Please remember that we are meeting and rehearsing this Monday at Port Chester High School, at 1 Tamarack Road, Port Chester, NY. Click here to enter your starting address in Google Map directions. Rehearsal will focus on Ewazen, Holst, and selected movements of the Mussorgsky.

This is your last chance to order a 2015-2016 CD, thumbdrive, or SD card! Click here to place your order, then give your payment to Marge Hone.

Concert flyers are ready to download, print, and share. Find them on the Resources page.

And remember that ads are due on Monday! Give your ad forms, payments, and ad copy to Tom Sweezey.

Judy Mitchell from Kensico Cemetery (from our 2014 Benefit Concert), asked me to pass on the information about their upcoming 5K on October 30, benefitting the Alzheimer’s Foundation. You can run, walk, or just donate if your running shoes don’t fit. It certainly is an interesting and beautiful setting for a 5K! I’ve attached the flyer.

It’s mid-afternoon on Saturday. I’m still planning the selection and rehearsal order of the Mussorgsky movements, but I will post them later, before heading to the Oboe Chamber Music Concert, organized by WSW’s own Ruthie Garcia, and featuring several of our WSW players, at St. Joseph’s Church, 95 Plum Brook Road, Somers at 7:00 pm. I hope I’ll see some of you there!

But I will see you Monday — in Port Chester!

I just came across the Tappan Zee from Rockland to Westchester at 3:30 pm. There was an accident with injuries and ambulances on I-287 just before the bridge, and at the time, only one lane was open westbound. The backup extended well past exit 8 in White Plains.

I’m sure the accident will be cleared before rehearsal, but there’s bound to be residual delays. Please plan accordingly and drive safely!

Bainbridge Cornet Band Photo taken about 1900-1906

I’m heading home today to Pennsylvania to attend a concert of the Bainbridge Band, a community band founded in the 1880’s in my father’s hometown of Bainbridge, a beautiful town on the Susquehanna River south of Harrisburg. The band is interesting not only because of its long history, but also because the ensemble rehearses in its own Band Hall, purchased back in 1920, and its library contains over 7000 titles. Two of my longtime friends from high school play in the band, and one is stepping in to conduct this evening’s concert. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with this band, in a community close to my own roots.

The Kimmel Center, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra

Tomorrow evening, as I make my way back to White Plains on Amtrak, I’m stopping in Philadelphia to attend the Curtis Institute Symphony concert in the amazing Kimmel Center (my first visit). And why would I single out this particular concert? Because WSW, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and the Curtis Institute Symphony all share one important work among their fall repertoire – Pictures at an Exhibition, of course! We are in such great company, and I am truly excited to share and experience another interpretation of this milestone work.

Our rehearsal on Monday evening will focus, for the first time, on the Mussorgsky only. I have spent time over the past three rehearsals breaking up the piece 4-6 movements at a time. As we move ahead, it’s critical to extend our focus over a longer period. The Fall concert will mark our first performance of a continuous 30-minute work, and we can’t wait until the dress rehearsal to address the mental concentration required. I’m still planning Monday’s rehearsal, but my hope is to break up the work into three sections. I’ll rehearse individual movements in detail, then include a run-through of each third of the work as closure. This will be an important step to performing the entire work without interruption less than a month from now.

We’ve had great rehearsals so far in this cycle — let’s keep it up! Enjoy the holiday weekend, and see you Monday!

Rehearsal Monday

As announced, we are rehearsing on Monday at TMH. Everyone celebrating the holiday contact should have contacted David to be excused.

Interesting music notes

If you follow Composer’s Datebook, there was an interesting entry on September 29 about Holst’s The Planets, and the additional movement for Pluto, composed by Colin Matthews, the editor of our Second Suite in F edition.

Just so you know – the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is performing Pictures at an Exhibition, on Friday, October 14. I wish I could go!

Rep for March 4

Some players have asked about the program for the Syracuse trip. I’m still working on the details, but my plan is to utilize highlights performed on the Winter program, and add works from the Spring program which can be fast-tracked. I’ll publish the program when I come up for air.

All the best for the holiday! See many of you Monday. After Monday, our next rehearsal is Monday, October 10 at TMH.