“So on this meaningful morn, we mourn and we mend.
Like light, we can’t be broken, even when we bend.”
              excerpt from The Miracle of Morning, by Amanda Gorman

With the support of the Board, and with Ron MacKenzie’s endorsement, I feel it is time to confirm our return to rehearsals on Monday, January 31. Everyone playing the February concert should plan to attend rehearsals according to the schedule below. All players should be prepared to rehearse with playing masks until such time when we feel it is safe to make them optional. If you have not yet done so, all players must submit vaccine booster documentation to David Church.

I have made two cuts to the February 13 concert repertoire (Galante, Standridge), and these works will be deferred to a future program. This concert will be performed without intermission, and will be web streamed on our website again:

• Idio – The Cruise Line Dream
• Ticheli – Rest (Dr. Joey Bello, conductor)
• Collins – The Paper Man
• Piazzolla/Green – Oblivion (Matt Podd, accordion)
• de Abreu/Green – Tico Tico (Matt Podd, accordion)
• Weinberger – Polka and Fugue
• Namysłowski – Clarinet Polka (Matt Podd, accordion)

All final rehearsals and the performance will be held at Tarrytown Music Hall. Please make sure the following dates are reserved in your calendar. Final rosters for January 31 and February 7 will be confirmed no later than January 30.

• Monday, January 31, 7:30-9:45 pm – Full or half-ensemble TBA (to be confirmed no later than January 30)
• Monday, February 7, 7:30-9:45 pm – Full or half-ensemble TBA (to be confirmed no later than January 30)
• Wednesday, February 9, 7:30-9:45 pm – Full rehearsal for all personnel and guest artists
• Saturday, February 12, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm – Dress rehearsal for all personnel and guest artists
• Sunday, February 13, 12:00 pm – hall opens for setup; 1:00 pm – sound check; 3:00 pm – performance. 

In addition, I have reserved TMH on Saturday, February 5, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Any section leaders who would like to hold a 60- or 90-minute sectional should reserve time with me.

I truly believe that this ensemble is up to the challenge of these unusual circumstances. I believe, and the Board agrees, that — pandemic aside — it is a better musical choice to continue ahead with this program as scheduled than to cancel or postpone it for musical reasons. It will not be perfect, but no concert ever is. However, if health and safety factors do not continue in the positive direction that we see now, we will not hesitate to make changes to safeguard both our member players and our audience. 

PLEASE PRACTICE! We’ve been dormant since December 13. It’s important to return to rehearsals feeling musically fit, and that can only happen by putting mouthpieces to lips. I will add reference recordings to my home page; feel free to listen to promote earworms prior to rehearsal.

If you committed to play on February 13 and have had a change in your personal situation, contact David Church immediately. Having a grip on our personnel roster is critical at this time.

Lastly, yes — the NFL added a 17th week. And although we originally planned this concert for the week after the Super Bowl, Roger Goodell did not return my calls. So we are performing at 3:00 pm on February 13, and the big game begins at 6:30 pm. I promise to keep the tempi moving along to get everyone out on time!

I will write again no later than January 30 to confirm our personnel plans (full or half-ensemble) for January 31.

Member update

Long-time member Ed Herko Sr. suffered a stroke on Sunday night. Ed Jr. reports that, as of Tuesday evening, his father was resting at Westchester Medical Center. Please keep Ed and the Herko family in your thoughts during the coming days.

Rehearsal/concert update and January 17 Zoom

The Board met on Tuesday evening to assess our situation and make decisions to protect our members as we try to navigate the Omicron surge. Please see below regarding a Town Hall Zoom we will hold on Monday to hear input and questions from you, our members. Please read and save these important dates in your calendars.

• At this point, we remain committed to the February 13 concert, but in light of the Omicron surge, we are cancelling two more rehearsals and are continuing to monitor the evolving situation.
• If we are going to produce this concert, we will consolidate rehearsals later and closer to the concert. it will be important for everyone playing to understand the abbreviated rehearsal schedule and be prepared with their personal best in order to succeed. This will be a quick turn-around, quicker than we’ve ever experienced before. In a way, this change of pace is an exciting challenge.
• As we’ve noted before, no one should feel coerced to participate and play. If you have concerns, please attend the Zoom meeting, and then contact David as needed.

In order to realize this plan safely:

• Rehearsals on January 17 & 24 are canceled. We will hold a Town Hall Zoom on January 17 at 7:30 pm in place of that rehearsal.
• The following rehearsal times have been booked/confirmed with TMH:
  • Monday, January 31, 7:30 pm  – rehearsal at TMH*
  • Saturday, February 5, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm at TMH – reserved for sectionals at TMH if needed. Please reserve the time for now and wait for updates.
  • Monday, February 7, 7:30 pm – rehearsal at TMH*
  • Wednesday, February 9, 7:30 pm – full rehearsal at TMH, including guests Matt Podd and Joey Bello
  • Saturday, February 12, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm – full dress rehearsal at TMH with guests
  • Sunday, February 13, 12:00 TMH opens, 1:00 pm sound check, 3;00 pm concert
• *Depending on how the surge recessed, the rehearsals on January 31 and February 7 could be half-ensemble or full rehearsals. Updates will be forthcoming. Please reserve both dates for now.
• Until we meet together again, all players should try to practice masked so you are prepared for the possibility of masked rehearsals, and possibly a masked performance if necessary.
• All players who have not submitted booster documentation to David must do so before our next rehearsal. We are committed to a boosted/fully-vaccinated ensemble for everyone’s safety. Please do this ASAP.
• The Board has committed to web-streaming the Winter concert, and will continue to review the success of each concert’s web-streaming on an ongoing basis.
• Should the pandemic require further constraints, the Board may consider a performance on February 13 with web stream only and no live audience. I will also consider cutting the Galante (first choice) and Standridge (second choice) in order to ease the program burden.
• If circumstances force us to completely cancel the February 13 concert, we will move key elements (Josh Idio world premiere, guest soloist/guest conductor) to the May 7 concert.

These have been difficult choices, and we value your perspective. In place of rehearsal this coming Monday, January 17, I’ll host a Town Hall Zoom for  all members interested in joining us. I’ll have the Zoom link open 7:30-9:00 pm, and you are welcome to arrive/depart as your schedule allows. In addition to having a chance to reconnect for the first time in the New Year, we will be eager to hear your questions and concerns about the plans described above.  I’ll send the Zoom credentials in a direct email on Sunday afternoon.

I hope to see you Monday evening.

As we learn more about how the coronavirus variants are affecting the pandemic, the board and I have acted, following Dr. Ron MacKenzie’s recommendation, to cancel the next two Monday evening rehearsals. This is not a decision we take lightly, and we realize the gravity of such a decision.

The next rehearsal is tentatively scheduled for Monday, January 17 at 7:30 pm at TMH. We will confirm this rehearsal by the Thursday of the previous week. Until then, please note these important announcements:

• Please send your vaccination booster update to David. Take a photo of your updated vaccination card (redact your birthdate if you wish), and rename the file with your name (LAST, FIRST) before you send it to David. Renaming the file will help us considerably.
• It’s likely that rehearsals will continue with half-ensemble rosters until the concert. I will post these rosters by the day we confirm the rehearsal. As noted previously, please keep all Monday evenings open, even those when you are not assigned to play, so we might be able to count on you to flip weeks and cover an absentee’s part when needed.
• For now, we ask that everyone come prepared with a mask that you can wear while playing. We need to take this step to insure that everyone feels safe and secure while gathering to rehearse. Local music stores have masks made for wind players, and you can find them online as well. Contact me if you have problems locating such a mask and I will help you. Take care of this NOW so you are prepared when we are able to resume rehearsals.
• As we’ve stated before, no one should feel coerced to rehearse or perform. Please keep David informed regarding anything that changes in regard to your availability or absences for a particular rehearsal. This communication with David is crucial.
• Please commit to consistent practice every week. This uninvited hiatus means that the burden of practice falls on you. Strive for perfection on everything in the folder. At this time, I am not cutting any pieces, and at this point we are committed to the concert on Sunday February 13. When we rehearse again, everything is going to move very fast to assemble and finalize our performance.

We will continue to review the ongoing situation and keep you updated as we move forward. Please continue to take steps to insure your personal and family’s safety. I look forward to seeing you all very soon.

Rehearsal dates/sites

• We have updates to the rehearsal calendar, which includes cancelling all of the tentative Saturday rehearsals (January 8 & 15, February 5). We will, however, retain the Saturday dress rehearsal on February 12.
• With thanks to Kathy Davis and Michael Lucke, we’ve been able to retain White Plains High School for rehearsals on January 10 & 24, when TMH is not available. I’ll send directions/parking info closer to those dates.

New half-ensemble rosters

• We will have half-ensemble rehearsals again starting January 3. I’ll post new rosters next week, which will reflect the personnel changes for the winter cycle.
• I will name these rosters Ben & Jerry, so no one confuses them with the previous Neiman & Marcus rosters. Please check the lists carefully when posted so you know which rehearsals to attend.
• IMPORTANT: Please do not take on other commitments on the opposite Monday nights, as we may need to ask you to play as a sub in the other half-ensemble if the need arises!
• I am not sure when the next full rehearsal will be.

COVID Boosters will be required by January 10

• Based on Dr. Ron MacKenzie’s urging, the board has voted to require the COVID-19 Booster for all currently performing players by January 10. This will give everyone in both half-ensembles the same amount of time to get the booster. If you haven’t gotten the booster yet, please plan ahead and take the needed steps so you’re boosted by January 10.
• When you have your vaccination card updated, please take a photo of it (redact birthdate if you wish), rename the file as LAST, FIRST and send it to David. (Renaming will help us considerably.)

The Midwest Clinic

I’m writing this post from Chicago. Today is the third day of this year’s clinic, and it’s the 75th anniversary this year. I’m so very proud to be connected with the history of this conference, having performed here in 1981 as a member of the Northshore Concert Band, and as a clinician in 2009. I’ve attended some amazing sessions, heard some phenomenal concerts (including Lagrangeville’s own Arlington High School Philharmonia Strings), reconnected with old colleagues, and made new professional connections. I feel very grateful for this experience, and the inspiration that I draw from it.

Sad news

This was sent to New Rochelle HS alums, and I’m sharing it here because Don was a faithful member of this ensemble at the time of its founding. 

NRHS WE alums,

 

We are saddened to let you know that Don Perlman (percussion) passed away yesterday.  Don was a member of the NRHS Class of 1971, but he was gracious enough to join the NRHS WE for many years following his graduation as a much needed “extra pair of hands” in the percussion section.  Don taught percussion privately, founded a percussion instrument dealer, and worked as an audio engineer, among other musical endeavors.  Many of the percussionists in later classes, including myself, had the good fortune to learn from and make music with Don.  With intensity and a large shock of red hair, Don was a great section member.  We will miss him.

 

 

According to the funeral home, a graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday December 17, 2021 at the Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, New York. 

 

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/mount-vernon-ny/donald-perlman-10488659

 

If you would like to leave a personal memory of Don on the NRHS WE Reunion website, you can do so at https://www.nrhswindensemble.org/share-with-others.html  (password MrWayne) and/or the funeral home’s website https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/mount-vernon-ny/donald-perlman-10488659/add-memory

 

Bud