Well, so far there’s no problems with weather. Let’s hope it stays that way!

This Monday, we’ll dig into some details to prepare for next week’s final working rehearsal with our guest soprano, bring Mark back to the podium, and continue work on this concert program that is now only three weeks away. Check here for the rehearsal plan.

This week we received this flyer from the Hudson Chorale. They are looking for new members to join their ranks for their next series of concerts. They rehearse on Monday nights (so no one is jumping ship!), but if you have family or friends who might enjoy this experience, please share the information. Their next program features Mozart’s Requiem, with orchestra. Auditions are January 30. Click on the flyer to expand for complete details.

Stay warm, stay dry, and practice! See you Monday.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone has enjoyed the holidays. It’s hard to believe the New Year is about to begin. We’re starting up again this coming Monday, January 2, and we have less than a month now until our Winter Concert on January 29. I have updated the Resources page with flyers, and we’ve already seen our publicity information posted on several local sites. As we rehearse toward our January 29 concert, I’m also keeping an eye on our NYSBDA performance on March 4. I am going to work with Nancy to get Spring concert parts out as early as possible, so you can start to review the three pieces from Spring that we are playing at NYSBDA. (Note that we’ll have only 3 rehearsals to prepare these new pieces, and review the works pulled from the Winter concert.) Below you’ll find information from Rachel Eckhaus about our special hotel rate in Syracuse.

Keep in mind that we’ve reserved Wednesday, January 18 as a snow date for rehearsal, in case Mother Nature forces us to cancel a significant amount of rehearsal (ie, one or more!). Please keep this date in mind in your calendar.

There’s also a note below about the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra’s New Year’s Day Gala Concert on Sunday, conducted by our friend, Rich Simons.

See you Monday at TMH — the rehearsal plan is posted!

NYSBDA Winter Symposium Performance

Here is the information we’ve secured for a special hotel rate in Syracuse, put together by Rachel Eckhaus. Contact her if you have any questions. Click here for the info in the NYSBDA Google Doc. I will update that document with further information as we move closer to the date. The link is also referenced on my Resources page.

Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra concert on January 1

The Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor, David Beck, will present their annual New Year’s Day Gala Concert at 3:00pm, on Sunday, January 1st.  The traditional program of popular classical music will take place at the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, located at 110 Grand Street, in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.

As per tradition, the Simons Family Funtime Band will perform a pre-concert show featuring favorite Dixieland and swing band music, starting at 2:00pm.  Admission is free, but donations are welcome.  For more information, contact the Cortlandt Regional Music Association: (845) 838-1077, or www.cortlandtmusic.org.

Monday will be our last rehearsal of the calendar year. As promised, I’ll make sure we work through the remaining 4 works on the program, and revisit the Nelson. Daniella will be with us again to sing both her pieces. She and I had a great rehearsal together with Barbara Ciannella this past week and I’m looking forward to her joining us. Between the last two rehearsals, we’ll round out the year having worked on everything on the January program.

Here’s a reminder about the recital at Bennett Conservatory tomorrow at 2:00 pm, featuring Nate Brewster, percussion, and special guest Mark Dodge. If you live in the Croton area, please consider swinging by.

As the holidays approach and Auld Lang Syne will soon be heard, I’m grateful for many things. I’m grateful that my website stopped crashing. I’m grateful that Barton never gave consideration to arrange Le Sacre du Printemps for Caramoor (although there’s always next year). And I’m grateful to each and every one of you — for the musicianship, energy, and dedication you bring to our music making each and every week. I am fortunate to know you, and to have the chance to make strides forward with you. I wish you the best for the upcoming holidays, and peace in the New Year.

See you Monday!

Upcoming rehearsal reminders & updates

We’re back to our regular timeframe this week. I’m not sure what happened last week that the children’s theater was canceled, but no one informed us.

Over the next two rehearsals, before the break, we’ll rehearse every work on the program one more time (except the Nelson, which will be rehearsed twice). Please note two changes in the upcoming rehearsal schedule, plus one reminder, which are all posted on our rehearsal calendar:

• Canceled: Monday, March 6 (Monday immediately after NYSBDA performance in Syracuse)
• Added: Monday, February 6 (because of the NYSBDA performance on March 4)
• Reminders: We have rehearsal scheduled for MLK Day, Monday, January 16. We also have reserved Wednesday, January 18 as a Snow Date, in case we have a rehearsal cancellation for weather, and truly need to make up the rehearsal.

NYSBDA program

At this point, I’ve finalized our NYSBDA program on March 4 as a combination of repeated works from Winter and new works from Spring:

• Boerma – Friedmann Fanfare (Spring)
• Maslanka – On This Bright Morning (Winter)
• Galante – Resplendent Glory (Winter)
• Hazo – Solas Ane (Spring)
• Holmquist – Play! (Winter)
• Nelson – Aspen Jubilee (Winter)
• Sousa/Fennell – Manhattan Beach March (Spring)

This will give us a chance to improve and reprise the ‘meaty’ works from Winter, and get a headstart on some of the repertoire for Spring. Note that I still intend to distribute music for Spring by the end of January, and read the full Spring program on February 6 (this includes the Bolcom concerto and Yagisawa Machu Picchu).

Caramoor

Paul Rosenblum has approved my program choices for July 1. We are still batting around ideas for the Ryan Silverman solos, but the choices include some great charts that I think you will really enjoy. (By the way, Matt Podd surprised everyone and got married over Thanksgiving weekend, with no announcement!) And I have a prominent service band soloist “penciled in” as our featured instrumentalist. When I have that firmed up, I’ll announce the soloist.

CD Sale successful!!

Thank you to everyone who remembered to bring their payments and pick up their recordings last week. We did so well, Marge had to order more copies of the CD!

See you Monday!