We’re down to just two rehearsals: Monday and the dress on Wednesday. I need to ask for your flexibility to work until 10:00 pm on both evenings. We have to recover some time lost due to the weather last week. The rehearsal order for Monday and Wednesday is posted.

Here is the choral version of Rest, which I promised:
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I hope you can find a few moments of quiet time to listen to this and reflect on it.

It’s going to be a great week — fire up!

First of all, thank you to everyone who braved the elements and came out on Monday night. The most difficult part of the trip seemed to be getting from the car to the school entrance! I assume everyone got home safely (I’ve heard no reports of any problems.) It was a great rehearsal, even with the absences. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Emily Threinen and I discussed her trip on Monday and decided that it simply was not wise. She has sent Chester errata — I don’t think I’ve posted these before. There are not many. Please download and add these to your parts before Monday’s rehearsal. She also asked me to pass along this message:

Dear Westchester Symphonic Winds,
I write with great anticipation for our next two times together (Dress Rehearsal and Concert)!  I am so sorry to have missed many of you this past Monday evening.  A huge thank you to Curt for rehearsing Chester in my absence. Attached is a list of part errata that would be very much appreciated if you can take a look at before our next rehearsal.  Also, for those who are diligent practicers :), I am taking the ‘fast’ section at 160. And, even though it is scored vertically and fragmented, please find the “song within the dance” and approach each gesture with a lyric and long-lined sense of phrasing (working hard to avoid compressing the sixteenths within the beat).
Thank you to all and I am so honored to have this opportunity!
All the best,
Emily Threinen

I’ll post the Monday rehearsal and Wednesday dress rehearsal schedules later in the week. Monday will definitely include the DelBorgo, Bellini, Sousa, and some detail work on the Shostakovich, plus our first run-through of Posy.

From everything we have learned, the temperature is holding or rising through the evening, and it will be above freezing even after 10:00 pm. I polled the Board, who felt that it was better to have the rehearsal and simply go ahead without those who cannot attend, and so we are going to go ahead with rehearsal. We cannot foresee a way to reschedule the rehearsal, and we simply need the time.

If you are comfortable driving, please do come to rehearsal. Consider car pooling if you are uncomfortable driving. If you are absolutely uncomfortable and cannot come, please contact me by email or send a message with a friend who is attending.

Make intelligent decisions for your specific situation, please. Contact us if you decide that you cannot attend.