Rehearsal April 4 and much more

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Rehearsal this Monday

We continue our work with a very important rehearsal on Monday night at 7:30 pm at TMH, especially because there is no rehearsal on April 11 (see below). The rehearsal plan is posted. Please remember to complete the Health Screening Form before entering the Music Hall.

No rehearsal on Monday, April 11

As our hand count revealed last week, a significant number of players are off for the week for the public school spring break on Monday, April 11, and so I have canceled that rehearsal and notified TMH. After April 4, our next rehearsal will be April 18.

Rehearsal on April 25 at White Plains High School

TMH is not available on April 25, and with the cancellation of April 11 it was especially important to find a rehearsal site. We are grateful to Kathy Davis for helping us to reserve the WPHS Auditorium for our use on April 25. White Plains High School is located at 550 North Street, White Plains, NY 10605. There is ample parking right next to the Auditorium. Click here for the Google Map and directions.

TMH Box Office and concert on May 7

Our box office ticket information has been submitted, and hopefully tickets will be advertised in the TMH email blast this coming Tuesday. We will have Friends & Family tickets available again for your to distribute at $10 each. The box office information will advertise “proof of vaccination and masks required” for the audience. We are planning to webstream the concert again, as we did in November. Anyone who would like to watch the concert remotely can do so by visiting our website at www.westchestersymphonicwinds.org. To share the press release, click here. Flyers will be available at rehearsal on April 18.

Percussionists needed!

For various reasons, we are experiencing a shortage of percussionists for the May concert. We really need to fill these positions, because many of the new works call for 6, 7, even 8 players. If you have any leads, please speak to David or Eric.

Caramoor dress rehearsal confirmed for Wednesday, June 29

I have been in communication with our Caramoor vocal soloists and can now confirm that our Caramoor dress rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, June 29 at TMH. Please be sure to confirm this on your calendar.

I’m going to keep Monday, June 27 on the schedule for now. Hopefully, things will progress in such a way during the May/June cycle so I can consider cancelling that rehearsal. but for now, it remains on the schedule.

Grainger House – Open House on April 10

Our friends at the Grainger House are having their Spring Open House next Sunday, April 10. The daffodils will be in bloom, and they are offering house tours plus a saxophone recital by Dr. Paul Cohen, a leading authority on all things saxophone and Grainger. 
The house was originally a residence after all, so it’s not a space for huge crowds, and registration is recommended for the:
House Tour at 1 pm
Saxophone Concert at 2 pm
House Tour at 3 pm

The Grainger House is a living museum and tribute to the composer who has given the wind band world so much. It’s too bad the pandemic killed our plans to sponsor a WSW group visit last November. If you have never visited, this is a great opportunity, and I urge you to consider attending. Honestly, it’s wacky, weird, and totally wonderful, and the Grainger Society has done an amazing job at restoring the house in recent years, as well as archiving significant historic materials.

Rehearsals resume this Monday, March 28

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Rehearsal plan for this Monday

The rehearsal plan is posted on the home page. Please check it to stay abreast of the work we’ll be doing on Monday. Also, please be sure to complete the health screening form before coming to rehearsal. We need to continue to ask everyone to complete these quick forms weekly for everyone’s safety until we all get the final “all clear.”

Caramoor updates

In my latest discussion with Kathy Schuman, we agreed that our traditional 1812 Overture finale is just not appropriate this year. I’ve pitched several alternate plans and am hoping to have a final approval in the next week or so.

Regretfully, Matt Podd had to withdraw as our arranger for the vocal numbers this year, because of a family situation which currently requires a great deal of his time. (However, he is still on board for his solo appearance with us on May 7.) Fortunately, Kathy took my advice and invited Barton Green to write this year’s arrangements; we are very fortunate that he has agreed to do so.

This July we’ll be remembering the monumental work of composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim with three separate numbers, instead of a medley. Our soloists will be Caramoor Rising Stars Christine Price, soprano, and Thomas West, baritone. Our Sondheim collection will include:

  • Being Alive, from Company (Thomas)
  • Send in the Clowns, from A Little Night Music (Christine)
  • You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through, from Follies (Christine & Thomas)

This set combines iconic and memorable numbers by Sondheim, and will end with an upbeat standout duo. Barton has agreed to complete the arrangements by mid-May, and we’ll start to rehearse them as soon as the scores/parts are ready.

I’ll investigate the discount ticket situation for this year and share when confirmed. What I do know is that they are planning on a return to full capacity seating (about 1700) again for 2022, along with printed programs.  

News & updates for our return to rehearsals on March 14

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Sad news

I regret to inform everyone of the passing of Chris Larsen’s father-in-law, Douglas Marshall Schultz, on Wednesday of this past week. Please join me in extended sincerest condolences to Bethany and Chris.

First rehearsal – this Monday, March 14 at 7:30 pm

We restart rehearsals this Monday, starting at 7:30 pm in TMH with all personnel. Please continue to use the back stage door entrance. I’ve reconfirmed the use of the hall with both Megan and Karina, and have been told that all of our chairs, stands, and percussion are where we left them.

Please be sure to complete this quick health form on Monday before coming to rehearsal. 

The plan for Monday is to re-read through the entire program that was planned for February and migrated to May. But I also want to allow time for everyone to get reacquainted, welcome back players we haven’t seen in a long time, and welcome new sub players as well. The last time we were all together was November 29 — over 100 days ago — so we want to allow for the space that everyone needs to re-adjust to rehearsals once again.

The rehearsal plan is posted on the home page of this site. 

Vaccination required; masks optional

As we are about to restart rehearsals, please keep in mind that vaccinations and boosters are still required by both Tarrytown Music Hall and Caramoor. If you have not yet done so, be sure to send David Church a copy of your updated vaccination card (redact your birth date if you wish). Masks will be optional as we restart rehearsals. We want everyone to feel secure and safe. Please respect the decisions of players who wish to attend and rehearse with masks, as well as those who decide to attend and rehearse without them.

Barton Green accordion solo arrangements updated

After the Winter Concert was canceled, Barton and Matt Podd got their heads together and talked further about the arrangements. This resulted in some updates and corrections. So please pull and recycle those three parts from your folder (Oblivion, Tico Tico, and Clarinet Polka). We will hand out replacement parts on Monday night. If you are practicing and rehearsing from PDF’s, find the new parts updated in this folder. All the revised parts are clearly marked as REVISED.

Library/folders

For full disclosure, I have these folders and will bring them with me on Monday:

  • 1 – Piccolo
  • 9 – English horn/Oboe 2
  • 16 – Clarinet 1
  • 22 – Clarinet 2
  • 24 – Clarinet 3
  • 29 – Clarinet 3
  • No folder/parts only – Bass clarinet
  • No folder/parts only – Alto sax 2
  • 50 – Trombone 1
  • 59 – [empty]

I also have the file with all the extra parts, and will bring that as well. I believe Nancy has a few folders in her possession as well, and I expect that she’ll bring them as well.

In closing

As always, inform David Church, Personnel Manager of any anticipated absences or emergencies. You are welcome to cc me, but it’s critical that David know about any exceptions to your attendance. Our goal continues to be to run all rehearsals with all parts covered.

Enjoy the weekend, and get psyched for our return to the stage at TMH! I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone and making music with the full band in anticipation of the May 7 concert.