A separate email has been sent to everyone.

Rachel was able to get the chapel at CONGREGATION KOL AMI (where we performed in November 2015). We will rehearse in the chapel building at the back of the property, as before. We will start at 7:30 and stop at 9:15 to reset the room before we must clear by 9:30. EVERYONE MUST BRING A STAND. The address is 252 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, NY. Direction info is on their website at:
http://nykolami.org/contact/directions

Percussion: Please bring small equipment and play what you can. Your presence is still important to the total picture.

Please follow this link to verify you got this email and that you’ll join us at Kol Ami. By verifying you’ve gotten the message we can guarantee that we’ll get to everyone. It’s a quick name, instrument, and YES type of form.
https://goo.gl/forms/iXMGJ49pueCzzVxO2

Rehearsal this week

Five of my Masters wind students will be joining us on Monday for a quick side-by-side clinic reading of Vaughan-Williams Flourish for Wind Band. They are performing this on their April 12 concert, and this will give them an exciting opportunity to experience the piece sitting in with you. We will start with the Yagisawa (since I’ve been ending with it the past few weeks) and also spend time with each movement of the Bolcom. I think it’s important to hit all three movements because we have no rehearsal on April 10 (for public schools spring break and Passover). See the full rehearsal plan for Monday.

The importance of Public Broadcasting

You’re probably aware of the cuts suggested by the president’s budget. The arts, and public broadcasting in particular, will be hard hit. Marge Hone forwarded this message to me from WQXR. Please follow the link, read their message, and consider supporting them.

Practicing the Bolcom

Remember to review the practice lists from the first movement of the Bolcom as you prepare for Monday. The first movement is the most academic and least player-friendly of the three, but I am convinced that we will be successful with the right individual practice. I also urge section leaders to organize at least one sectional for this piece in April. It would make a huge difference.

Enjoy the weekend — see you Monday.

I’m coming back to New York today from Sarasota refreshed about 5 days in the sun. It was a great break, but I’m eager to get back to work with you.

On Monday, we’ll work on the rest of the Burns, the rest of the Yagisawa, and both the second and third movements of the Bolcom.

See below for a detailed list of what to practice in the Bolcom!

Practice lists for Bolcom, movement 1

Chord clusters

• #1 – m.1 – Horns
• #2 – m.6 – Trombones, Trumpets
• #3 – m.42 – Low brass
• #4 – m.61 – Horns, Trumpets
• #5 – m. 67 – Brass
• #6 – m.86 – Piano, Trombones, Trumpets, passing to Piano, Trombones, Horns
• #7 – m.93 – Bass trombone, Horns
• #8 – m.96-99 – All brass
• #9 – m. 111 – Horns
• #10 – m.114-117 – All brass

Technical passages

• #1 – m.10 – Tutti
• #2 – m. 13 – Trumpets
• #3 – m.22 – Woodwinds
• #4 – m.25 – Horns
• #5 – m.40 – Horns
• #5.1 – m.42-25 – Eb clarinet
• #6 – m.49 – English horn, Bass clarinet, Alto sax, Tenor sax
• #7 – m.54 – Clarinets
• #8 – m.59 – Clarinets
• #9 – m.64 – Saxes
• #10 – m.66 – Woodwinds
• #11 – m.69 – Trumpets, Trombones
• #12 – m. 81-83 – Bass clarinet, Bassoons, Contra, Euphonium, Tuba, Piano
• #13 – m.84 – Tutti
• #14 – m.105 – Oboes, English horn
• #15 – m.107 – Eb clarinet, English horn
• #16 – m.109 – Alto saxes

I am really enjoying the CBDNA national convention. There are amazing ensembles performing, and I had the best barbeque today! So far, I’ve heard the Michigan State University Wind Symphony with Kevin Sedatole, a great presentation about Carter Pann’s Symphony for Winds, My Brother’s Brain (which I will hear in performance tomorrow), and the Frost School of Music Wind Ensemble from the University of Miami. Tonight I’m hearing the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory Wind Symphony (the host ensemble). Tomorrow I’ll hear the Northwestern Symphonic Wind Ensemble, with our friend Mallory Thompson conducting, and the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, with Jerry Junkin.  The venue for the performances is the amazing Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, an amazing venue with two auditoriums. The center, to me, clearly resembles the Sydney Opera ouse, both inside and out, with an immense glass-enclosed double lobby on the southern side. The acoustics have been simply fantastic. I’ve seen many friends, including Mary Schneider from Eastern Michigan, who was our guest conductor a for the Fall 2015 concert. This is my first time attending the full conference, and it is absolutely amazing. I feel very fortunate to be here and in awe of these ensembles.

We will start to dig into the Spring repertoire on Monday. Two large portions of rehearsal will be devoted to the first movement of the Bolcom and Machu Picchu. Next week I’ll focus on the second and third movements of the Bolcom. We’ll have one more rehearsal (April 3) before the Monday off for Westchester schools spring break.

I hope you’re excited by the music in our next cycle — I’m excited to work with you on it, and especially excited to welcome our guests in May: Christopher Creviston, Patrick Burns, and Robert Sherman.

See you Monday!