I can’t believe there’s more snow forecast Sunday into Monday. For now, we are “go” for rehearsal Monday evening at 7:30 pm at TMH. We will make a final decision to confirm or cancel by 3 pm on Monday. Cross your fingers, do your anti-snow dance, promise to take Yeti to lunch — anything so we don’t get the 9-12″ currently forecast.

Meanwhile, our rehearsal plan is posted for Monday.

I also shared the November recording of Capriccio with Frank Gulino, and he wrote immediately. I just had to share this with you.

I just listened to this. I can’t tell you how impressed I am!

Curt – The band sounds great. Musical, refined, balanced. The brass projects well without cutting too much, the woodwinds blend with each other better than in most bands I’ve ever heard, and all of the musicians in the group seem to follow your musical ideas very well. The tempos are precisely what I had in mind when I wrote the piece, and I just love your approach and the group’s support of the soloist. Speaking of the soloist . . .

Tony – Wow. You sound terrific! The sound is so clear, so even, and has just enough brilliance to make the big moments really wonderful. Clarity in the high range, great legato playing, and a pure sound — all the characteristics I want to hear in a trombone soloist. Is this the Courtois? If it is, I think you’ve found your horn. Might be time to call Christan Griego and tell him you’re a Courtois man now 😉

Also some kudos to the recording guy! Recordings don’t come out this well by accident.

Seriously, bravo guys. Hope to have the opportunity to work with both of you again soon!

Best,
Frank

You continue to impress audiences and the composers themselves. Congratulations on this impressive work. I continue to be so proud to have the opportunity to work with you!

I shared November’s performance recording of Vignettes with the composer, David Avshalomov. Look what he had to say in an email he just sent!

Wow, a good performance indeed, so many nice things. I particularly liked:

1. The great dynamic range in Our Leader
2. How the accompaniment nailed the rhythmic feel of the overdots/quintuplets in Grotesko
3. The lyricism in Snowy Mountain–the drawn-out long tones and long phrases, the smoothness of the expression. What a sound!
4. The surprisingly brisk tempo of Robots–I’ve never heard or imagined it at that speed–but it worked (except perhaps for the sixteenth-note solo figure in clarinets at the end). I had thought this movement was too long (at the original tempo) and have already done a revised version that cuts a half minute–but I may have to rethink that. Also, the dynamics were great, and the articulations, and the long swells. Oh, and your tom-tom soloist was terrific, really got the feel (clearly had fun . . .)
5. The oboe transition of MoonSong, fine player, nice feeling.
6. Dragon dance was crazed and wonderful, right to the last held-over tamtam ring at the end. A little fast, but it still worked.
7. News/Weather was tight and just right.
8. The phrasing/placement of the ending of Valentine.
9. The controlled frenzy of Ice Wars, you really brought that off. (The tight percussion helped.)

If you ever want to play them again, I could provide a few notes (little things here and there). Also revised versions of a few movements.

Best,
D A

I have links (below) of formidable performances of our May repertoire to share, and an invitation to share from Jessica Slotwinsk (percussion section).

First, from Jessica Slotwinski (WSW percussion): her husband has written a play which will be produced in Midtown from February 27 – March 9. Here’s the information and an invitation from Jessica to attend My Father’s Ashes: The Sisters Play.

My husband, a writer and theater teacher, wrote the play, and I am working on the set. Our theatre company is growing, and our mission is that we believe that the greatest art comes from that which connects us all. To that end, we are a community first, producing original work that brings joy and offers insight into the world, ourselves, and the human condition. We believe all artists should actively work for the betterment of that community, and as such, our members are encouraged to perform acts of service, as well as acts of creativity, for the good of the community at large.
Breathing life into the author’s work is our highest priority, which frees us to focus on forging those human bonds with each other and our audience that are the soul of all great performances, and from which we all learn and grow.

A bit about the show:

MY FATHER’S ASHES: THE SISTERS PLAY is a new dramatic play by Tom Slot that explores the issues of love, grief, and family. On the one-year anniversary of their father’s death, three sisters return to their childhood home to scatter his ashes. But a brutal winter snow, their judgmental mother, and years of unresolved baggage threaten to derail the memorial before it even begins. As secrets and insecurities are exposed at every turn, can these three sisters overcome their sibling dynamic long enough to mourn their father? Or will the night leave their relationships so fractured that they can never go home again.

Ticket info and additional details can be found at:

www.myfathersashes.com
www.originalbinding.com