grants for which we’d like to apply. We could really use the help of anyone — members or friends/family of members — who has grant writing experience, and would be willing to work with us. If interested, please contact Curt or any member of the board.

No rehearsal June 17 / next rehearsal June 24 at TMH

As announced, there is no rehearsal this coming Monday, June 17. We have only two more rehearsals before our Caramoor performance: June 24 and July 1, both at TMH. The rehearsal plan for June 24 is already posted.

See you on June 24 at TMH!