This week:

• a new job opening,
• the winner of the Rep Bracket Challenge,
• auditions for principal horn, 
• summer Board meetings,
• The American Prize (don’t get too excited yet),
• a sincere note of thanks, and
• a special bonus!

Job opening

Rich Dashnaw sent me this notice for a job opening in the Lakeland Central School District. Click the flyer below for details and application information. Note that the application deadline is July 15.

Maslanka Symphony No. 4

I am very excited that the membership has chosen David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 4 as the winning selection in this spring’s Repertoire Bracket Challenge. The symphony presents many technical and musical challenges, but I believe that the ensemble is ready for this milestone work, and this will provide for a thrilling finale at our Spring 2020 concert. I’ve researched the rental costs, purchased the score, and have started my research. Thanks for everyone who participated in the voting. 

I’m hard at work completing the programming for next season and will share it with everyone when it’s all set.

Principal horn auditions

We need to fill the principal horn vacancy so we start the new season with a new principal in place. Auditions for principal horn will follow the same format as all member auditions, including the player’s choice of movements from a standard concerto or sonata, highlighting technical and lyrical abilities, plus sight-reading. Auditions will be heard as part of our season auditions on Tuesday, September 3, starting at 6:00 pm at Irvington Presbyterian Church. 

Current members of the horn section are encouraged to consider auditioning for the principal position. We also encourage all members to invite qualified horn candidates from outside the current roster to consider auditioning for membership and the principal chair. In addition, we encourage qualified candidates on all instruments to consider playing an audition for substitute and permanent spots. As we all know, personnel situations can turn on a dime, so having a deep pool of qualified players on all instruments is essential for the success of the ensemble.

David Church will once again schedule all auditions and answer related questions. Please contact him if you have questions, or would like to recommend a player for an audition.

Summer Board meetings

The Board will meet at Rachel’s house on:

• Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 pm
• Thursday, August 29 at 7:30 pm

The American Prize

Still no news. Be assured that I’ll blast out the results when they publish winners in any of the three categories in which we are finalists.

Thank you

Once again, thank you so much for an outstanding season. When the CD compilation is ready, we’ll send out an order form. This year, we’ll be picking the very best from the three TMH concerts, plus the ACB and Caramoor performances.

Bonus video!

See what you get when you read to the bottom of my posts? I’ll just put this right here in case you haven’t seen it yet. Thanks to Rachel for the initial heads up on this. Yes, I already sent this to Joe Higgins. Be sure to have the volume up so you can hear the announcer call the race.

I am so very, very proud of our work together last evening! The energy, the excitement, the focus, and the projection of intent was palpable from the first drum roll to the final release. It was the perfect finale to an exceptional season. Madison and Shea were brilliant, and your collaboration with them was clearly magical. Kathy Schuman, the vice president of programming, was thrilled, and that is key to our continued appearances at Caramoor.                                  

You thrilled people last night. You made them feel proud of our country, our heritage, our legacy. The connection between community and communication was clearly evident. The performance was a clear declaration of our mission statement.

I thank you with my whole heart for your dedication and hard work all season. I’ll be working with the Board to produce the season’s program for next year, which we’ll share in August. In the meantime, know that you’ve selected, by 58.5% to 41.5%, Symphony No. 4 by David Maslanka as the Repertoire Bracket Challenge winner. My next step will be to research how we obtain the score and parts, and to create a plan to rehearse and prepare this epic composition.

I’m particularly grateful to the members of the Board for their additional efforts and support, and I especially want to thank Michael Lucke for taking on the coordination with TMH, and David Church for his continuous expert management of all personnel matters.

I wish you the very best for the summer, including safe travels and the best of times with friends and family.

Dang it – I’m human! The correct link to vote is here!

Thanks for a productive rehearsal last night. I’ve contacted Matt and he’ll have a solution to the sax section wrong note issue this afternoon. 

Here’s the link for the final vote in the Rep Bracket Challenge. There’s only one choice in this final round. Try to vote today (or this afternoon at the dinner break) so we can announce the winner before we leave tonight.

See you all this afternoon — check in with David by 3:45 pm, sound check begins at 4:00 pm. It’s gonna be a warm one — bring water bottles and fans if you’ve got ’em!