Rehearsal on Monday – Woodwinds only

1. For now, we should mask while rehearsing. This is not a requirement, but we strongly recommend it at this point. While not ideal, those of us running the organization agree that we’re at a place where this is an important proactive step. Some of you already have special playing masks, and I recommend bringing them to rehearsal.
2. We need to distance ourselves from each other more in rehearsal. This means spreading out to use all available stage space, from the extremes of the wings (as long as you can still see me) to the edge of the stage (where you still have light to see).

And most importantly — no one should feel coerced to attend rehearsals at any time. You don’t need to explain, but if you do choose not to attend, please contact David so we can feel confident about your whereabouts and safety.

Rehearsal sites in January

TMH is not available to us for several Mondays in January, so we have been scrambling to find alternate sites. We are hoping that a site for several of these Mondays will be confirmed this Monday evening. As soon as this is realized, I will inform everyone and confirm the sites and schedule for January & February. (We’ve been asking you to hold Saturday January 8 & 15,  and I hope to eliminate them if we can get this alternate site approved.)

Member performance this week

Happy Holidays to All

Rehearsal this Monday

In the fall, we responded to the Delta variant by reducing the number of players for indoor rehearsals. With the advent of the Omicron variant, we will do the same for the next two weeks. We’re doing so with Ron MacKenzie’s endorsement and approval of the Board.

We’ll continue to assess how this variant is spreading and how vaccination contains it before making any predictions for the next rehearsals in January. We will also continue week-to-week assessment in January and February. TMH continues to require vaccination for all players using the Hall, and at this writing, masks during rehearsal are optional but not required.

For now, please plan on:

• Monday, December 6, 7:30-9:45 pm at TMH – Brass and percussion sectional
• Monday, December 13, 7:30-9:45 pm at TMH – Woodwinds and percussion sectional

My rehearsal plan is posted on the home page. 

Newspaper coverage

We received amazing coverage for the Fall Concert and Joe Greco’s award from the Rivertowns Enterprise. Ciick the photo or here for the article. Marge also has a hard copy of the clipping.

Joe called me the week after the concert to express his thanks once again, and asked me to pass that gratitude on to all of you.

Warm up scale for Beginning Band

Since we’re playing Randall Standridge’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, I thought I’d share his priceless Bb warm up scale (and unique sense of humor) for all those heroes among us who teach Beginning Band. Click the image for a PDF version. Look closely, especially at the trombone part. Enjoy!

Connecticut Symphonic Winds concert tonight

Lastly, our friends in the Connecticut Symphonic Winds are performing tonight at 7:30 pm in Fairfield. See details below.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday with family and friends. I felt fortunate to spend three days with my mother, Helen, in Lancaster County. She watched the concert in real time on November 14, and sends her congratulations to everyone.

We’re rehearsing as a full ensemble on Monday at 7:30 pm, the first of three Monday rehearsals before the holiday break. (The posted rehearsal plan is the first half of the program.) We are still waiting for confirmation from the school where we’ve made application to rehearse on the Mondays that TMH is not available (January 3, 10, 24, 31), but will advise everyone as soon as the plan is confirmed. 

Monday’s rehearsal has a late start again

We’ve learned that Random Farms has one final performance, on Monday. So we need to gather again at 7:45 pm outside the marquee entrance, stay out of the way of the doors as parents exit, and then wait for the all clear before entering the hall. Once parents are clear and we can enter the hall, please wait in the concession area until the TMH crew gives us the all clear to enter the seating area and set up the stage. 

The rehearsal plan is posted. Our goal is to read through the entire program, as we’ve done before. This is an exciting program with three new arrangements for solo accordion and band, written specifically for us by Barton Green. We’ll hand out new music to put into your folders. If you play from an iPad, you can find PDF parts to six of the pieces in this folder.  I’ll do my best to push us through all the pieces by 9:45, but please make plans to stay until 10:00 pm again if needed.

I’m still making decisions about the plans for the next weeks’ rehearsals (full rehearsal vs sectionals), and will announce these plans on Monday. Anyone who has family plans for first night of Hanukkah, on Monday, December 29, should advise David, as this information will help me create the best plan.

Marquee Records

Tarrytown Music Hall is happy to announce the grand opening of Marquee Records, coming soon! It will be located on the second floor of The Tarrytown Music Hall. They are now accepting donations indefinitely. All proceeds to benefit the Hall. Thanks for all your support. Please help them spread the word and follow them on social media.