I am sure that all of you have received wonderful commendations for your performance on Saturday night. I want to share one special email, sent by Jeff Elliot, who played trumpet with us in the antiphonal brass. It is a beautiful tribute to your success.

I want to thank you for inviting me to participate in the 25^th anniversary WSW concert. I enjoyed playing the Kalinnikov again. What a great anniversary piece! Claudia, I’m not sure where you found all the antiphonal brass players, but I can say that those around me on Stage Right were really fine musicians, and it was an honor to be included among them.

From where I sat in the balcony, the concert was outstanding. While I would like to think that we sounded that good during my tenure with the band (years 2-19 maybe?), I doubt that was the case. I do not intend to cast any aspersions on those who participated back then; rather I applaud the fine work of the current WSW. The ensemble, intonation, dynamics all were first rate. (Actually, I can cast one aspersion – we never did dynamics!) As enthused as I was to play, it was equally exciting to listen to such a fine band.

As one among several who for many years advocated for a permanent home for the band, so that neither the band nor its sponsors needed to deal with location from one performance to the next, I am delighted that you have found one at Tarrytown Music Hall (although I still wonder how the fire marshal certifies the venue!). The acoustics were superb. And to play before a full house… Who can top that?

I also want to comment on the musical program. As one who often advocated (wrongly in hindsight) for simpler programming consisting of marches, show tunes and the like, which would find more mass appeal among audiences, I am delighted that the program did not stoop to that level (not that there is anything wrong with lighter fare). But you showed how really good pieces of music performed by outstanding musicians can delight a crowd.

And a final comment on the printed program. What a nice touch to include in the Personnel section the occupation and years of membership. Coupled with the history of WSW and the discussion of the founders, it was a very personalized touch emphasizing the “home grown” nature of the band. A very positive impression indeed.

Thanks again. Enjoy your summer,
Jeff

Jeffrey M. Elliott
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Iridian Asset Management LLC
Westport, CT

I had to take a full day to reflect and recover from Saturday night. It was simply marvelous in every way. Here are just a few thoughts from the evening:

• Thank you to our guests: Tom, Mallory, Barbara, and Lois. You all brought unique energies to the evening and we are indebted to you for your contributions.
• Tom! The Lo Presti was incredibly passionate. Thank you for going the distance with Tom.
• The Persichetti certainly proved my “you usually peak at the concert” theory. It was moving and flowing and exciting! Tom was particularly impressed, and said so. The audience said so by their quiet and concentrated attention during the performance.
• Lois! I can’t ever remember a performance where the audience “cut in” after a cadenza! It was brilliant and we now all understand why you wanted to keep your cadenza a secret until the performance.
• Barbara! That was the performance of a lifetime – congratulations! And thank you to the ensemble for the stylish and supportive accompaniment.
• Mallory! I know everyone in the ensemble enjoyed both the rehearsal and the performance. The explosion of energy you brought to this piece had no peer.
• And the Kalinnikov, even with a few technical flaws in the first half, was everything I’d hoped it would be. A big thank you goes out to the additional players in the balconies. The antiphonal brass blended seamlessly with the stage ensemble, and it was an incredible coda to our season.
• Thank you to Rachel, Marge, and Claudia for pulling together the wonderful reception and other 25th anniversary activities.
• Thank you to the Jim and the Board for your tremendous support of all our projects this year.
• Thank you to Matt for all his work with audience development and ticket sales.
• Thank you to Claudia for her extensive behind-the-scenes work to communicate with and organize our personnel.
• And thank you to all the players for your dedication and commitment to what has become an exceptional ensemble of exceptional people.

Next up: The rehearsal with Mallory on May 31 at NVOT. We still have not heard from 100% of the membership. Please contact Claudia to confirm your attendance. We need to know so we can arrange for subs in critical areas.

Thank you all again — this was a “keeper!”

Thank you, everyone, for what turned out to be one of our most productive and successful rehearsals ever. I truly appreciate the commitment and spirit of teamwork you have brought to the table during this cycle. In particular, I am grateful for the shift of perspective we were able to attain to create more focus, particularly during the Gershwin.

As discussed last night, please allow extra time for unforeseen traffic, parking issues, parades, presidential visits, stray bee colonies, sidewalk sales, and sit-ins. In order to set up and have a successful sound check, including sufficient time for Mallory to rehearse, we must have a downbeat at 6:00 pm. We are also hoping to take an anniversary group photo and still give you time to relax and prepare before the performance.

There is a great deal of buzz out there about your performance. Keep talking about it online. Continue to hand out the business cards and reach out to people who have never thought about attending a band concert. There’s never been a better opportunity to bring in ‘fresh recruits!’

Lastly, I want to plug my summer Music Ed workshop at Northern Valley, July 23-25. We had a very successful inaugural event last summer, and this year will be even better. Download a flyer here. If you have any questions, please contact me. There is a special undergrad rate, and NY music educators are especially welcome!