This week:

• The Ben Acrish ‘Quaren-tet’ will be playing again at the Black Rock Kitchen this Friday evening. You can find Ben, Chris, Mike, and Rich playing at 8:30 pm in the outdoor patio area at 171 Grand Street in Croton-on-Hudson.
• This past week, the WSW Board voted to transform our concert at 3 pm on Sunday, November 8 into a non-performance webinar event for our local and extended audience, to promote our ensemble and build our future. We’ll be sharing details about the event in the coming weeks, but please keep that date on your calendar, and tell your family and friends to do so as well. This event will be pivotal to our future, so please plan to participate.
• I’ve planned the music for the two upcoming announced events, and will send final details in a direct email early next week, including music download links.
• Finally, a new colleague at Masters is looking for housing in the area, a studio or one bedroom within 45 minutes of Dobbs Ferry. If you happen to know about an available apartment for rent, please contact me with details.

Rick Henly, trumpet, who soloed with WSW in 2011, shared this news with me. His former student from Chicago, John Hagstrom, is presenting a virtual Master Class tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, 10:00-11:30 am EDT, to celebrate the beginning of his 25th season with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The details can be found at this link. Note there is a small fee, and reservations are required. I apologize for the late notice, but if you’re free tomorrow morning, I think it would be well worth the time.

I’ve been wondering for days, thinking what I could possibly say to you all today. This morning, this photo popped up as my “On This Day” reminder. When I took this photo on July 4, 2019, I had no idea how it would speak volumes today. I don’t think there’s anything I can add; the photo says it all.

I hope you all will spend the day safely with family, at home, continuing to observe safe health practices. I hope you’ll join me at some point during the day, and stop for a moment to think about the ideals upon which this country was founded, the inequalities that continue to exist, and the steps we all need to take as a democracy to work toward the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. That, I believe, is the true meaning of Independence Day.

Tim and I wish you all the very best for the holiday.