Lots of news here! Be sure to visit the sight by following the link to read this entire post. I will post information about Monday’s rehearsal, including directions to Pelham, separately over the weekend.

First, I want to clarify the information I posted about the SUNY-Purchase Symphonic Winds rehearsal and concert. The email was not written by me, but rather was from Graham Ashton, the Chair of Brass Studies at SUNY-Purchase (and was forwarded to me by Ben Acrish). In my haste, I failed to copy/paste his signature. I regret the omission and apologize if anyone thought that I had written the message or that I was conducting the concert.

Second, congratulations to WSW President, Jim Savage, who was honored by the First Bank of Greenwich at a reception last evening. WSW was represented at the affair by a brass quintet comprised of Denise Ruchala & Mary Eberling, trumpet; Tim Takagi, horn; Mandy Rimm-Hewitt, trombone; and Scott Rimm-Hewitt, tuba. Other WSW’ers in attendance: Rachel Eckhaus, Matt Kowalski, and Andrew Anello.

The quintet sounded wonderful! They played several arrangements from the Salvation Army brass books, which are wonderful. In the ensemble, we now have a saxophone quartet, a brass quintet, and a few “pop up” woodwind groups. I would love to see more of these ensembles as we expand our program in the coming years.

I am playing the clarinet solo part on the Joseph Turrin Concertino for Eleven Instruments and WInd Ensemble, this coming Saturday night at 8:00 pm at Kassar Theater at Montclair State University. Dr. Tom McCauley, one of our favorite WSW guest conductors, leads a concert subtitled “Students and Teachers.” All eleven soloists are practicing music educators, and the program includes the Schönberg Theme and Variations, opus 43a! Click here for directions, and here for more concert information.

Lastly, the internet if packed with stupid videos — but this one caught my eye today. Len Martello also saw it and passed it on to me, so I thought I’d share it with everyone. It’s just plain clever and fun: The Music Theory Song. And perfect for the season! (I love the “Meet the Flintstones” reference!)

I’ve posted the rehearsal schedule for tomorrow night. Please note the rep for the evening’s rehearsal, and that this is once again a delayed-opening type of rehearsal. Please be on hand at 7:30 pm so we can set up quickly and start no later than 7:45 pm.

Ben Acrish forwarded me this information about the SUNY Purchase Symphonic Winds concert this Wednesday. If you’re available Tuesday for the rehearsal or Wednesday for the concert, I recommend this!

On Wednesday, November 28th at 7.00pm, virtuoso trombonist Tim Albright will be performing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Trombone Concerto with Purchase Symphonic Winds at the Purchase College Performing Arts Center Recital Hall. Also in this program of ‘Russian Winds’, is Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, and the world premier of my new arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for symphonic winds.

So mark your calendars! And if you’re in the area the day before on Tuesday, November 27th, I will be conducting an open rehearsal with PSW of all three pieces from 6.00-8.30pm in the Conservatory of Music Orchestral Rehearsal Room (0078). Mr. Albright and I will be available to answer questions and talk about the repertoire at this rehearsal, so please feel welcome to come by.

The rehearsal plan is posted here. Remember that this week is another children’s theater week, when we gain access to TMH at 7:30 pm. Please be on hand at 7:30 pm to move equipment into position as quickly as possible, so we can begin.

Here’s a webcast concert worth watching — Sunday evening at 8:30 pm EST (7:30 pm CST), from the University of Texas, with Jerry Junkin conducting. The program includes Ron Nelson’s Resonances I (which I programmed years ago with the Bergen County Band and hope to program next year with us), but Liebermann Flute Concerto and two masterworks by Holst. It should be terrific if you have Sunday evening free.

I will post the rehearsal order for Monday evening’s rehearsal on Saturday. In the meantime, crank up the practice on the Grainger, especially movements 3 & 5.

Here is Jerry Junkin’s invitation:

Dear Colleagues:

I would like to make you aware of the webcast of the final concert of the fall term of The University of Texas Wind Ensemble. On Sunday, November 18, Marianne Gedigian will perform the Flute Concerto, op. 39 by Lowell Leibermann with the Wind Ensemble in Bates Recital Hall on the UT – Austin Campus at 7:30 p.m. CST. If you cannot be with us in person for the Sunday evening performance, we hope that you will be able to join us via a live audio/video webcast. To access, go to http://www.music.utexas.edu/calendar/details.aspx?id=23225 and navigate the calendar menu to the specific performance listing. Broadcast begins a few minutes before the performance.

 The entire program will be as follows: November 18, 7:30 p.m. CST

 Ron Nelson – Resonances I

Lowell Liebermann (trans. Shaw) – Concerto for Flute, op. 39
I. Moderato
II. Molto Adagio
III. Presto
Marianne Gedigian, flute

Intermission

Gustav Holst – First Suite in Eb
I. Chaconne
II. Intermezzo
III. March

Gustav Holst (trans. Patterson) – Suite from The Planets
I. Mars, the Bringer of War
II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
IV. Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity

Marianne Gedigian, Professor of Flute and holder of the Butler Professorship in Music at The University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music, was a regular performer with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for over a decade, including several seasons as Acting Principal Flute under Seiji Ozawa. As Principal Flute with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and Acting Principal Flute with the Boston Pops, Ms. Gedigian has been heard on dozens of recordings and Evening at Pops television broadcasts as well as the nationally broadcast Fourth of July specials. She has also been heard on several John Williams` movie scores, including Saving Private Ryan and Schindler`s List . In the 2000 – 2001 season, Ms. Gedigian was invited by Mariss Jansons to perform as Acting Principal Flute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Her solo performances have taken her around the world, including recitals in Japan, Australia, England, and Armenia and she has appeared as concerto soloist numerous times with the Boston Pops Orchestra and with the Armenian Philharmonic performing her own transcription of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto. She was featured with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull fame in a performance at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Ms. Gedigian has been a featured soloist and teacher at numerous National Flute Association conventions across the country, and is a frequent recitalist and teacher for flute clubs in the United States, Australia, Japan, and England.

Ms. Gedigian has been first prizewinner in the National Flute Association`s Young Artist Competition, and the James Pappoutsakis Memorial Flute Competition. She keeps an active schedule as a chamber musician as a founding member of the Boston-based Walden Chamber Players and was formerly a member of the Dorian Wind Quintet. Her solo recordings include Voice of the Flute and Revolution, both with pianist Rick Rowley.

Ms. Gedigian is on the summer faculty at the Brevard Music Center, and has served on the faculties of Boston University`s College of Fine Arts, The Boston Conservatory, the Round Top International Institute, and the Tanglewood Music Center. Ms. Gedigian`s teachers include Leone Buyse, Doriot Anthony Dwyer, Clement Barone, and Donna Olkowski.