Gratitude

It’s hard to find the words to describe how I feel about yesterday. You all performed at a whole new level. There were amazing peak moments in every piece, and you truly connected with the audience. You heard and saw their reactions – this was not a typical band concert!

I’m grateful in specific ways to so many of you — too many to write in this post right now. I have 8 sets of parts to prep for Nancy and 7 scores to prepare (Jessica is conducting on this program), and I need every spare moment of the next six days to get ready. So I’ll share specific thanks at Monday’s rehearsal.

The broadcast is scheduled for this coming Saturday at 8:00 pm EST, and can be found on our ensemble website: www.westchestersymphonicwinds.org. Please spread the word! (After the broadcast, the concert will be permanently archived on our WSW YouTube channel.)

Congratulations on a superb performance. Enjoy the broadcast!

 

Final post for Fall Concert

This is it! We have our final rehearsal on Wednesday at 7:30, dress on Saturday at 9:00 am, and sound check Sunday at 1:00 pm — all at TMH.

We could still use 4-5 more volunteers to help us set up on Wednesday at 5:30 pm, and 4-5 more to stay late on Saturday til about 12:30 pm to tear down. Pizza & soda will be provided both times!

The detailed schedule for all three days this week is posted here. Please review — these are three complex days.

I’m so excited to share this concert with you!

Final Monday rehearsal!

The plan for our final Monday night rehearsal is posted. Please read the notes for next week carefully. It is a complex and full schedule. The slate of performers is already confirmed for the Master Class on November 5. This is optional, but of course all are welcome.

Please also take a look at the notes that Michael Markowski sent after last week’s rehearsal with him. I’ll be going over these as quickly as I can on Monday, so it will help if we get eyes on them before Monday.

Volunteers needed on November 2 & 5

As noted on the home page, we need some volunteers to come early/stay late on these two dates to help setup/tear down, so we can use our time most efficiently and not ask our saxophonist guests to take responsibility for our setup. Pizza and soda will be provided on both dates. (Yes Virginia, these are bribes.)

  • Wednesday, November 2 – Arrive early by 5:30 pm to help set up percussion, chairs, and stands for the full ensemble. Saxes rehearse that evening from 6:00-7:30 pm before our full rehearsal with Chris.
  • Saturday, November 5 – Stay late after we finish our dress rehearsal (ending at 11:00 am), listen to the sax ensemble dress from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, and help tear down percussion, chairs, and stands at the close of the dress. (There is a TMH event on stage that evening, in between our dress and concert.)

I”ll take a hand count of volunteers for both dates on Monday evening. Thanks in advance.

Share, SHARE, SHARE!

Our anticipated success with our 35th Anniversary Technology Fundraiser rests squarely on asking all our members to share the fundraising site. There’s no expectation to contribute, but we need your help to share the campaign. Please copy/paste the site address below into your social media posts, direct messages, and emails to friends and family. This fund could be extremely successful if we leverage SMALL donations from a LARGE number of donors — but to do that we need to ask everyone to participate in sharing the information.

This is the landing page for the campaign: https://donorbox.org/wsw-35th-anniversary-fund

You can also find the campaign on our ensemble website and on our Facebook page

Tickets for the November 6 concert

Here is the link to our Box Office page for the November 6 concert. NYS regulations now require box office fees to be included in advertised prices, so our $20 General Admission tickets are shown as $25, and our $15 Senior/Student tickets are shown as $20. US Military and Veterans will be admitted free of charge to this concert only; they can obtain walk-up comp tickets in the outer lobby on arrival. (Honor system in effect for these comps.)

Information about Friends & Family tickets will be sent via a separate, direct email. Please be sure to read this important information!

Full court press with Michael Markowski!

This week, Michael is visiting to clinic and critique our rehearsal. We will only be rehearsing Desert Sage this week. See the rehearsal schedule posted. Michael has asked to make some recordings of this rehearsal to accompany his contest entry in the NBA Revelli composition competition.

IMPORTANT: There is a theater event prior to our rehearsal, and we have a late start. Parking in the rear lot is likely not available. Arrive at 7:30 pm and gather under the marquee in front of the Music Hall. Wait outside for the ‘all clear’ from the TMH Crew. Please don’t enter the lobby until invited in. Once we’re allowed in, please help us set up as quickly as possible.

Please bring in ad order forms/payments as you collect them. Deadline is next Monday, October 24.