First, the snow last week canceled a Port Chester elementary concert, which has been rescheduled for this coming Monday, which means the Middle School is not available on 12/16. The kind people at Port Chester have arranged to allow us to use the High School auditorium instead. Please be sure to go to Port Chester High School, not the Middle School, this week!

Port Chester High School is located at 1 Tamarack Road, Port Chester. Click here for the school website’s directions page. Park in the lot off Tamarack, come in the main front door, turn right to the end of the hall, then left into the Auditorium. It’s hard to miss.

Second, we will have two guests on Monday. MSgt. Bill Owens will be joining us for a first reading of the Arutiunian concerto. To be brutally honest, there were just too many wrong notes in our second reading of the piece last week. We simply cannot repeat that level of performance in front of our soloist. Please practice for note accuracy and come prepared. Our guest conductor, Amy Wilcox, will also be coming to rehearsal to rehearse Passacaglia by Ben Hackett. There are a “few notes” in that piece that need individual review as well. So don’t pack up your horn when you’re done with the Arutiunian!

In addition, we will work on all movements of the Elgar. See the complete rehearsal schedule here.

Lastly, we had an overwhelming positive response to the written WSW/NCB Exchange poll. I will be continuing the discussion with the NCB people next week while I’m in Chicago at the Midwest Clinic. (PS – Is anyone else from WSW going?)

Yes, Virginia, there is rehearsal tonight at TMH, starting at 7:30 pm.

See you then.

We are planning a “go” with rehearsal tomorrow night. Judging from what I’m hearing and reading, Monday morning will be more of a problem than Monday night. Just to be sure, we’ll repost a confirmation for rehearsal (at TMH this week) at 3:00 pm.

Rehearsal will focus on the first half of the Hazo, the second half of the Hackett, Ticheli, Arutiunian, and the theme and first four variations of the Elgar. See the Rehearsal This Week page for details. We will also take a few minutes to poll the membership concerning our efforts to continue to discuss the WSW/Northshore Exchange I outlined last week.

Check your email and/or this page at 3:00 pm tomorrow to confirm rehearsal Monday evening.

I’m sending my sincerest wishes to all of you for the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope the day brings new family memories, but also a sense of gratitude for all that life affords us.

One of the things I am most grateful for is you and this band. WSW has become such an important part of my life and I am thankful for your participation.

Remember that we rehearse at Port Chester on Monday night. Please sort your music in your folder, with all the old Fall music on one side so Nancy can collect it quickly. We will read through everything on the Winter program. If you can practice some of the technical sections of Hackett and Elgar, it would be time well spent to make the rehearsal as successful as possible.

See you Monday. In the meantime — eat, nap, repeat.