In this post:

• Kudos for the Spring Concert
• All Bolcom parts must be collected on June 5 (rental must be returned)
• Details for rehearsal on June 5

Excellent work on May 20!

This really has been a terrific season, and I am so very proud of everyone in the group. Each of the three subscription concerts had its own high points, and the Spring Concert was no exception. Your work on the entire program, and the Bolcom in particular, was courageous and truly musical. Chris Creviston was very, very impressed, and was extremely grateful for the opportunity to play the Bolcom again. Pat Burns was very pleased with your performance of his piece, and was grateful as well. And both Bob Sherman and Lois Hicks-Wozniak had high praise for your work as well. The feedback is exceptionally good! Now we only have the crowning jewel of our season remaining — our Independence Day performance at Caramoor.

All Bolcom parts must be collected on June 5 — no exceptions!

We absolutely must collect and return all the rental parts for the Bolcom this coming Monday night. Having had the extra Monday off for Memorial Day, we’re quickly approaching the deadline to return the parts. If you have already given notice that you’ll be absent, or are not playing Caramoor, or if you have a last minute emergency, we still need your Bolcom music on Monday, without fail. Please take steps now to insure that your part gets to rehearsal and will be returned to Nancy on Monday night. Anything less than 100% return will generate a penalty, and obviously we must avoid that.

Rehearsal on June 5

Last week NVOT moved their annual Awards Concert from June 6 to June 5. Since retiring, I always try to attend this concert, because they present an award in my name. I considered taking a pass on it this year because of the conflict with our rehearsal, but it is the very last concert for my colleague, Leslie Mac Pherson, as she retires on June 30. (Leslie conducted the Demarest HS Choir that participated with us on Carmina Burana.) I just have to be there. So I’ve called upon three of our apprentice conductors, our personnel manager, and our in-house arranger to take over for this one rehearsal. The plan is posted on the home page. Please give them your full, focused attention, and help them stay on schedule.

Please be sure to bring those Bolcom parts, or send them if you are not attending Monday night for any reason. Good luck to the conductors for Monday night — have a great time with them!

Good morning, everyone! We have a lot of moving parts in our concert next Saturday. In general:

• Monday’s rehearsal will be our final working rehearsal for the Burns and Doppler, and dress rehearsals for Boerma, Hazo, Balmages, Yagisawa, and Sousa. We will not use piano on Monday for Yagisawa, but we will have harp, placed stage right next to the end of the horns.
• Wednesday’s rehearsal will be the dress rehearsal for the Burns, working/dress rehearsal with the soloist for the Bolcom, and working/dress rehearsal with the soloist for the  Doppler. As usual with our final rehearsal, please be prepared to stay until 10:00 pm if necessary. I’ll do my best to finish as close as possible to 9:45 pm. But with two soprano saxes battling for the top beauty prize, anything is possible.

Monday’s rehearsal is our final opportunity to iron out the kinks before next week’s run-through’s on Monday and in-depth rehearsal with Chris Creviston on Wednesday. We’ll be welcoming some of Rich Dashnaw’s students to sit in on a short Side-by-Side rehearsal of the Balmages at the beginning of rehearsal (Rich has programmed that piece with his band later this spring.)

Last week, Pat Burns was very, very impressed with the band. I hope his comments about the concept of the piece helped to fill in the gaps. And thanks (once again) to Stan Serafin for bringing in a mic/amp for us to use. Machu Picchu really started to take off! I think passing on Rich Guillen’s comment about the “piece with a thousand endings” seemed to click with everyone. It was a different piece last week, and I’m looking forward to it continuing to develop as we move forward and add Joy Plaisted on harp next Monday.

As announced last Monday, Rich Williams is presenting a trombone recital this Sunday at 12:00 pm at the Larchmont Avenue Presbyterian Church in Larchmont. Break a leg, Rich! (I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend; I have recitals to produce at Masters all afternoon).

There seemed to be a rash of spring flu over the last couple weeks. Take care of yourselves and your families. Enjoy this beautiful day (and then go practice!)

See you Monday!

My site is back up. I’m sending this just to be sure everyone got the plan for tomorrow night.

Rehearsal is on as scheduled Monday night at 7:30 pm with both Patrick Burns and Bob Sherman joining us. In addition, Barbara Ciannella will be on hand to add the pivotal piano part to the Bolcom. (As we’re setting up, please allow room to pull the piano in stage right.)

Here’s the rehearsal plan for Monday:

• 7:30 pm – Burns (with Pat conducting & Bob narrating)
• 8:00 pm – Bolcom (with piano; stretch somewhere in the middle)
• 9:00 pm – Yagisawa 
• 9:30 pm – Doppler (remember everyone plays at the end on the C major chord I spelled out)

Thanks for your patience with the site. See you on Monday. Enjoy the rest of this gorgeous weekend!

Curt