Rehearsal Monday at New Rochelle

The rehearsal plan is posted. I’ve learned from band director Scott Byers that you can use 11 Braemar Avenue with your GPS to navigate to tennis court parking entrance.

Note that we are reading a new work by Michael Markowski at the start of rehearsal. This is a special set of warm ups he wrote for all levels of ensembles. I offered that we would “try it on for size,” and report back. Member band directors may find this to be a unique addition to your own groups’ warm up routines.

Upcoming rehearsals

Refer to the home page for the upcoming schedule of sectionals and schedules. We have three rehearsals remaining before the winter/holiday break.

New venue update

The board is touring the JCC Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale on Tuesday, as a possible rehearsal/storage site. We will keep you posted as to what we learn as the December 31 move out date draws near. Rehearsal sites starting in January remain tentative at this time.

This week:

• Kudos for last Sunday’s concert!
• Rehearsal Monday at White Plains, Winter music parts are now ready to download!
• Working list of alternate rehearsal/performance venues

Kudos!!!

Congratulations to everyone on the success of Sunday’s concert. The entire program was received so well, and I’m so proud of your work to deliver its impact! We’ll talk more on Monday evening. Many thanks for your dedication and tenacity!

Rehearsal on Monday, November 17 at White Plains

We’re back at White Plains on Monday. Click #1 below to download your parts. The rehearsal plan is posted on the main page. We’ll be reading through all of the Winter program. Click #3 below to see the list of our remaining 2025-2026 rehearsals/performances.

Alternate rehearsal/performance venues

Click #2 below to see our working list of alternate rehearsal/performance venues. Context-click to comment. Or, write to any board member to add a perspective site.

1. Click here for the Winter 2026 download folders.
2. Click here for the working list of alternate rehearsal/performance sites we are considering. Right-click to add a comment, or contact a board members to add another potential site.
3. Click here to see the 2025-2026 rehearsal/performance schedule. Sites for January thru June will be confirmed in Decebmer.
4. Click here for the Absence form (updated September 2025) – If you have an unavoidable absence, please complete this form as soon as possible, to allow our Personnel Manager as much time as possible to retain a sub. This form is preferred to emails and texts.

Please read the schedule for the week carefully, especially in regard to our delayed load in/setup time on Wednesday!

Monday 11/3

No rehearsal on Monday, because there are already 3 services scheduled.

Wednesday 11/5 – Rehearsal plan is posted!

IMPORTANT: We must wait under the marquee on Main Street for the crew to give the all clear as the previous rehearsal ends (scheduled until 7:30 pm). Be ready to move as quickly as possible to set up and get ready.
Morris Northcutt will be on site for our only working rehearsal with him. Our harpist will also be on site for the only rehearsal with her.

Saturday 11/8 – dress rehearsal

9:00 am – Load in and setup
10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Dress rehearsal in program order.
12:30 pm – Strike stage (there is a Ghost Tour at 2:00 pm)

Sunday 11/9 – performance

12:00 pm – Load in. Crew will have risers in place, and chairs, stands, piano, percussion ready. Please help to put everything in place.
1:00 pm – Sound check
3:00 pm – Performance

This week:

• Rehearsal on Monday at White Plains HS, and review of final rehearsals leading up to November 9 Fall Concert. The rehearsal plan is posted.
• Donor campaigns revisited
• Friends & Family tickets update
• Trumpet master class – looking for one more school opportunity
• Ad review

Rehearsal at White Plains HS on Monday night

We have only two remaining working rehearsals before the dress rehearsal. Here is the rundown of our final rehearsals leading up to the concert:

• Monday, October 27 – rehearsal at 7:30 pm, at White Plains HS
• Monday, November 3 – no rehearsal/there are already three services this week
• Wednesday, November 5 – rehearsal at 7:30 pm at TMH. We must wait under the marquee for the previous rehearsal to clear, then enter/set up as quickly as possible at 7:30. Morris Northcutt will join us to work on his three solos.
• Saturday, November 8 – dress rehearsal at 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at TMH.
• Sunday, November 9 – setup at 12:00 pm, sound check at 1:00 pm, performance at 3:00 pm at TMH
• Monday, November 10 – no rehearsal
• Monday, November 17 – read-through of Winter Concert program at White Plains HS

This is also posted on the home page.

Donor campaigns — please share!

The key to these campaigns is sharing them out via emails and social media. When players ask, “What can I do to help?” this is the answer. Please help us broadcast these campaigns for maximum exposure.

1. Annual Giving Campaign – This will support the band broadly in all areas, and will continue all season until next June.
2. Repertoire Sponsorships – Individual underwriting and program acknowledgements for each/all of our Fall Concert selections. If this is successful, we will relaunch this for the concert selections in February.

Friends & Family tickets update

The Music Hall has made changes in the way tickets are processed. This includes our Friends & Family discounted tickets and our comp tickets.

• Friends & Family tickets – Unfortunately, we are no longer be able to sell $15 F&F tickets directly to band members to distribute. All patrons must go through the TMH Box Office site. Enter the coupon code announced for this concert and the discounted tickets will appear ($15 + $6 box office fee, total $21). I will repeat the code again on Monday night, and it’s currently posted in the WSW Members Slack workspace, in the #general_band_chat channel.
• Comps – Marge is handling all comps directly with the Box Office. Speak to Marianne if you have a school group planning to attend.

If you have any trouble with the online Box Office, please call the Call Center at 914-233-3856, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Sunday.

Morris Northcutt master classes

I’m still hoping to schedule one more school master class with Morris for Thursday, November 6 or Friday, November 7. Please speak to me to schedule.

Ads — thank you!

Thanks to everyone to submitted ads for this season’s program, and thank you to Tom Sweezey for helping to collect everything. On Monday night I’ll review the total list of what I received to make sure nothing has been left out.